Eddie could go.

After waiting out a day of big surf yesterday, the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest is "90 percent likely a go" for today at Waimea Bay, according to contest director George Downing.

Wave-face heights were in the 25- to 40-foot range yesterday, and expected to get even bigger today. The official call for the contest will be made this morning, with swell consistency and wind patterns factoring into the decision.

"Waimea is something special," Downing said. "You've got to have the right ingredients."

The contest can run only on a day when wave-faces are consistently hitting 40 feet. It has been completed only seven times in its previous 24 years. The last time it ran was December 2004.

Several of the big-wave surfers turned yesterday's conditions into a practice session, including Shane Dorian and Mark Healey.

Australia's Tom Carroll, one of the 28 surfers invited to compete in the Eddie Aikau contest, suffered an ankle injury during a wipeout yesterday.

If the contest runs today, he will not compete and will be replaced by an alternate.

If the contest runs today, it will be televised live on Oceanic digital channel 250 (HD channel 1250).

For updates, visit www.quiksilver.com/eddie or call 596-7873.