Friday, November 23, 2001
Life on the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour is a learning process. Kennelly carves,
learns ASP ropesEditor's note: This is the third in a series of feature articles on the five highly rated Hawaii pro surfers who have a shot at the world title going into the tour's season-ending men's and women's events that run from Nov. 26 to Dec. 7.Part One: Ballard seeks barrel
Part Two: Garcia guns for titleBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comAnd Kauai's Keala Kennelly has been learning the ropes the past few years. Sometimes, the hard way.
"When I first started on tour, I had the wrong attitude and approach," the 22-year-old Kennelly said. "The last year or two, I've learned to relax a bit more, focus a bit more and try to enjoy it more.
"And I've learned to play the game. If the waves are bad, I don't get discouraged. Being from Hawaii, I'm used to waves being pretty good. Sometimes on tour, the surf is crap, so I would defeat myself before I got in the water. Now, I realize it's my job to go out there and make those waves look good."
Kennelly carved her way to a No. 8 finish on the ASP's World Championship Tour a year ago. This year, she's tied for fifth with Brazil's Tita Tavares and Australia's Serena Brooke going into the season-ending Billabong Girls event, which runs Nov. 26 to Dec. 7 at Honolua Bay, Maui. She's among a handful of women who still have a shot at winning this year's world title.
Kennelly didn't have to go far to find surfing role models. While growing up in Hanalei, she looked up to her hard-charging friends, Andy and Bruce Irons. Both are among the top men's surfers in the world.
"I loved their surfing," Kennelly said. "I love it today. They're so explosive and exciting to watch, and you never know what they're going to do. They're really progressive, doing all kinds of crazy aerial moves."
Kennelly wants to push women's surfing in that direction.
"I basically want to take women's surfing to another level," she said. "Push the limits. Winning a world title on the way would be great. That's everyone's goal and everyone plays that game."
Kennelly's favorite contest sessions this year came during a heat in the Mentawai OP Boat Challenge in Indonesia and during another heat at the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti.
"At the OP Boat Challenge, for an hour and a half, the surf was pounding and was breaking boards and it was a really fast barrel and none of us got anything," Kennelly said. "Then, toward the end of my heat, we finally got some, and I rode some of the longest barrels of my life.
"During a quarterfinal heat in Tahiti, the wave jacked up and glassed off and I scored two 10s and an 8 or a 9, and I got the highest heat score of the contest."
Kennelly looks to Hawaii's Rochelle Ballard, who is tied for second in the world rankings, for extra inspiration on riding big waves.
"Rochelle, she's the only other woman I look to to push and inspire me when the waves are heavy. She fully charges, too."
She's still really young, but Keala Kennelly has been surfing pro contests since 1995, and she feels she has a lot more to accomplish as the years go by.
There have been some bumps so far, but don't be surprised if her career jacks up and glasses off.
She rips.
And, maybe even more importantly, she's playing the game.
Tomorrow: Megan Abubo
Who: Top women's pro surfers Billabong Girls
What: Season-ending Association of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour event
Where: Honolua Bay, Maui
When: Nov. 26 to Dec. 7
Extra reason to watch: The 2001 women's world champion will be crowned
Hotline: 596-SURF
Web site: triplecrownofsurfing.com
Women's World Championship Tour leaders: 1. Layne Beachley, Australia, 1,300 points; 2. (tie) Rochelle Ballard, Hawaii, 1,270; 2. (tie) Melanie Redman, Australia, 1,270; 4. Megan Abubo, Hawaii, 1,150; 5. (tie) Keala Kennelly, Hawaii, 1,090; 5. (tie) Serena Brooke, Australia, 1,090; 5. (tie) Tita Tavares, Brazil, 1,090; 8. Jacqueline Silva, Brazil, 930. ASP ratings