The waves at Waimea Bay were high this week, but not enough to meet the high standards of the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.

But contest director George Downing said there is still plenty of time — and swells — on the horizon.

Contest organizers actually gathered at Waimea Bay on Tuesday to assess the conditions for a possible start to the prestigious event. However, waves were "only" 10 to 15 feet (by traditional measurements).

The contest can run only on a day when the waves are consistently breaking at 20 feet or higher.

"It will be a good year, that's my feeling, but we're going to have to be patient," Downing said. "The beauty of this event is that it has a three-month holding period. We're only just heading into the second month, and historically, this is when the waves start to turn on."

The holding period for the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational will continue through the end of February.

Because of the strict standards of the contest, it has been completed just seven times since its creation in 1984.

Among the surfers invited to compete this year are Kaua'i brothers Andy and Bruce Irons, and eight-time world champion Kelly Slater. Bruce Irons won the Eddie Aikau contest the last time it ran in December 2004.

BILLABONG TO SPONSOR PIPELINE MASTERS

Billabong, one of the biggest companies in the surf industry, will take over title sponsorship of the prestigious Pipeline Masters this year.

The 2007 contest, which will be held in December at the famous Banzai Pipeline, will be called the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

The Pipeline Masters is the annual finale for the World Championship Tour and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Rip Curl had been the title sponsor of the Pipeline Masters for the past three years.