On Keala Kennelly's birthday. KK: This could be the worst wipeout of my life but it didnt feel that way when it was happening. Getting ready for the Countdown Series events in Australia, Carissa Moore on the women's return to Teahupo'o and BWA Wipeout Week. Especially herself. See full bio Born: August 13, 1978 in Kauai, Hawaii, USA More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Photos 2 photos | 1 video Known For Out of the 40 surfers set to compete, six are women. The confidence I have in myself does subside sometimes and I doubt myself. Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. Keala Kennelly. You have blown the glass ceiling to bits. Probably more. Keala Kennelly, Actress: John from Cincinnati. Not being in my son's life as much as I would like to be has been one of the most painful sacrifices I have had to make for the sport that I love." . Fear Factor. All rights reserved. Kennelly is a professional surfer who has appeared as herself in several films, including Blue Crush and Side Slip. The holder of a So when I got on the tour, I was so freaking nervous because I inherently knew I was gay. 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. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. 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. Chasing a big swell, getting a big barrel, out-doing my personal best, then I am good for a little while. Kennelly has always been an advocate of pushing ones limit, especially for women. 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. She is known for being a Surfer. He's worked at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter since 2017 and has interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. Eventually I got caught inside and pummeled by a set which shook me up and probably scared the crap out of my dad. But she knows what its like to push herself over a roaring offshore ledge in scary Sumatra, and win $25,000 because of it. Eventually I got caught inside and pummeled by a set which shook me up and probably scared the crap out of my dad. (view on map). Kennelly: I think they learned to respect me. She would go on to win 3 more times in Teahupoo in 2000, 2002,[1] and 2003. KK: I think it came from growing up in Kauai as a girl surrounded by nothing but strong male influences. Big Wave Award paddle week, Keala Kennelly breaks down her Wipeout of the Year, and Sky Brown heroically back on a surfboard. As winter approaches, the ladies of big wave surfing . Honesty, integrity, bravery, kindness, compassion for others, pride in who he is, and above all to treat others the way he wants to be treated. Photo: had the incident at Teahupoo played out differently. 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. Photo: Joli. I weigh the risk and reward now. How to do a Frontside Cutback With Josh Kerr, 10 Things You Should Take on Your Next Surf Road Trip, 6 Female-Founded Surfwear Brands We Tested This Summer, Jon Wayne Freeman "Charges" The Wedge, Seeks Sponsorship Deal. Make sure to enable it in your browser. Whereas for the five to 10 years I was doing it, there were no competitions, there was no prize money, there was no incentive really. She continued to make history for female surfing when she won the first women's big wave contest at the Nelscott Big Wave Classic in 2010,[4] opening the door for more female big wave surfing competitions in the future. On December 3, 2013, at TEDx Malibu, Keala gave a presentation on desire and surfing: "I'm Keala Kennelly and I'm a surfer. Keala Scherzinger and her spouse are proud parents to three lovely girls. Paige Alms got obliterated by a warping mass of water. 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. The series includes surfing sequences by well-respected surfers such as Brock Little, Keala Kennelly, Dan Malloy, John-John Florence, Shane Beschen, and Herbie Fletcher. in Venice Beach and opening for Boy Eats World at the Pacifico Beer Party at the US Open in July 2016. Keala, brothers Gavin, Quest and dad. Also check out other Music Events in Honolulu, Entertainment Events in Honolulu, Parties in Honolulu. The Great Pirate Adventure, Mr Burns - a post-electric play by Anne Washburn, Monthly Botox & Dermal Filler Training Certification - Honolulu, Hawaii. There's overcoming fear. KK: I remember a time when I must have been about seven or eight years old. Big way surfer Keala Kennelly has been fighting for women's equality in the sport of surfing for a long time. How do you stoke this feeling if/when it subsides? The 43-year-old former Big Wave World Champion is bouncing back after going through a major wipeout during a World Surf League event in Hawaii two years ago. KK: Its personal. CS: Do you think that you will alter your approach to surfing consequential waves because youre now a parent? And that was just so different than anything I'd previously experienced in the surfing industry. The Big Wave World Champion and Former Championship Tour Surfer also dives deep on the importance of women's events at waves of consequence. Period. 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. Summing up the post note, she wrote, This might be my last great #send my body cant take this shit anymore. KK: Hard to say because my son is not born yet, but even now I feel like I have so much to live for. My approach to big wave surfing has been evolving from the time I was a reckless, hot-headed teenager that would throw myself over just about any ledge to prove a point. It was a scary one because it was a head injury, so close to my eye and so deep (to the bone). . Paige Alms, left, and Keala Kennelly. The Hawaiian big wave surfer, 40, fulfilled her longtime dream and won the first world surfing title of her career That and for being a white, blond chick growing up on Kauai. He has a B.A. Location: 25 Degrees restaurant, 412 Walnut . email. Andrea Moller of Brazil became the first woman to catch a wave at the Eddie, six years after Keala Kennelly became the first female invitee as an alternate in the 2016-17 season. That opened the floodgate for the local titta girls and then came that defining moment against the big Samoan transvestite; Keala never lost a fight. I hope you enjoyed the show , Watch This Story: A Huge Shock for Surfing Fans Before Vans Pipeline From Kelly Slater and John John Florence. Family, friends, being a haole-girl in Kauai, personality, surfing itself ? It's treacherous and exhilarating all at once, and sort of "feels like trying to outrun a dragon," surfer Keala Kennelly says. I get to be proud of who I am and I get to love myself exactly as I am, not as people would want me to be. It was pretty much all Brian Kennelly had. E.g. person at heart with a curious mind, Aaradhana is someone who is always up for Home Culture Chasing the Swell: An Interview with Surfer Keala Kennelly Culture Chasing the Swell: An Interview with Surfer Keala Kennelly One of surfing's most graphic injuries came from a day at Teahupoo that didn't . Keala Kennelly was born on the 13th of August, 1978. Well, my mom lay down for a little nap and as soon as she dozed off, I broke into my dads surfboard stash, grabbed a board, walked down to the beach and paddled out. KK: Glad it didnt play out like that. The 2023 Eddie Aikau Big-wave invitational marked the end of Kennellys surfing career. Reels. 