Kauaʻi surfing icon Rochelle Ballard inducted into Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame

Pioneering surfer Rochelle Ballard from Kauaʻi was one of four legendary ocean athletes inducted last week into the Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame.

The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation also honored surfing pioneer Patti Paniccia and paddling champions Johnny “Johnny Mac” McCandless and Lauren Spalding during the 15th Annual Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame induction gala on Nov. 6 at the Outrigger Canoe Club on Oʻahu.

“This is the biggest honor of my lifetime because it’s in the spirit of Duke,” Paniccia said. “I can’t even tell you what that means to me because of all that he was and continues to be.”

The Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame celebrates more than athletic achievement. It also honors a legacy of service, role modeling and aloha spirit that defines Hawaiian ocean sports.

This year’s inductees represent decades of giving back: from coaching championship teams and organizing iconic races to mentoring young athletes and advancing water safety across the islands.

Ballard: She scored two perfect 10s in one heat and dominated barrels at Pipeline and Teahupoʻo. Ballard, now 54, pushed for equity in women’s surfing by co-founding International Women Surfers and bringing women’s surfing into mainstream media, elevating the sport’s visibility and respect worldwide.

Spalding: She is a 12-time OC-1 Molokaʻi Solo World champion, three-time Molokaʻi Challenge Kayak World champion, 2004 sprint kayaking Olympian, and 2005 Pan American Games Gold and Silver Medalist. She has also claimed victory 12 times at Na Wahine O Ke Kai with Team Bradley, cementing her status as one of paddling’s most decorated athletes.

McCandless: He has been a pillar of the Hawaiian Canoe Club, a pioneer of big-wave surfing at Peʻahi (Jaws) on Maui, and a co-organizer of the Pailolo World Challenge. His contributions span multiple disciplines and generations of ocean athletes.

Paniccia: She founded the first Women’s Division of International Professional Surfing in 1976, creating opportunities for women to compete professionally. As an Emmy-nominated correspondent, she stood up to pregnancy discrimination, helping shift American workplace culture for mothers, paving the way for future generations both in and out of the water.

By spotlighting these four legends who have dedicated their lives to elevating their sports and communities, the ceremony aims to inspire the next generation of ocean athletes to follow their example — understanding that true greatness is measured not just by victories, but by how you carry others with you and leave the ocean, the sport and the community better than you found it, according to the foundationʻs press release.

“We are so proud of the four individuals honored whose lives and accomplishments have left a mark on Hawaii‘s water sports community,” said Bill Pratt, chairman of the Hawaiʻi Waterman Hall of Fame. “May the honor of this year’s induction class continue to inspire the next generation of Hawaiian Watermen and Waterwomen to perpetuate this legacy.”