A blur of bodies pass by, but most of all Kennelly can hear the screams that echo through the dilapidated hospital. It made my mother sound like an awful mom who wasnt there for me. 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 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. Help keep Keala Kennelly profile up to date. After watching swell forecasts for the past month, Kennelly, who spent a decade on women's tour ranked as a top . A lot of community things are unspoken. After winning the first-ever women's Big Wave Tour contest, the Maui local reflects on her triumph, her team and what's next. The WSLs made a better environment but athletes are still just scared to lose their sponsors.. Shes not being melodramatic about that last part as she looks back on a time when she was within arms reach of a world title while suicidally depressed. To her, the choice came down to being open about her sexuality or face losing sponsors and by extension, her career. . My entire family surfed. Keala Kennelly. [9] In 2023, she was one of the first women to compete in The Eddie. Video from Ken Kosada. Kennelly: I think things have gotten a lot better, I mean, there's an athlete on the world championship tour, Tyler Wright, who's openly out, they even put a gay flag on her jersey, so it's become much more accepting, even in just the last five years. But lo and behold, there was a hammer about to be dropped on me. Then I had a few sponsors drop me and so, that was just more confirmation that it wasn't okay. After a successful career on WSL World Championship Tour. KK: I D.J. in Venice Beach and opening for Boy Eats World at the Pacifico Beer Party at the US Open in July 2016. I slowly became more comfortable with myself. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. 5TH JULY 2021 [The Wavelength Drive-In Cinema is back for 2021, bringing you a range of surf cinema, cult classics and family favourites from the clifftops of Cornwall, including two screenings of Blue Crush on the 18th of July and the 7th of August. Follow your favorites and never miss a wave. She gathered a lot of big-time wins after being accepted into the World Championship Tour, an elite competition hosted by the World Surf League, spanning multiple events, locations, and months. 8 talking about this. Everything that matters in surf + outdoorsdirectly to you inbox. The whole thing scared the shit out of me. Fear is good. I slowly started to love and accept myself as a gay person. Keala came home from school one day and there was a "Dear John" letter for her on the bed. secluded - kennelly stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images . Then we had Laird Hamilton, Kala Alexander, and Titus Kinimaka to look up to, as well as my own father [Brian]. 1,334 following. If you look at it, most surf brands only advertise one kind of woman: pretty, feminine, straight, and looks more like a model than an athlete. "This gust of wind came up the face of the wave and got under my board and just flipped it sideways," Kennelly, named Female Surfer of the Year by ESPN in 2002, recalls to PEOPLE. But at the same time it was really lonely. I was just doing it purely out of passion. Everything that matters in surf + outdoorsdirectly to you inbox. When they called that Jaws event at our end, you get butterflies. A blur of bodies pass by, but most of all Kennelly can hear the screams that echo through the dilapidated hospital. Monday, January 23, 2017 From that moment on, it went from a chill session with the boys to a much more aggressive pack trying to prove Bruce wrong. When I later started to be more open about my sexuality, I lost the majority of my endorsement deals and have been struggling ever since to continue my career as a pro surfer. That was later, in 2011. Things are changing fast and getting better for everybody, not just women. Winners of the first-ever Red Bull Magnitude have been announced and it's Keala Kennelly taking out the women's big wave event. 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. Keala was born in Honolulu, the capital and largest city of Hawaii. Keala Kennelly: Not at all. (Video by Carlo Carbajal. Generally, she won. What do we tell our daughters right now? Updated about 1 month ago. It's still very homophobic, and there's not a lot of brand inclusivity in terms of sponsorships and advertising. 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 Members get discounts on merchandise and apparel as well as advanced access to limited edition items. Dont get me wrong. Editors Note: Check out more amazing stories from fearless women in surf and outdoors on The Inertia Women. Am I going to go back?" To have fear is to know that there are severe consequences. On mortal fear, sexual identity, and near-death epiphanies. 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. It was very similar to coming out as gay. 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. Locals still rule the renowned big-wave arena of Pe'ahi. 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. 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. Movies. 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. (For the record, we have no worries whatsoever that this photo . Butch. You also recently made history at another historic event, the women's Pe'ahi Challenge. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Kennelly began a string of successful visits to Teahupoo, Tahiti in 1998 when she won the Gotcha Black Pearl Women's Pro. They make a sport out of putting each other down. [12] She was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California as 2013's Woman of the Year. It's likely a handful of other women tried their luck throughout the day. And it felt like high school, with rumors and people talking crap behind my back. I dont have a big ego about that because its my life on the line. 