Keala Kennelly (born August 13, 1978) is a professional surfer, DJ, and actress from Kauai, Hawaii. It was around 2005 when Kennelly conquered her fears by coming out as gay to her surfing peers. (Video by Carlo Carbajal. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Then I had a few sponsors drop me and so, that was just more confirmation that it wasn't okay. And, probably, the first former Championship Tour (CT) surfer ever to star in an HBO series. Butch. SOPHIE EVERARD. But especially to women. O ne sunny morning in January 2018, on a white boat in the blue sea off the Hawaiian island Maui, Bianca Valenti and Keala Kennelly sat on a beanbag listening to "German Sparkle Party," a song . Keala Kennelly girlfriend, wife list. Thats what makes me fight until I break the surface and get a breath. And instead it feels more like I have a really expensive hobby. And, probably, the first former Championship Tour (CT) surfer ever to star in an HBO series. And yet, it wasn't the easiest of days for you, and you left with an injury. She is now pursuing careers as a DJ and actress while . And it felt really natural, like 'this is how it's supposed to go down.'. After I survived that experience, I let my walls down and became more open again. I am a professional surfer, DJ, and Actor. 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. KK: I believe it has. Hemal Jhaveri. [5], In 2011, Kennelly chased one of the biggest swells to ever hit Teahupoo. Watch popular content from the following creators: The Flex Company(@weirdflexbutok), World Surf League(@wsl), Maui Media Cartel(@mauicartel), keala (@keala.lynne), Michelle Kennelly(@kennelly_michelle) . So it conditioned me to put up a tough front, never show my feelings. Over the course of my life and career, Ive had a lot of people tell me what I can and cant do because Im a woman. He attempted suicide soon after. Keala Kennelly is a 44 year old American Surfer born on 13th August, 1978 in Kauai, Hawaii, USA. When I almost died in Costa Ricathat was a real turning point for me. ", "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! Surfing's first openly gay world champion gave a powerful speech everyone needs to hear. You've said that, in recent years, there was a point at which you thought about quitting professional surfing. - WSL / Tim McKenna. Jan 27th, 2023. One time I beat Andy, and he wouldnt even speak to mefor a few weeks! It was really scary. The Big Wave World Champion and Former Championship Tour Surfer also dives deep on the importance of women's events at waves of consequence. Learn How rich is She in this [] Despite her packed resume of badass wins and awards, Kennelly is very clear that as a 43-year-old competing against 20-somethings, she's keeping her expectations in check for the tour. parties, do deliveries, paint houses, give surf lessons here and there. I saw the way lesbians, or just presumed lesbians were treated on tour, and it was terrible. Justine Dupont, left, and Keala Kennelly ride a large wave during The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, on Oahu's North Shore, in Hawaii. I had to pump through three or four different sections and got spit out. It was kinda like, dont ask, dont tell, and as long as I wasnt vocal about it in the media, the relationship continued. Right now at a time when we could really use some strong female role models -- especially after this last election, where we thought we were going to have a woman president and then we got the antithesis of that. Heats on demand, event highlights and exclusive interviews, right here on the WSL's Youtube channel.For More Visit: http://www.worldsurfleague.com/Like the WSL on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wslFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/wslFollow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/wslFor Content Licensing Inquiries Please Visit https://www.imgreplay.com/client/world_surf_league Professional Big Wave surfer who is known for competing in a variety of opens and surfing events. But Kennelly who runs AKKTIVE, a women's board shorts company is used to facing obstacles and succeeding in the face of adversity. See When I turned around there was just this huge set coming for me. The Surfers Journal is made possible with sponsorship from: Tel: 949-361-0331 You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. In the above video, Kennelly nabs a 2013 Jaws bomb, showing she can hold her own in waves of consequence. Before that, she was in on the ground level when the push started forthe ladies to have their ownbig wave competitions and, funny enough, probably the toughest person for naysayers to shut down after she made history, winning a big wave award in a field full of men. Kennelly: I had just all this internalized homophobia and self-hatred for being gay. Love, fear, elation, terror. Here, surfing world champion Keala Kennelly discusses coming out as a lesbian and fighting stigma against mental illness in the surfing world. I'd already come out as a lesbian, and then I had to have a second coming out as a mentally ill person? And it felt like high school, with rumors and people talking crap behind my back. Hopefully, her story saves a future CT athlete, man or woman, from pretending to be something theyre not. A powerful wave threw her from her surf board while she was in shallow water into a coral reef. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here.Or, subscribe to Wavelength now to get free . Keala Kennelly: Not at all. Keala Kennelly was born on August 13, 1978 (age 44) in Hawaii, United States.According to numerology, Keala Kennelly's Life Path Number is 1. Keala Kennelly captured by Tim McKenna. After that, I felt like, "OK, I have to be open about my mental illness, because if I can help just one person, then I need to do this." I have a friend from the tour, Sunny Garcia, who was struggling with depression. That is a career, you get paid. Video from Ken Kosada. [13], In 2016, she won the Pure Scot Barrel of the Year Award at the XXL Big Wave Awards for getting barreled at Teahupoo, Tahiti. [3], After leaving the World Championship Tour in 2007 to pursue acting, Kennelly returned to surfing as a professional freesurfer. 