Thank God for Andy and Bruce Irons. Please login below or register here if you are not yet a member. KK: Glad it didnt play out like that. Key Life Moments and Career Achievements Keala Kennelly was born on August 13, 1978, in Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii. KK: Hard to say because my son is not born yet, but even now I feel like I have so much to live for. Not in the sense that she avoids the spotlight or refuses to lay bare her innermost hues and shades, but rather, everything she does comes from a deep sense of self-creation. It was a scary one because it was a head injury, so close to my eye and so deep (to the bone). Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. KK: Now I have seen the sequence shot of the wave and have been able to analyze it a bit and here is what I have deduced-. It was around 2005 when Kennelly conquered her fears by coming out as gay to her surfing peers. Kennelly: It makes me really happy that athletes are not having a struggle as I did. How do you stoke this feeling if/when it subsides? A sea change rippled through the industry. When it was over though, I felt good and triumphant and my dad and I paddled back to the beach high-fiving and laughing. SURFER has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. There's overcoming fear. KK: Well let me just tell you my son is going to have a lot of respect for women. I left the tour because, emotionally and mentally, I just couldn't handle it but I also got this really amazing opportunity to go do acting on an HBO TV series (2007's John from Cincinnati) for a year. Doing these things is what makes me feel truly alive. PEOPLE: So you finally come out what was the reaction like? You have blown the glass ceiling to bits. Photo: had the incident at Teahupoo played out differently. After spending a decade ranked in the top 10 on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), Kennelly took a break from the tour in 2007 to explore her passions for acting and music. Her aggressive approach to catching waves was inspired by her upbringing, surfing with legends like Andy and Bruce Irons and Laird Hamilton in Kauai. "The board hit me in the shin, it flipped again and hit me in the ribs and then it flipped again and hit me in the face.". KK: Its personal. Understanding the reason behind her decision, fans wished her well in her future endeavors. The holder of a I dont care if I am the woman that rides the biggest wave of the year, I dont allow myself to feel pressured to go out on a big day just because another woman paddled out. Reels. I traveled for a bit, had to negotiate the foam-ball. I think in life in general when you get knocked down its important to dust yourself off and try again in order to get your confidence back. I needed to dream bigger because when I was 25, I was hiding in the closet, soaked in shame, living in fear, and I hated myself because I did not think you could be World Champion and gay at the same time. My dad helped call me into a couple of six footers (probably the biggest waves I had ridden in my life at that point) and after kicking out, I would paddle back out smiling. Surfer Caroline Marks Says the Sport Is 'Forever Exciting': 'So Many Things' Are 'Out of Your Control', Carissa Moore Reflects on 'Incredible Journey' to Gold at Tokyo Olympics and Dance Party with Husband, Ellen DeGeneres' Iconic 'Coming-Out' Episode Aired 25 Years Ago Today: Why It Was So Groundbreaking, After Serving in 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Era, Air Force Under Secretary Gina Ortiz Jones Comes Full Circle, Chris Lane and Lauren Bushnell Lane Expecting Second Baby: 'Two Under 2! It seems to me that this was Andys swell a gift from him for you all during the contest. Paige Alms, left, and Keala Kennelly. ", "Code Red: You've never seen Teahupoo quite like this", "Keala Kennelly severely injured in Teahupoo", "Congratulations Keala Kennelly And Grant Baker", "These Women Made History at Waimea Bay Last Weekend", "Hawaii Surfer Girl Keala Kennelly Wins Women's Billabong Global Big Wave Award! The following year saw a landmark event for women surfers. 2021 Women's Ride Of The Year Kennelly Keala at Himalayas on December 2, 2020. The Big Wave World Champion and Former Championship Tour Surfer also dives deep on the importance of women's events at waves of consequence. Its day seven for hospital workers on strike on Maui and Lanai. CS: I think this scar may officially be your greatest Badge of Courage. Took a hurricane to do it. I try to be very calculated about the risks I take and try to be very realistic with myself about where my limits are. They set the standard and I was just trying to keep up. It's no surprise that Keala is also a DJ, a mixologist of sound, finding the right beats to marry for dancing crowds. I think I was bleeding before my brain even processed I wasnt coming out of the barrel. [15] PEOPLE: Considering your experiences, do you have advice or any words of encouragement for anyone who might be nervous about coming out? Its no surprise that Keala is also a DJ, a mixologist of sound, finding the right beats to marry for dancing crowds. CS: I recently met a gentleman who had a daughter that he named after you because of your courage and strength. [14] This award made her the first woman to win at the Big Wave Awards in any open-gender category. KEALA KENNELLY, PRO SURFER. I was living this double life because on tour, I was pretending to be straight. From huge barrels to massive drops, for a handful of other women at Jaws on January 16, it was just the moment they've been waiting for. It was there, while on top of a 50-foot. They fought for equal pay in surfing. Also Read: . Over and over he told me I couldnt go that day because it was too big for me. This Winter saw the women charging on the North Shore, a Championship Tour event at Pipe and the crowning of a female Triple Crown champ. ", "2014 XXL Big Wave Awards: Results and Rebuttals", "2016 Pure Scot Barrel Award Winner: Keala Kennelly", "Keala Kennelly the first woman to win open category at the Big Wave Awards", "2016 ESPY Awards: Best Action Sports Athletes nominees", "I'm Keala Kennelly and I'm a Surfer: Keala Kennelly at TEDxMalibu", "Gay surfer talks about the new surfing doc film, 'Out in the Line-Up', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keala_Kennelly&oldid=1135736581, Two-time winner of Billabong Pro in Teahupoo; 2003 ASP Women's WCT Runner Up; 2003 Triple Crown Winner; Two-time winner of Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award; 2013 Inductee, Surfing Walk of Fame and Actions Sports Hall of Fame, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 