Numerous articles have been written about males who have made impressive achievements in sports, but few stories have been penned about women who have done the same. And the same can be said about Native athletes in general. So this is a compilation dedicated to both female athletes, and Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) sports winners. Let’s lift and celebrate these strong individuals who have helped to inspire so many of us.
- Rell Sunn
Rell Kapolioka’ehukai (heart of the sea) Sunn was best known as the Queen of Makaha. She was instrumental to surfing, helping to develop the competitive side of the sport to include females and youngsters.
Aunty Rell began surfing at the age of four, and loved it so much she went on to become the number one female amateur surfer in Hawai’i for five years. At the age of sixteen she traveled to California to attend a world championship with famed Hawaiian Olympian Duke Kahanamoku. Soon after she began competing worldwide as a professional surfer. At just nineteen years of age she, along with Jericho Poppler, Lynne Boyer, Margo Oberg, Cherie Gross, Linda Davolli, Debbi Beacham, Becky Benson and Brenda Scott formed Women’s Pro Surfing or WPS. She was also heavily involved with the founding of the women’s pro surfing tour in the 1970’s.
