Katie McConnell got into big wave surfing later than most of her peers, but she’s making up for lost time.
“Because of my kooky, late beginnings as a surfer I often feel like an imposter on the podium or in the media," McConnell said in a SURFER profile. "It wasn’t that long ago that Mavericks was something that I couldn’t even imagine attempting. I’m extremely fortunate that I grew up with a Dad who always told me that with hard work I could do anything I set my mind to. Love and curiosity tend to win out over fear.”
Her love of the ocean manifests itself in several ways. She was a finalist for the biggest paddle wave and won Rookie of the Year in her first appearance in Red Bull Magnitude , the women-centric big-wave competition in Hawaii. A year later, she got the event’s best tow wave at Jaws. More recently, she won the 2024 Thriller at Killers in Todo Santos.
McConnell is also involved academically with water. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz then got her master’s from Oregon State. In between degrees, she was a scientific diver for five years helping research in Chilean Patagonia and Antarctica.
For now, McConnell is helping Maui’s education system as a substitute teacher. While she’s paying the bills at Haiku Elementary School, she can keep a close eye on Jaws. Which is how she landed this mammoth tow wave and got a nod into the 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge .
“It’s actually been awesome," she said. "There’s such a dire need for teachers, so it’s been a great way to support myself and be a contributing newcomer to the Maui community.”
Hopefully the kids at Haiku realize how cool their sub is.
Related: Meet the Teacher, Marine Scientist and SCUBA Diver Who Charges Big Waves
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