Maya Gabeira

From beauty, privilege and pain, 23-year-old Maya Gabeira is a burgeoning big wave temptress blurring the lines between fear and love. Feeding off temerarious swells reason can only guess is rooted in an inestimable about of courage that walks that fine line between bravery begging at sanity. Seemly reckless, stop, this isn’t the typical making of a big wave hedonist.

At 14 years old, Maya was just another hell-raising teenager on the streets of Rio De Janeiro. The daughter of a well-known fashion designer and an iconic politician, she grew up privileged but tormented by her parents’ divorce when she was 11. After a period of drinking, smoking and adolescent rebellion, she discovered surfing. And while her infatuation with the sport was immediate, her ability to actually do it was not.

What she did have was hell-bent determination, collateral to travel, and the ideal tow-in partner and mentor Carlos Burle. 5 years later, Maya has superceded the sport’s expectations. She has won four consecutive Billabong XXL Big Wave awards and an ESPY; she is arguably the most well rounded female big wave surfer in the world.


Age: 23

Born: Rio de Janeiro

Hometown: North Shore Oahu

Local break: I don't have one

Stance: Goofy

Surfing heros: so many

Favourite break: Waimea, Teahupoo and Sunset

Favourite board right now: Tokoro 10'4

Sponsors: Billabong and Redbull

Describe your personality? focused, calm, passinate

Describe your average day? yoga, early morning surf, lunch, resting then surfing again in the afternoon!

How did you learn to surf? at a surf school in Arpoador Beach, Rio de Janeiro.

How old were you when you started surfing? I was 14!

Who do you look up to? too many people... I believe everyone has something I can look up to!

Describe your happiest memory? there are so many happy memories! But I feel extremely happy when Waimea breaks good!

Where do you see yourself in five years? Surfing huge waves, happy and living a healthy life!

Achievements
2008
Winner XXL Award for best overall female performance

2007
Winner XXL Award for best overall female performance

The size of 6ft waves can be daunting for some surfers, but imagine surfing 18ft giants. This is what Maya spends her days training for.  She has taken home the Billabong XXL Women’s Overall Performance award two years running (2006/2007), and hopes to continue surfing for at least the next 10 years.

Happiest when Waimea or Teahupoo is breaking, this focused, calm girl strives to become a better person. Although she can’t say no to a holiday surfing trip, when she isn’t surfing, Maya enjoys doing yoga and describes it as one of her passions. There isn’t just one person in her life that Maya admires, as she believes that everyone possesses something she can look up to. Maya’s future in surfing is looking bright, and with the continuous support of her family, she is determined to keep doing her best.