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. I slowly started to love and accept myself as a gay person. But I needed to show people that it's not shameful to be me. Everything that matters in surf + outdoorsdirectly to you inbox. Keala Kennelly is one of the most successful competitive female surfers of all time. I posted something on my Instagram hoping that he would read it, because I am really grateful to the Aikau family for such a big honor. 2021 Women's Performer Of The Year Nominees. Keala Kennelly wins the Red Bull Big Wave Awards WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR for her heavy beat down at Jaws, Hawaii on February 11, 2020. It makes me feel very connected to the universe. "But it's not really the award you want to win when you set out at the beginning of the season.". Keala Kennelly is an incredible surfer. PEOPLE: After doing that, did you feel the surfing community eventually embraced you? WSL: Did you know that you were going to be named as an alternate in the Eddie? He still loves surfing more than anything in the world, and he passed that love on to my brothers and me. She was ranked in the top 10 on the ASP World Champion Tour for a decade, before taking a break in 2007 to pursue acting and music. Keala Kennelly (born August 13, 1978) is a professional surfer, surfer DJ, and actress from Kauai, Hawaii. Getting ready for the Countdown Series events in Australia, Carissa Moore on the women's return to Teahupo'o and BWA Wipeout Week. What they're missing is how inspiring big-wave surfers are. This isnt the Keala Kennelly who conquered Teahupoo and Pipeline, nor is it the surfer who refused to be boxed in by stereotypes of what women can and cant do. For some reason the kids in Kauai are really hard on each other. First woman to win a Big Wave Award for the year's best tube. Video from Ken Kosada. The name-calling and gender-shaming from other kids was relentless, even in grade school. 2021 Women's Performer Of The Year Nominees. Those years before I came out were really hard. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. It is the first time that a woman has been included on the invitee list for the prestigious big wave contest. Bruce was there and he was on the beach when I got this incredible wave, a really long backhand barrel. What opportunities do you see for creating community for LGBTQ+ people and folks with mental illnesses in the surfing world? Things are changing fast and getting better for everybody, not just women. So, I was absolutely terrified and I spent the majority of my time on the pro circuit in the closet and just completely terrified to come out completely terrified to get outed, that I was going to lose my sponsors. Against that backdrop, what made you decide to come out? Browse 272 keala kennelly photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. [10], Kennelly's accomplishments have garnered her numerous accolades, including being named the 2002 Female Surfer of the Year by ESPN and more recently, the 2011[5] and 2013 Billabong XXL Girls Performance Award,[11] and the 2014 Billabong XXL Womens Performance Award. Fact: Keala Kennelly is one of the hardest charging and most determined female big-wave surfers to have ever lived. Product overview OBJ Files (280 MB) DWG Files (110 MB) I didnt come flying out of the closet swinging rainbow flags in the air. A blur of bodies pass by, but most of all Kennelly can hear the screams that echo through the dilapidated hospital. Photo: Keoki Saguibo. I revered this beautiful Hawaiian man that rode these mountains of water with such style and grace. So now,as the 2018/2019 Big Wave World Tour season winds down, we have the Kauai-born Kennelly closing in on her first world title. I'd be hanging out with one of my good friends on tour; we'd be at barbecues where it was all women, and some were sitting really close together. I was living this double life because on tour, I was pretending to be straight. What has the surfing world been like for you since you came out? I grew up on the beach playing in the ocean with my two brothers and all the neighbourhood boys including the Irons brothers, Dustin Barca, Danny Fuller, Kamalei Alexander. | Red Bull Big Wave Awards - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO5xy_Nihb0#WSLSubscribe to the WSL for more action: https://goo.gl/VllRujWatch all the latest surfing action of the world's best surfers in the world's best waves. A doctor explains in broken English that they need to operate immediately, before its too late, and she starts sobbing. Anna Dimond. Keala Kennelly's surfing career has spanned two world tours, so she's uniquely qualified to talk about the evolution of the profession as we all celebrate International Women's Day in 2019. Keala Kennelly joins me on March 30th, which happens to be World Bipolar Day, as we discuss the stigma around mental disorders during a critical time in our history when everyone needs access to resources in the battle against depression. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. He was open about it on social media, so I reached out to him privately. It felt like I was trying to be something I was not and I didnt like the way that felt. Keala Kennelly: Yeah, I remember that [article]. But shell also be the first to tell you there was a time when she wasnt so unapologetically KK., Being gays not a choice, pretending to be straight to save my career was, she says today. Here she talks to us about some of her biggest surfing successes and how she has worked hard to give women chances to compete in and enjoy the sport. lists As she recovered from the injury, she hopped on the phone to discuss what all these big moments mean, and how soon she might be back in the water. But I'm still in the surfing world and pioneering big wave surfing, so living my truth doesn't mean I can't surf no matter what sponsors say. And the thing is . In doing so, she says, she faced a wave of homophobia from companies and other surfers that eventually led her to leave the sport before returning to leave her mark on it forever. Since coming out in her late 20s, Kennelly has fought for equal pay for women surfers and brought awareness to being gay and a world champ. Just to say it and do the paddle-out. KK: Yeah, but its funny. Keala Kennelly. While open to discussing the past, as youll see in this HEADSPACE we filmed with her last year on the North Shore, shes also ready to move forward. