Raised on Kauaʻi from just six months old, Rochelle Ballard picked up her first board at age 11. Within a few years, she was winning amateur championships, and by age 19, Rochelle had gone pro. But Rochelle didn’t just chase waves—she helped to change them for every woman who came after her.
Her career exploded in the 1990s as she won numerous events and pushed the boundaries of what was possible for women in the water. She was owning waves, especially the hollow, fast-breaking barrels that many considered too dangerous for women. At places like Backdoor, Pipeline, Teahupoʻo, and the Mentawais, Rochelle didn’t just hold her own—she set the standard. She won her first big tour victory at the Gunston 500 in Durban South Africa in 1994. She soon landed a big sponsorship with O’Neill International launching their female surf brand. In 1997, she made history by scoring two perfect 10s in a single heat, a record that still stands in women’s professional surfing.
Rochelle won multiple Surfer Poll awards and was runner-up for the World Title in 2004. After her professional tour years, she was the 2012 ISA World Masters Champion and the 2024 ISA World Grand Master Champion. However, Rochelle’s real legacy was forged not just in competition, but in her community. In 1999, frustrated by the inequities in prize money and recognition between men and women’s surfing, she co-founded International Women Surfers (IWS). The group became a powerful voice, advocating for fairer treatment and greater visibility for women on tour. At a time when women’s surfing was often sidelined, Rochelle was pushing for it to be seen, heard, and respected.
Her activism didn’t stop there. With backing of brands like Reef and O’Neill, she organized girls-only surf camps, designed not just to teach technique, but to empower young women. She brought surfboards and mentorship to communities that had limited access to either, running free overnight camps on Oʻahu that blended surfing with Hawaiian cultural education, ocean awareness, and drug prevention. Through groups like Wave Riders Against Drugs, she used her platform to create a deeper connection between youth and their environment.
Rochelle’s reach extended beyond the water, too. When Hollywood needed a real surfer to bring authenticity to Blue Crush, Ballard doubled for the lead and advised the filmmakers. The movie highlighted the best female surfers from that year and honorable clips of the generations before them. She made it a point to be a part of more surf films that inspire other women to surf, including 7 Girls and Step Into Liquid. She continue to put women’s surfing in front of global audiences by appearing in Time Magazine, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated Women, Women’s Health, Fit, Surfing, Surfer, Women Outside, various coffee table books, and a special feature in the Library of Congress. She was also showcased in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington for Hawaiian Surfing history.
Today, Rochelle’s energy has evolved—but it hasn’t slowed down. Based on Kauaʻi, she runs Surf Into Yoga, a wellness venture that blends yoga, surfing, massage therapy, and holistic healing practices. She still gives back by teaching and coaching surfing and sharing the aloha spirit with her students and all those she comes in contact with.
