The current WSL Women’s Big Wave World Champion was 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. After a successful career on WSL World Championship Tour

finishing runner up to the World Title in 2003. She left the WCT tour in

2007 to star as a season regular on HBO tv drama series John From

Cincinnati.

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After the shows conclusion Keala instead of returning to the WCT

competition circuit decided to chase her passion of surfing big waves.

Keala helped establish a Women’s Big Wave Tour and was part of a

committee that was responsible for getting women included in the Titans

of Mavericks Big Wave Event and winning the fight for equal pay in surfing

in 2018. A true pioneer Keala’s groundbreaking performances in some of

the heaviest waves in the world have shattered glass ceilings in her sport.

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She continues to challenge peoples perceptions of what a women is

capable of in the water and break through the gender barrier by doing

things that no one ever believed was possible for a female. On land Keala

has another career as an international DJ playing events all over the

world. She has also had acting roles on the popular film Blue Crush and

HBO’s John From Cincinnati. She has been in numerous award winning

Documentaries including She is the Ocean and Out in the Lineup (a film

about LGBT Surfers). Keala is a role model for women and a crusader for

LGBT rights and equality in women's sports.

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