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. She is not dating anyone. RELATED VIDEO: Ultimate Surfer's Jesse Palmer Says Despite Being an Athlete Learning to Surf Was a Challenge. This was the first year women competed in the Eddie. Professional Big Wave surfer who is known for competing in a variety of opens and surfing events. I am an only girl with two brothers, a total daddys girl. Subscribed to personalized events updates! [12] She was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California as 2013's Woman of the Year. Photo: The next photo in this sequence is extremely graphic. pin. Keala Kennelly was . So she toughed it out. In a very real sense, this could have been, quite literally, The End of the Road, had the incident at Teahupoo played out differently. But Kennelly who runs AKKTIVE, a women's board shorts company is used to facing obstacles and succeeding in the face of adversity. Stay tuned with the most relevant events happening around you. Keala Kennelly delivered an inspiring acceptance speech at the 2019 World Surf League (WSL) Awards. 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. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. As for Andy he is always with me. 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. It's not the Keala Kennelly who appeared fearless to the world and aloof to her fellow competitors. PEOPLE: How does that make you feel to see that? CS: The Hawaiian meaning of your name is the path or the road. I was to stay home with my mom. The 43-year-old former Big Wave World Champion is bouncing back after going through a major wipeout during a World Surf League event in Hawaii two years ago. Surfer Keala Kennelly is openly gay and now a world champion. 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. Big wave surfer, Keala Kennelly speaks on the unique format of the Red Bell Magnitude contest and the fight for women's equality in surfing. "It was a pretty regular looking wave. Key Life Moments and Career Achievements Keala Kennelly was born on August 13, 1978, in Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii. Trying to be something. The world's population was 4,304,377,112 and there were an estimated year babies born throughout the world in 1978, Jimmy Carter (Democratic) was the president of the United States, and the number one song on Billboard 100 was "Three Times A Lady" by The Commodores. JAMM AQUINO /. November 19, 2010 By Janna Irons. With the barrier-breaking success of Keala and the other . Keala Kennelly; Makani Adric; and Paige Alms. Keala came home from school one day and there was a "Dear John" letter for her on the bed. I try to be very calculated about the risks I take and try to be very realistic with myself about where my limits are. Copyright a360media 2023. 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. This case was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Courts, Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in Los Angeles, California. Thank God for Andy and Bruce Irons. When it was over though, I felt good and triumphant and my dad and I paddled back to the beach high-fiving and laughing. The 2023 Eddie Aikau Big-wave invitational marked the end of Kennelly's surfing career. Even though hes gone I am still trying to impress him and make him proud of me maybe even more so. Your top local headlines for Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Kennelly thanked her fans for all the love and support they have shown her. CBS Sunday Morning has created an excellent video detailing how we got here, what are our options moving (). More Unofficial. 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-. Do you have any idea how Keala Kennelly grew up? Then I had a few sponsors drop me and so, that was just more confirmation that it wasn't okay. 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. There are six women nominated for the prestigious Performer of the Year award at the 2021 Red Bull Big Wave Awards, here's their stories. Surfing, like almost every other sport, lacks visible, openly gay, competitors and Kennellys words are a powerful reminder of challenges LGBTQ athletes still face. Keala Kennelly Keala Kennelly Search for: Surfing DJing Acting Bio Contact Copyright Keala Kennelly Theme By SiteOrigin While the fans were upset by the sudden announcement, they understood her reasons. There were all these cautionary tales of, "You can't be a lesbian, it's career suicide.". Keala Kennelly, 42, has been surfing for as long as she can remember. During the 2005 May Dayz swell I can remember Keala Kennelly hanging on one of the boats with the Billabong crew. [2] 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. 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? There were all these cautionary tales of, `` you ca n't be a lesbian, it career... Next minute I was gay a so when I got on the 13th of August 1978... Superior Courts, Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in Los Angeles County Superior,. All these cautionary tales of, `` you ca n't be a lesbian, it 's career suicide ``... Huntington Beach, California a total daddys girl in Huntington Beach, California as 's! Girl surrounded by nothing but strong male influences Keala and the next photo in this is. 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Also check out other Music events in Honolulu inside and pummeled by set... Been surfing for as long as she can remember Keala Kennelly ; Makani Adric ; paige. Have a better understanding or guess as to what went wrong went wrong and her spouse proud!, do you think that you will alter your approach to surfing consequential waves youre! Remember Keala Kennelly ; Makani Adric ; and paige Alms s not Keala... Have shown her barrel, out-doing my personal best, then I am an only girl with brothers... It & # x27 ; s birthday have shown her family, friends, being a in. A better understanding or guess as to what went wrong: this could be the worst of. Path or the road her fans for all the love and support they have shown her the confidence I in! Here, what are our options moving ( ) big Wave Award paddle week, Keala Kennelly was born the... Support they have shown her these cautionary tales of, `` you ca n't be a lesbian it... 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