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. I know it's helped a lot of people, and that's worth it. Keala Kennelly. Kennelly: I think for me just going through life, living inauthentically was so hard, and coming out was so scary but when I actually finally did come out, it was one of the most freeing feelings in my life. I don't care what happens." Keala Kennelly is lying on an operating table. But its the industry that needs to change, not me. Featuring a broader diversity of people in ads would be so important to promote acceptance in the sport. And that was just so different than anything I'd previously experienced in the surfing industry. KK: Definitely. It was very similar to coming out as gay. "It got to a point where I didn't care what the cost was, I couldn't live like this," the surfing champion tells PEOPLE in a new interview. After graduating high school, Kennelly went right to the pros. Tell me about how living with bipolar depression has impacted your surfing, or vice versa. Good luck tonight LaLa at the Surfer Poll Awards. Instead, shes chosen to focus her energy on the big-wave scene, mostly funding her own exploits while breaking boundaries at heavy water locations like Puerto Escondido, Jaws, and Teahupoo (despite the latter trying to kill her, twice). Keala Kennelly, going where no women have gone before. Keala Kennelly won The Billabong Pro in 2002. 69.9k Followers, 1,334 Following, 1,608 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Keala Kennelly (@kealakennelly) kealakennelly. 60 aos despus de que Greg Knoll y Mickey Munoz surfearan Waimea por primera vez, se podra decir que las chicas tambin han hecho historia. I spent so many years being ashamed, hiding who I am. KK: Well, Kapaa High was infamous for being a rough school. It created a lot of internalized homophobia and self-hatred in me that wasnt healthy. Dec. 22, 2022. In addition to her win in Teahupoo at the Billabong Pro, she garnered victories at the Roxy Pro in Fiji and the Turtle Bay Pro in Hawaii as well as a 3rd-place finish at the Maui Billabong Pro. 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. Jaws delivers again for the WSL's Big Wave Tour event on Maui. Things have improved a lot for the Women's Tour. 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. first woman to be invited to the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Event, Tyler Wright is another out championship surfer, LGBT communities within the surfing world, brand inclusivity in terms of sponsorships and advertising. So I had to endure a lot of teasing and put-downs, especially if I beat any of them in a contest. The crash was so severe that it earned Kennelly the Red Bull Big Wave Wipe Out of the Year award. Her various top finishes won Kennelly the year's coveted Triple Crown of Surfing. 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 think about death a lot. A blur of bodies pass by, but most of all Kennelly can hear the screams that echo through the dilapidated hospital. So it was nice to see for myself what was really possible. Hurricane Iniki, September 1992. From that moment on, it went from a chill session with the boys to a much more aggressive pack trying to prove Bruce wrong. She is one of the few women athletes to have won event titles in both shortboard and big wave surfing events. After a heroic performance at The Eddie, Keala Kennelly faces a painful reality. According to our records, Keala Kennelly is possibly single. Light / Dark. Keala Kennelly. Keala Kennelly said her injury had the severity of a car accident, and for months afterward she had to take powerful pain medications just to make it through the day. Then, Keala took a break from surfing to pursue acting. raised in the beautiful Hawaiian islands, Keala is one of the best female. Surfer Keala Kennelly attends the 10th Annual XXL Billabong Big Wave Awards at Grove Theater on April 23, 2010 in Anaheim, California. If I didnt go back and face my fears I would never get to experience that feeling again for the rest of my life. The Judges overseeing this case are GEORGINA T. RIZK and YOLANDA OROZCO. Paige Alms got obliterated by a warping mass of water. I lost most of my sponsors after starting to live my life as an out lesbian I was told that I was no longer "marketable," even though I was nominated for an ESPY and was the first woman to be invited to the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Event. As of 2022, Keala Kennelly is possibly single. They pushed me to be better in the water. 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. I was just doing it purely out of passion. PEOPLE: From what you know about surf culture today, have things changed for the better? And the thought of that became scarier than the fear of what could go wrong. Shes also undoubtedly a big part of why the sport has changed, offering equal opportunities for all. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. I know it's terrifying, and you're so scared about what people's reactions are going to be or how your life is going to change, but I can honestly say, it's one of the best things I ever did for myself. Turned around there was a real turning point for me surface and get a breath behind back... Dilapidated hospital because on Tour, Sunny Garcia, who was struggling with.. Rough school or start a new search to explore more photos and images,! Vice versa featuring a broader diversity of people, and Actor would be so important to promote in! Matters in surf + outdoorsdirectly to you inbox was just this huge set coming for me Triple of... Water with such style and grace are changing fast and getting better for everybody, not women! 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