Welcome to the Party: Katie McConnell – Paddling Into Death-Defying Waves

Episode Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Treat Media | Abby Wambach & Julie Foudy
Guest: Katie McConnell, big wave surfer, scientist, and ocean advocate

Episode Overview

In this riveting episode, soccer legends Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy sit down with Katie McConnell—one of the world’s top big wave surfers. Katie shares her unconventional journey into surfing’s most extreme arena, the spiritual draw of massive waves, and her fierce advocacy for women in the sport. They delve into the mindset it takes to ride skyscraper-sized waves and the fight for equality in big wave competitions. This is an episode about audacity, discipline, and changing the tides for women athletes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Allure and Challenge of Surfing

• Hosts’ Reflections:
  • Abby and Julie open by discussing their own (decidedly amateur) surfing experiences, highlighting surfing’s difficulty and spiritual joys.
  • Abby (02:19): “There’s something so connecting, like spiritually connecting, to the earth when I’m surfing. It’s one of those few sports…the earth literally moves you.”
• Progress in the Lineup:
  • Julie notes a visible change: “Now…the lineup is like half women and half men, and it’s great. I wish I had [started younger]…when you learn as a child, it’s much easier as an adult.” (05:57)

2. Katie’s Unlikely Path to Big Wave Stardom

• Late Start, Fast Rise:
  • Katie discovered surfing in high school, not as a child, and didn’t grow up in the competitive circuit. “I didn’t catch my first wave where things clicked until I was in high school…starting at like 15 and a half or 16, that’s starting pretty late.” (14:33)
  • She describes surfing as a “healthy outlet as a teenager” and credits the ocean for building her confidence.

Notable Quote

Katie (16:08): “The ocean can feel like a teacher, can feel like a friend. It can sometimes feel like it’s in a bad mood and it just wants you out of there…you respect and listen, and that’s where you enter almost that spirit realm.”

3. Big Wave Mechanics – Paddling vs. Towing

• What Counts as a Big Wave:
  • “In the sport of big wave surfing, a big wave tends to start at around a 20-foot face… For somebody surfing, a big wave is relative to their skill level.” (17:27)
• Techniques:
  • Paddling: “Just kind of like regular surfing…using their own two arms…”
  • Towing: “Jet ski driver with a surfer on the back…literally towed in like water skiing, getting whipped into these waves.” (17:27–18:32)
  • Boundaries are constantly evolving—what was once considered too big to paddle is now challenged by athletes.

Notable Moment

Katie (19:06): “[Nazare] was previously thought impossible to paddle… now a group of guys started going out and paddling it.”

4. Inside Nazare: The Sea Monster of Portugal

• Why Nazare is Special:
  • Location’s submarine canyon combines swells for record-breaking waves: “It creates those tall teepees because it’s literally two different waves combining to get so tall. It’s awesome.” (21:56)
• Atmosphere:
  • “In the lineup, it can feel a little chaotic…like there’s no safe place to be.” (22:34)

Notable Quote

Julie (22:28): “They call it in the film ‘a sea monster,’ right? It just like comes up.”

5. Mindset: Adrenaline, Fear, and Harmony

• Why Do It?:
  • For Katie, it’s about harmony, not conquest: “I’m going out to practice getting in harmony with nature…to have a relationship with the ocean.” (23:28)
• Taming Fear:
  • “The love kind of always overcomes the fear…It really unifies mind, body, spirit into this holistic experience because it takes strength, smarts, and stoke…” (25:10)
• Life vs. Death Stakes:
  • Abby (24:26): “How do you work with the fear of what you’re up against? You’re like, I’m going to live this day or die this day.”

6. The Fight for Women’s Equality in Big Wave Surfing

• The State of Play:
  • No established world tour for women right now—evolving efforts, more events popping up, but also uncertainty and ad-hoc invitations. (27:20)
• Barriers:
  • Lack of equal opportunity, costs, last-minute travel, and misconceptions about how many women are capable.
  • Katie (30:08): “It’s tricky to hold down a real job…because the ocean is so tricky to predict.”
• Direct Action:
  • Katie personally networks for inclusion: “I’m like emailing them…Hey, are there going to be women in it? If so, I would like to participate…I can rustle up a bunch of girls.”
• The Numbers Excuse:

  Katie (31:56): “It still is a little bit tricky. Sometimes they only invite a few…one thing I’ve heard is: There’s just not enough women. I sat down the other day…and I thought of like 30.”

