Trying to be something. Am I going to go back?" Why is it important to get back up and keep charging? "It was a pretty regular looking wave. As tempted as I might be to honor Andy by including his name when I name my son I feel like that name belongs to Andys son and Andys son alone. It was there, while on top of a 50-foot. 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-. Keala Kennelly air dropped to the bottom of a 40-foot bomb, losing her feet halfway down and disappearing into the abyss. To read the provocative profile in its entirety go to your favorite surf shop or newstand and pick up Surfer magazine volume 43 Issue #8 or click here to subscribe. Because of that, more women started doing it and we were able to establish a women's big wave tour and have competitions where you could actually win prize money. He has a B.A. She is now pursuing careers as a DJ and actress while . Doing these things is what makes me feel truly alive. Like brothers, they were her only peer role models. The following is an interview with Keala along with the sequence of the wave that dry-docked her on Teahupoos reef: CS: In many peoples opinion, including my own, you are the hardest charging female surfer ever. 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. Keala charges so hard, shes been so inspiring to me since I was just a little grom! It seems to me that this was Andys swell a gift from him for you all during the contest. 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. Or does this just make you want to charge harder after surviving it? Keala Kennelly (born August 13, 1978) is a professional surfer, surfer DJ, and actress from Kauai, Hawaii. Not too many people can say that. send. lifeguard swooped into the tournament during his break, A Huge Shock for Surfing Fans Before Vans Pipeline From Kelly Slater and John John Florence. Everything Keala does is personal. It was a pretty regular looking wave. Believe it or not, Kennelly was raised in a geodesic dome designed by her hippie mother. Kennelly: Even before I got on tour, it was already very well known that it was not okay to be out, it was not okay to be a lesbian. I feel like I honor Andy more to let that name belong to his only son. But Kennelly who runs AKKTIVE, a women's board shorts company is used to facing obstacles and succeeding in the face of adversity. I really think what happened at Teahupoo was more of a freak accident. Keala came home from school one day and there was a Dear John letter for her on the bed. Video from Ken Kosada. Keala Kennelly is a professional surfer, DJ, and actress from Kauai, Hawaii. Keala Kennelly's age is 44. I doubt that I am any good at surfing, I doubt that people respect me or my surfing and I doubt that I will ever do anything amazing in surfing again (Andy and I were very alike in this way). One such surfer is Keala Kennelly, who marked the end of her professional surfing career with this tournament. Kennelly: I think they learned to respect me. The 2023 Eddie Aikau Big-wave invitational marked the end of Kennelly's surfing career. Surfer Keala Kennelly is openly gay and now a world champion. Period. More Unofficial. /PRNewswire/ -- Keala Kennelly has redefined women's surfing. If women's shortboarding were a song, Keala Kennelly would be the baseline. She is now pursuing car Let's examine. 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. The holder of a It was around 2005 when Kennelly conquered her fears by coming out as gay to her surfing peers. As winter approaches, the ladies of big wave surfing . It was there, while on top of a 50-foot wave, Kennelly was sent cartwheeling down the mountain of water after a blast of wind sent her board flying. Trying to rise up in mans world that doesnt even want her. Do you feel as though you were being watched out for during the tribute heat for Andy that day? So she dressed like them and talked like them and tried her best to surf like them; actually beat them both in amateur contests at Pine Trees. When my dad looked up and saw me coming around the corner smiling his eyes got big like saucers. Keala Kennelly Pushes Her Son Into His First Wave 5,648 views Dec 8, 2014 22 Dislike Share Save 533DZ Foundation 167 subscribers Keala Kennelly comes home to family on Kauai and pushes. Keala Kennelly Puts Her Son On His First Wave.So Cool, 3 Generations Of Surfers In The Water. A mom that embarrassed the hell out of her by sitting way up on top of the thing and meditating at all hours. You said, One minute I was getting barreled and the next minute I was getting pile-driven face first into the reef. After having some time to think about the incident, do you have a better understanding or guess as to what went wrong? Late last week, Kennelly officially claimed the Womens Big Wave World Title for her incredible performance at the 2018 Jaws Challenge in Maui. Keala got teased a lot for that. I think I was bleeding before my brain even processed I wasnt coming out of the barrel. In 2011, during a World Tour event in Tahiti, Kennelly paddled out at small Teahupoo for an exhibition heat. Unexpected. Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest from Paige Alms, left, and Keala Kennelly. Surfing, like almost every other sport, lacks visible, openly gay, competitors and Kennellys words are a powerful reminder of challenges LGBTQ athletes still face. KK: When Andys wife Lyndie named Andys son Andy Axel Irons I thought that was perfect. So, yeah, even though she was close to Brian, her dad, who taught her how to surf, she pretty much had to raise herself with no girls in her life. Following her role on John from Cincinnati in 2007, Kennelly began touring the world to pursue her music career as a DJ. Besides these two acting roles, she has appeared as herself in a number of documentaries, including 7 Girls (2001) and Step Into Liquid (2003). Kennelly began a string of successful visits to Teahupoo, Tahiti in 1998 when she won the Gotcha Black Pearl Women's Pro. I took off and it kind of had a bit of bump that kept me from pulling into the barrel straight away." It was a scary one because it was a head injury, so close to my eye and so deep (to the bone). Family, friends, being a haole-girl in Kauai, personality, surfing itself ? So, I think the surfing community, they weren't totally accepting of LGBT people at the time but I think that they respected me for living my truth, speaking, being open, being brave enough to just be authentic. I'm just a really honest person, I'm a really genuine, authentic person. Keala Kennelly Height, Weight & Measurements At 44 years old, Keala Kennelly height is 1.67 m . Kennelly has always been an advocate of pushing ones limit, especially for women. I was just doing it purely out of passion. Keala Kennelly spills the beans on her role in HBO's <i>John from Cincinnati</i> Registeredor Premium Member? If womens shortboarding were a song, Keala Kennelly would be the baseline. Even though she only scored a 3 on the wave that won her the title, it was an incredible feat that she survived at all. Shes risked her life, surfing desperately for the money that no one else on earth is ever going to give her. WSL is best experienced with Javascript! Out of the 40 surfers set to compete, six are women. This one seemed like a very typical wipeout, and I was completely shocked when I saw the amount of damage that was done. It does cross my mind that the risks I take in big waves are not worth it. And on November 4, 2010, just days after losing one of her best friends and heroes, Andy Irons . As tempted as I might be to honor Andy by including his name when I name my son I feel like that name belongs to Andys son and Andys son alone. The event witnessed one of the most unexpected plot twists when a lifeguard swooped into the tournament during his break and won the prize, along with millions of fans, with his exceptional skills. Stay tuned with the most relevant events happening around you. CS: Do you think that you will alter your approach to surfing consequential waves because youre now a parent? The wipeout was so forceful that the board practically "ripped [her leg] out of the hip socket," she says. PEOPLE: What were you feeling at the time? The best universities in the U.S. for scoring waves while getting your degree. Eddie Winner. 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, the first openly gay surfer to win a world surfing title, speaks with PEOPLE about that time in her life and if she believes things have changed in the years since. It was a scary one because it was a head injury, so close to my eye and so deep (to the bone). 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 . CS: The Hawaiian meaning of your name is the path or the road. Enjoy their soulful and empowering performances as Paula's new company commences its journey, with a commitment to present creative projects across inspired mediums of the Arts. I really think what happened at Teahupoo was more of a freak accident. She would inspire future legends like Bianca . I think he wanted to send me straight in but after that long paddle I wasnt going to be happy unless I caught some waves. Big Wave Award paddle week, Keala Kennelly breaks down her Wipeout of the Year, and Sky Brown heroically back on a surfboard. The fact that womens surfing gets to benefit from me trying to feed my passion is a really nice bonus and I am more than happy to help. To rise up and love and laugh and dance through life a winner. Photo: had the incident at Teahupoo played out differently. Her aggressive approach to catching waves was inspired by her upbringing, surfing with legends like Andy and Bruce Irons and Laird Hamilton in Kauai. 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, including a recurring role as a surfer in the 2007 series John from Cincinnati. CS: I recently met a gentleman who had a daughter that he named after you because of your courage and strength. It is the second year in a row she won. She spent over a decade ranked in the top 10 in the world on the WSL World Championship Tour finishing runner up to the . Kennelly turned professional at the age of 17 and soon began surfing in the World Qualifying Series (WQS). She would go on to win 3 more times in Teahupoo in 2000, 2002,[1] and 2003. It's no surprise that Keala is also a DJ, a mixologist of sound, finding the right beats to marry for dancing crowds. My name is Keala Kennelly and I have a story that no man wants to hear. Keala Kennelly (@kealakennelly) July 23, 2015 And not even 11-time world champion Kelly Slater could keep his jaw from dropping. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. Do you keep this in mind when taking on such challenges? My god father is Laird Hamilton, and Kala Alexander is like an uncle to me. 695 talking about this. 27 years after first exploring Alaska's coast, Josh Mulcoy returns to find a Watch the fourth and final episode of Torren Martyn's "Lost Track: Atla Recapping a historic day of competitive surfing, The epic biopic about the 2019 World Champ and Olympic gold medalist is finally here, Nic von Rupp and Nate Behl score all-time Ments, These 14 contestants are vying for $100K and a spot on the 2022 WSL Championship Tour, Egg Guru Devon Howard provides guidance on ordering a 7-foot-plus surfcraft, Money cant buy happiness, but it can buy cool shit. As for Andy he is always with me. 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. Three days later while riding in a memorial heat for Andy Irons during the Billabong Pro Men's WCT, Kennelly suffered a massive facial injury. Keala Kennelly Professional Surfer. They fought for equal pay in surfing. KK: Glad it didnt play out like that. Probably more. Keala Kennelly, 42, has been surfing for as long as she can remember. Subscribe to SURFERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. A Kauai-born surfer, she turned pro at the age of 17, is an ASP World Championship Tour veteran. Professional Big Wave surfer who is known for competing in a variety of opens and surfing events. She continues to DJ and compete as a big wave surfer. Your incredible ambition and courage in the face of the largest mountains on offer from the ocean begs the question: What (and when) was your earliest memory of pushing yourself past that fear-limit that would have prevented you from dropping in on the first wave-of-consequence you encountered as a young surfer? Keala Kennelly was . As for Andy he is always with me. I just wanted to prove them wrong and I wanted to prove to myself that I could. Subscribe to SURFER has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Follow your favorites and never miss a wave. Its no surprise that Keala is also a DJ, a mixologist of sound, finding the right beats to marry for dancing crowds. A Norfolk Pine karate-chopped the house. El ministro de Transporte, Guillermo Reyes, envi un mensaje de paciencia a los viajeros afectados por la suspensin de operaciones de la aerolnea Viva y les pidi que guarden la calma mientras se intenta llegar a algn acuerdo con la aerolnea para evacuar los pasajeros que estn en los aeropuertos del pas. Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. 4. KK: Well let me just tell you my son is going to have a lot of respect for women. Welcome to Unofficial Networks's European Union Experience. DJKK's style is a mix of tropical "feel good" house, tech house, deep house and 80s remix, indie dance/new disco and pop remixes. I feel like I honor Andy more to let that name belong to his only son. KEALA KENNELLY, PRO SURFER. 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. Ive had scary two wave hold-downs that make you think its all over. Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. She remembers that. KK: When Andys wife Lyndie named Andys son Andy Axel Irons I thought that was perfect. It was no easy road, especially since she had to raise herself as a boy. 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. She is an actress, known for John from Cincinnati (2007), Blue Crush (2002) and Beyond the Break (2006). This year's event marked the first time women competed in The Eddie's 39-year history, catching monster waves that exceeded 50-foot at Waimea Bay. CS: I think this scar may officially be your greatest Badge of Courage. I have taken much heavier wipeouts that have torn ligaments and kept me out of the water for months. Winners of the first-ever Red Bull Magnitude have been announced and it's Keala Kennelly taking out the women's big wave event. I am an only girl with two brothers, a total daddys girl. In a very real sense, this could have been, quite literally, The End of the Road, had the incident at Teahupoo played out differently. Over and over he told me I couldnt go that day because it was too big for me. Her most notable appearances include opening for Snoop Dogg at Rain Nightclub at the Palms in Las Vegas, The Work Magazine Summer Rooftop Pool Party at The Standard in downtown Los Angeles, The Surfrider Foundation 2 Coasts 1 Ocean Event in the Hamptons and Malibu, The Primo Beer/Inertia Summer Rooftop Party opening for Y.A.H.T. I try to be very calculated about the risks I take and try to be very realistic with myself about where my limits are. On 25th January 2023, Keala Kennelly shared the news of her retirement from the professional surfing world. Despite the harassment, the committee succeeded. Moller paddled into a breaking swell during the first set to become the. It got to a point where I didn't care what the cost was, I couldn't live like this. 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