Katie McConnell
Maui, Hawaii.
Katie McConnell only started chasing big waves in 2020. Just four years on, she’s one of the top female big wave surfers on the planet.
Bursting onto the big wave scene with a bang, Katie placed 3rd and was named Rookie of the year at her very first Red Bull Magnitude in 2022. She’s made the podium every year since, and followed up this incredible achievement with an outright win in the 2024 Thrillers at Killers event at Todos Santos.
With a BSc from UC Santa Cruz and a Masters degree studying coral reef microbiomes, she keeps the big wave dream afloat through substitute teaching and scientific diving, surveying the health of underwater ecosystems and inspiring the next generation at Haiku Elementary School - a literal stones throw from Jaws, one of the best big waves on the planet.
We’re proud to be supporting her journey and excited to watch Katie continue her astronomical rise to the peak of Big Wave surfing.