15:10. Born and raised in the beautiful Hawaiian islands, Keala is one of the best female surfers in the world and arguably the best female big wave surfer on the planet. Kennelly began her acting career with a role in the 2002 film, Blue Crush, and later landed a recurring role on the 2007 HBO series, John from Cincinnati. That may have thrown me off and made me have to draw a higher line than I would have liked. Later that year, Kennelly had a tow-in at Puerto Escondido that is considered to be arguably the best barrel by a female to date. This is what pushing your limits looks like, it isnt always pretty but the ones that Ive had in my career where I went #fullsend and was successful were incredible , Kennelly added. Kennelly began a string of successful visits to Teahupoo, Tahiti in 1998 when she won the Gotcha Black Pearl Women's Pro. On 25th January 2023, Keala Kennelly shared the news of her retirement from the professional surfing world. The doctors were very concerned that I had cracked my skull, cheekbone or that I had injured my neck, so I was pretty stressed until the CT Scan results came back all good. I had lost a bunch of sponsors at that point, so I decided instead of going back on tour, just chase my passion for surfing big waves. Late last week, Kennelly officially claimed the Womens Big Wave World Title for her incredible performance at the 2018 Jaws Challenge in Maui. Chasing a big swell, getting a big barrel, out-doing my personal best, then I am good for a little while. Shes earned her stay here on earthall 24 yearsThe hard way. KK: Hard to say because my son is not born yet, but even now I feel like I have so much to live for. All rights reserved. That may have thrown me off and made me have to draw a higher line than I would have liked. A mom that embarrassed the hell out of her by sitting way up on top of the thing and meditating at all hours. Jack is first name and Mandanka is last name. As unlucky as I was to collide with the reef face first, all things considered I am pretty lucky. lifeguard swooped into the tournament during his break, A Huge Shock for Surfing Fans Before Vans Pipeline From Kelly Slater and John John Florence. And yet I see and feel and love exactly the same things you assholes do. Keala Kennelly Keala Kennelly Search for: Surfing DJing Acting Bio Contact Copyright Keala Kennelly Theme By SiteOrigin Keala Kennelly (@kealakennelly) July 23, 2015 And not even 11-time world champion Kelly Slater could keep his jaw from dropping. You must be logged in to enter the Gay Surfers social network. A sports New Chairlift At Quebec . Some people are just not going to be accepting, not going to agree with you, but if you're living your truth, people will respect you. I am an only girl with two brothers, a total daddys girl. The Hawaiian big wave surfer, 40, fulfilled her longtime dream and won the first world surfing title of her career https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/04/keala-kennelly-big-wave-world-title, 2023 NFL mock draft: Shaking up the top 6 with trades (and a Chicago Bears haul), The latest 2023 NFL mock draft from Mel Kiper Jr. has so many top-10 trades, 1 side-by-side MLB video should convince you the pitch clock is the best, Max Scherzers innovative way to use the MLB pitch clock is horrible news for hitters, Predicting where the NFL's top 21 free agents will wind up in 2023, Sister Jean surprisingly picked a non-Chicago team to win the NCAA Mens National title, Stunning video shows huge hammerhead shark racing to catch stingrays, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Im an admirer and so it was that I watched as Keala left the safety of her home and her life-love, Jane (who is pregnant with the pairs first child), in Hawaii to meet a massive swell in Tahiti. Video from Ken Kosada. Trying to rise up in mans world that doesnt even want her. CS: What are the most important values you want to teach your son? Join PAULA FUGA for an exciting show on O'ahu launching her new creative company, Mana Whine Productions, on SATURDAY, MARCH 4, at THE REPUBLIK! This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. After finishing 2nd in the world on the WQS Tour in 1997, she was accepted to the World Championship Tour and quickly began earning victories at some of the tour's biggest events. My name is Keala Kennelly and I have a story that no man wants to hear. As the weeks went by, Kennelly says she developed pain in her labrum (hip) caused by the board yanking the leash attached to her leg during the wipeout. KK: I think it came from growing up in Kauai as a girl surrounded by nothing but strong male influences. There were all these cautionary tales of, "You can't be a lesbian, it's career suicide.". It's treacherous and exhilarating all at once, and sort of "feels like trying to outrun a dragon," surfer Keala Kennelly says. Photo: "I traveled for a bit and had to negotiate the foam-ball. I thought I was coming out, but the lip just clipped me in the head and threw me straight into the reef before I even realized what happened. Subscribe to SURFERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. [jwplayer fXVCPuS5-t2dCqACG], Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Keala Kennelly has been a staple of the big-wave surfing community for over a decade now, consistently charging harder than any other female. View Gallery. If womens shortboarding were a song, Keala Kennelly would be the baseline. PEOPLE: And one of the companies sponsoring you today is Flex. Justine Dupont, left, and Keala Kennelly rode a large wave during Sunday's Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. I dont ever want to be in over my head. Summing up the post note, she wrote, This might be my last great #send my body cant take this shit anymore. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Andy helped shape who I am as a person and as a surfer. Time But you can imagine my sheer delight, this Mother's Day morning, after I rubbed the sleep out of eyes, gathered iPhone, began my ritual of scrolling through the surf news and stumbled upon a feel-good story about Keala Kennelly, described in the piece as "The Best Female Surfer on Earth," and her current journey.Oh I am not suggesting that Kennelly is a mother, or that . While Kennelly was able to continue surfing the rest of the season, she says the wipeout's effects lasted long after she made it back to shore. The wave pounded me and just ripped my leg so hard I thought it was gonna get pulled out of my hip joint. The best universities in the U.S. for scoring waves while getting your degree. 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