Top Accomplishments:
WCT World Title Runner Up (2003)
First woman to tow-in to Teahupoo (2005)
Freesurf magazine's Surfer of the Year (2006)
Cover of Hebe Spanish surf magazine ( May 2008)
Cover of Surfgirl UK (June 2009)
Cover of Surfeuses (July 2009)
Correspondent for Fuel TV's "The Weekly Update" and "Daily Habit" (2009, 2010)
Fuel TV "First Hand" (October 2009)
"Making Waves: 11 Hawaiian Icons" Westjet Airline's UP! Magazine (Feb 2010)
Jaws tow board and photo featured in "Women On Waves" exhibit at the California Surf Museum (March 2010)
Keala's Puerto Escondido barrel gets over 60,000 hits in one day (May 2010)
Double page spreads in Transworld Surf (September 2010) and Surfer (Big Issue 2010)

Videography:
7 Girls/White Knuckle Extreme/2001 (documentary)
Blue Crush/Universal Pictures/2002
Step Into Liquid/ Gotham Group/2003 (documentary)
John from Cincinnati/HBO/2007 (season regular on television series)

Stance: goofy

Sponsors: Billabong, Dragon, Aerial 7, Aftermath Surfboards, Da Kine, Sambazon

Shaper: Ian Wright

Magic Stick: Ian makes a lot of magic sticks

Training Ground: Pipeline, Backdoor, Rockies

Favorite Wave: Teahupoo

Favorite Maneuver: Big deep-ass barrels, boosting airs

Inspirations: Andy & Bruce Irons, Kelly, Taj, Mick, Joel, Lisa Anderson, Tim Reyes, Shane Dorian, Twiggy, Greg Long, Rochelle B.

Favorite Type of Music: Chillout loungey stuff, 80's, Deep House, Tribal House.

Favorite Movie: The Breakfast Club, 4 Rooms, 16 Candles, Real Genius, Weird Science, Pecker, Blue Crush ;)

Ideal Surf Trip: Tropical, un-crowded warm water barrels with my friends.

Keala Kennelly was born in Kauai, Hawaii surrounded by surfers. Growing up in Kauai Keala learned how to rip early on while surfing with Bruce and Andy Irons. She turned pro at the age of 17 and in time made her way on to the WCT. While on the WCT she charged in heavy waves like Cloudbreak and Teahupoo, where she also earned recognition for being the first woman ever to tow-in in 2005. After tasting success on the WCT and garnering heaps of coverage in international magazines, Keala decided to take a break from surfing to pursue acting. She was in the Hollywood hit movie about surfing "Blue Crush" and was a season regular on the HBO show "John From Cincinnati." Keala's acting and surfing experience has served her well on shows such as Ellen DeGeneres and as a correspondent for the "Weekly Update" and "Daily Habit" on Fuel TV. Recently Keala has had much success with her pursuit to become the first successful female free surfer. She starred in an episode of Fuel TV's "Firsthand," while getting barreled in Tahiti and has been charging tow-ins at Jaws, which were featured on sites like ESPN and Surfline. She was also nominated for an XXL Big Wave Award. Her recent barrel in Puerto Escondido was featured on Surfline and received 60,000 hits in one day. She also earned double page spreads in Transworld Surf and Surfer with her phenomenal Mexican barrel. If anyone is capable of changing the face of women's surfing, why not the woman who has already done it once with her Teahupoo tow-in.