Katie McConnell

Their story

Katie Mae McConnell grew up in Encinitas, California, and now lives on Maui, where she studies coral reefs and teaches. She only started surfing big waves in December 2020, when she happened to be between jobs just as a giant, clean swell hit the west coast.

Two years later, at her first Red Bull Magnitude contest at Jaws, she finished third and was named Rookie of the Year. She's now one of the women regularly seen at Praia do Norte, and one of three surfers in Tim Bonython's documentary about women at Nazaré.

In 2026 she was one of the women in science chosen for the #IfThenSheCan exhibition, with a 3D-printed statue of her shown at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Dallas.