7. Making It Work: Life Beyond Sponsorships

• Katie’s Hustle:
  • Not a full-time pro: “I do juggle several jobs as both a substitute teacher, I teach surf lessons, I do some gig work in the nonprofit and conservation sphere…whatever I can get my little paws on, I’ll do.” (33:15)
• How to Help:
  • Listeners/supporters can follow, sponsor, reach out to Katie on Instagram (@katiemcconnell or Katie Marr).

8. Closing Reflections & Solidarity

• Abby and Julie’s Reactions:
  • Deep admiration, awe at risk management, and the unique spirit required to ride at the literal edge
  • Abby (41:08): “What kind of a spirit is a person who wants to live on that edge, on the line of life and death so closely and so often?...She’s a human. She’s a real person. And doing this.”
• Legacy and Hope:

  Abby (37:49): “Just think about 10 years from now…you’ll be in our position, podcasting, going, ‘Gosh, look at what I helped create.’ I believe it.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Katie:

  “The ocean can feel like a teacher, can feel like a friend. It can sometimes feel like it’s in a bad mood and it just wants you out of there…you respect and listen, and that’s where you enter almost that spirit realm.” (16:08)

• Abby:

  “How do you work with the fear of what you’re up against? Because you’re not just like, oh, I’m gonna win this day or lose this day. You’re like, I’m gonna live this day or die this day.” (24:26)

• Katie:

  “The love kind of always overcomes the fear at some point. And…because I love it…I want to be smart about things and…I approach it with curiosity…It really unifies mind, body, spirit into this really amazing holistic experience because it takes strength, it takes some smarts.” (25:10)

• Katie:

  “It still is a little bit tricky at times, you know, sometimes they only invite a few of us, sometimes they don’t really know where to put us…one thing I’ve heard is: there’s just not enough women. And I…thought of like…30.” (31:56)

• Julie:

  “That’s always the excuse, too, Katie…Like, this is the world that we women, female athletes live in is like, well, no one cares about it, or there’s not enough…So you keep on fighting that because there are enough.” (32:16)

Timestamps for Important Sections

• Surfing spirituality & gender progress: 00:19–06:14
• Katie’s intro & story: 12:24–14:33
• Big wave mechanics (paddle vs. tow): 17:00–20:18
• Nazare explained: 20:49–22:34
• What it feels like to ride a big wave: 23:09–24:26
• Fear, adrenaline, and harmony: 24:26–26:23
• Women’s equality & Katie’s advocacy: 27:20–31:56
• Professional challenges & sponsorship: 32:16–33:15
• How listeners can help: 33:25–34:12
• Reflections on risk, legacy, and bravery: 39:04–41:14

Memorable Moments

• Hosts’ awe: The genuine respect Abby and Julie express for Katie’s courage and skill sets the episode’s admiring tone (14:06, 24:26).
• Katie’s groundedness: Her humility about juggling jobs and hustling for sponsorships puts her achievements in perspective (33:15).
• Refusing excuses: Katie and Julie’s discussion of “not enough women” directly challenges outdated narratives (31:56–32:16).
• Community call: Katie actively invites listeners and sponsors to connect and support women in big wave surfing (33:25).

Final Thoughts

This episode is both a celebration of the frontiers women are pushing in sports and a reflective rumination on what it takes—mentally, physically, and logistically—to surf the planet’s deadliest waves. Katie McConnell embodies a mix of thrill-seeker, scientist, and activist, making her both a role model and a trailblazer. Abby and Julie’s mixture of humility, humor, and genuine curiosity make this episode accessible and inspiring for surfers and land-lovers alike.

Find Katie McConnell:

• Instagram: @katiemcconnell / Katie Marr
• For sponsorship or connection: DM, mention the podcast

Hosts:

• Abby Wambach: @abbywambach
• Julie Foudy: @juliefoudy
• Show: @welcometothepartyshow

Tagline:

“Bring it in, Party People. First Party Rule: have a sh*t ton of fun.”