Rell Kapolioka'ehukai Sunn was an American world surfing champion. Known as "Queen of Makaha" and "Aunty Rell", she was a pioneer in the world of women's surfing.
Early life
Rell Kapolioka'ehukai Sunn was born on July 31, 1950 in Mākaha, Hawaii. Her middle name, which means "the heart of the sea," was given to her by her grandmother. Sunn's father was a beachboy, a term for men who were some mix of a lifeguard, surfing instructor, and tourist guide. She began surfing at the age of 4.
Career
Sun was Hawaii's number one female amateur surfer for five years. She was Hawaii's first female lifeguard. In 1966, she accompanied Duke Kahanamoku on a trip to California to attend a world championship, and began traveling around the world to compete professionally. With Mary Setterholm, Jericho Poppler, and MaryLou Drummy, Sunn co-founded the Women's International Surfing Association in 1975, the first women's pro circuit. In 1979, Sunn, along with Jericho Poppler, Lynne Boyer, Margo Oberg, Cherie Gross, Linda Davoli, Debbie Beacham, Becky Benson and Brenda Scott, formed Women's Pro Surfing with pro women. In 1982, Sunn ranked number one in the world on longboard.
Cancer battle and death
In 1982, during a pro surf meet in Huntington Beach, California, Sunn felt a lump in her breast which turned out to be breast cancer. When she was diagnosed in 1983, her prognosis was for one year. Sunn continued to surf every day after her diagnosis, despite the pain and chemotherapy associated with the disease. Following her diagnosis, Sunn became a radio disc jockey and surf reporter, a physical therapist at a Waianae care home, and a counselor at a cancer research center. She helped pilot a program for breast cancer awareness at the Wai'anae Cancer Research Center that involved educating local women about the causes and prevention of breast cancer. Over the next 14 years, her cancer went into remission three times, and she underwent a mastectomy and a bone marrow transplant. Rell Sunn died on January 2, 1998, aged 47. More than 3,000 people attended her memorial service, where her ashes were scattered in the ocean off her native Makaha.
Personal life
Rell Sunn had one daughter, Jan Sunn-Carreira.
Legacy
In 1996, Sunn was the topic of the song "Mother Of The Sea" by Hawaiian singer/songwriter Darren Benitez. In 1997, an award-winning documentary about Sunn's life, Heart of the Sea, was filmed by Charlotte Lagarde and Lisa Denker. In 2010 a book, Stories of Rell Sunn: Queen of Mākaha, was published. Dave Wronski, lead guitarist of Slacktone, composed an instrumental surf rock tune, "Rell Sunn Aloha", in her honor.