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. When I was a little girl, I had all the Eddie Aikau posters on my wall. Kennelly has been a top surfer for years, and went pro at age 17. What opportunities do you see for creating community for LGBTQ+ people and folks with mental illnesses in the surfing world? KK: Yeah, it was 1998 or 99 I think. But I was stoked, I was feeling really confident. ', This was the start of a whole new chapter. A Look Back at Keala Kennelly Riding a Jaws Bomb. Link copied to clipboard. I don't care what happens." 2021 Women's Biggest Paddle Nominee: Keala Kennelly at Himalayas on December 2, 2020. I knew it was big, but I didnt realize how big. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. PEOPLE: Do you feel you are your 100%, authentic self today? After a heroic performance at The Eddie, Keala Kennelly faces a painful reality. Shes also undoubtedly a big part of why the sport has changed, offering equal opportunities for all. Connect any celebrity with Keala Kennelly to see how closely they are linked romantically! However, Kennelly says that there was intense pressure to hide who she is: between competing on tour, coping with undiagnosed bipolar depression, and being in the closet, she says, "I don't know how I survived those years.". Tyler Wright is another out championship surfer now, and it's so important because it helps LGBT youth say, "I can be me and still accomplish what I want.". 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. Those years before I came out were really hard. A house music Dj born and raised in Kauai, Dj Keala Kennelly AKA "DjKK" has pulled music inspiration from all over the world during her travels as a competitive surfer on the WSL tour. 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 . She shares a variety of her . 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. This included a 2nd-place finish at the Billabong Pro Maui, a team gold medal at the 2007 Summer X Games, and a record-setting ride in 2005 as the first-ever woman to tow in at Teahupoo. She is an actress, known for John from Cincinnati (2007), Blue Crush (2002) and Beyond the Break (2006). KK: Yeah, it was with a boy. There weren't enough girl surfers to put together a team at first, but I always wanted to compete anyway. 2021 Women's Ride Of The Year Kennelly Keala at Himalayas on December 2, 2020. Paige Alms got obliterated by a warping mass of water. Surfer Keala Kennelly attends the 10th Annual XXL Billabong Big Wave Awards at Grove Theater on April 23, 2010 in Anaheim, California. KK: Yes, but I dont talk too much about what I am going to do until after its done. From a young age, she knew that to pursue being a champion surfer, she'd have to crash through a lot of barriers. Browse the full lineup and get your ticket here. And yet, it wasn't the easiest of days for you, and you left with an injury. I spent a lot of time on tour alone. I stopped caring so much about what other people thought, what the tour thought, what the surfing industry thought. I just simply stopped going to great lengths to hide it. I thought it was rad! What they're missing is how inspiring big-wave surfers are. You've said that, in recent years, there was a point at which you thought about quitting professional surfing. WSL is best experienced with Javascript! IRVINE, Calif., July 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Keala Kennelly has redefined women's surfing. I saw the way lesbians, or just presumed lesbians were treated on tour, and it was terrible. Fact: Keala Kennelly is one of the hardest charging and most determined female big-wave surfers to have ever lived. It totally crushed me and I was held under for two waves. I was on a trip in Europe, and I got back to Los Angeles and my phone started blowing up on arrival. I guess it made me really hard and standoffish. KK: Yeah. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is one such event and today, Kennelly will paddle out alongside five other women to compete in the event for the first time. We were always trying to outdo each other, go bigger. PEOPLE: Considering your experiences, do you have advice or any words of encouragement for anyone who might be nervous about coming out? 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. Recently, Keala became the first woman to surf Nelscott Reef and won the Big Wave Classic, the first event of its kind to include women. I remember thinking that I had spent all this time on tour with all these women that I kept at arms length and here I was, about to die, and none of them would care because I never opened up and let them see the real me.. In season that saw a plethora of massive barrels, fueled by a healthy El Nio, this one by Keala Kennelly, as shot by Tim McKenna at Teahupo'o, earned the top honors at the Big Wave Awards for 2016.It was a historic first win for a woman in the BWA category. On 12/21/2017 NICOLLE DESANTO filed a Personal Injury - Motor Vehicle lawsuit against LYELL KEALA KENNELLY. KEALA KENNELLY was introduced to surfing at a young age by her father and living in Hawaii meant there were always lots of opportunities for her get on her board and hit the waves. "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.". Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. After getting barreled, she was pushed down to Teahupoo's notoriously shallow reef and received a severe gash to the side of her face. 1,608 posts. As a woman, and as a first, I can't even put into words what a huge honor that is. PEOPLE: What were you feeling at the time? On Tour, Keala charged in heavy waves like Cloudbreak and Teahupoo, where she also earned recognition for being the first woman ever to tow-in in 2005. 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. 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. 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. Thats always pushed me harder, to prove them wrong and try to be better. Updated: Tuesday, January 24, 2017. It felt like I was trying to be something I was not and I didnt like the way that felt. Discover short videos related to Keala Kennelly on TikTok. It was around 2005 when Kennelly conquered her fears by coming out as gay to her surfing peers. Keala Kennelly (born August 13, 1978) is a professional surfer, surfer DJ, and actress from Kauai, Hawaii. 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