{{short description|Brazilian big wave surfer}} {{Portuguese name|Reis|Gabeira}} {{Infobox surfer | name = Maya Gabeira | image = Maya Gabeira (14065821984) (cropped).jpg | caption = Gabeira in Washington D.C in 2014 | birth_name = Maya Reis Gabeira | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1987|4|10}} | birth_place = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | height = {{convert|1.68|m|ft|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|56|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | best_year = | sponsors = | major_achievements = Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Award (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)<br>ESPY Award (Best Female Action Sports Athlete (2009)<br>Teen Choice Awards 2010 | website = }} '''Maya Reis Gabeira''' (born April 10, 1987) is a Brazilian big wave surfer. She surfed a {{convert|73.5|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} high wave in Nazaré, Portugal, in February 2020, recorded by ''Guinness World Records'' as the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":19" /> She also held the previous record for biggest wave ever surfed by a woman, of {{convert|68|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} established in January 2018.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Gabeira has received numerous accolades including the ESPY award for Best Female Action Sports Athlete.
== Career == Gabeira started surfing at age 13 in Rio de Janeiro and started competing at 15 years old. In 2004, she decided to become a professional at 17 while living in Australia and moved to Hawaii that same year to surf world class waves, while working as a waitress.<ref name="ST">{{Cite web|title=Maya Gabeira retires from professional big wave surfing|url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/maya-gabeira-retires-from-professional-big-wave-surfing|first=Luís |last=MP|date=January 23, 2025|website=Surfertoday.com|access-date=December 11, 2025}}</ref>
She quickly emerged as the world's top female big-wave surfer, winning global championships surfing challenging spots like Mavericks, Waimea, Todos Santos, and South Africa's shark-infested "Dungeons".
She has won the ''Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards'' for four consecutive times (2007 to 2010) in the Best Female Performance category.
In 2008, she became the first woman to surf big waves in Alaska.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.divirta-se.uai.com.br/html/sessao_13/2008/12/02/ficha_ragga_noticia/id_sessao=13&id_noticia=5563/ficha_ragga_noticia.shtml|title=Maya Gabeira é a primeira surfista a encarar Mar do Alasca}} Revista Ragga</ref> Gabeira also became the first woman to surf California's Ghost Trees and Tahiti's Teahupoo.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Maya Gabeira: 35 little-known facts about the Brazilian big wave surfer|url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/maya-gabeira-35-little-known-facts-about-the-brazilian-big-wave-surfer|last=|first=|date=|website=Surfertoday.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>
In 2009, Gabeira won the ESPY award for Best Female Action Sports Athlete. Later that year, Gabeira surfed the biggest wave ever by a woman when she successfully rode a {{convert|14|m|ft|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} wave at Dungeons, a big-wave surf spot in South Africa.
In 2010, she got the 2010 Teen Choice Award for Best Female Action Sports Star.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theextremescene.com/article/congrats-maya-gabeira-winning-best-female-action|title=Theextremescene.com|website=www.theextremescene.com}}</ref><ref>[http://surf.transworld.net/1000084021/news/maya-gabeira-rides-the-biggest-wave-ever-by-a-woman/ Transworld Surf] Maya Gabeira Rides The Biggest Wave Ever By A Woman</ref>
In 2012, she was awarded the XXL Big Wave Awards for Girls Best Overall Performance for the 5th time. She also appeared in the ESPN The Body Issue that same year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maya Gabeira ... naked|url=https://www.espn.com/action/surfing/blog/_/post/8149363/maya-gabeira-naked|last=|first=|year=2012|website=ESPN.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>
On October 28, 2013, Gabeira lost consciousness and nearly drowned while surfing a massive wave at Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal; she was saved by her fellow Brazilian big-wave surfer Carlos Burle. She had to be revived on the beach and was taken to hospital.<ref>Paul Hamilos, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/29/surfers-portugal-towering-waves-storm "Surfers in Portugal ride towering waves whipped up by storm"], ''The Guardian'', October 29, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/maya-gabeira-gives-thumbs-up-after-near-drowning-experience "Maya Gabeira gives thumbs up after near-drowning experience"], ''Surfer Today'', October 28, 2013.</ref> In 2016, the documentary ''Return to Nazaré'' by Red Bull TV showed Gabeira's returned to Nazaré after the accident.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A new Red Bull TV documentary follows the Brazilian's two-year fight to return to Praia do Norte|url=https://www.redbull.com/se-en/maya-gabeira-return-to-nazare-red-bull-tv-documentary|last=Lewis|first=Andrew|year=2016|website=Red Bull|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>
In January 2018, Gabeira surfed a {{convert|68|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} wave in Nazare, recorded by ''Guinness World Records'' as the biggest wave surfed by a woman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-latin-america-45713900/female-surfer-sets-new-world-record|title=Female surfer sets new world record|work=BBC News |language=en-GB|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2018/10/68-ft-wave-surfed-by-maya-gabeira-confirmed-as-largest-ridden-by-a-woman-as-she-r-542488|title=68-ft wave surfed by Maya Gabeira confirmed as largest ridden by a woman as she receives two awards|date=2018-10-01|work=Guinness World Records|access-date=2018-10-01|language=en-GB}}</ref>
In February 11, 2020, Gabeira set a new Guinness World Record for the ''Largest wave surfed (unlimited) - female''.<ref name="guinnessworldrecords">{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/542139-largest-wave-surfed-unlimited-female|title=Guinness World Records|publisher=guinnessworldrecords.com|accessdate=2020-09-10}}</ref><ref name="worldsurfleague">{{cite web|url=https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/455487/maya-gabeira-sets-new-world-record-wins-cbdmd-xxl-biggest-wave-award|title=World Surf League|date=10 September 2020 |publisher=worldsurfleague.com|accessdate=2020-09-10}}</ref> It was held in ''WSL Nazaré Tow Surfin'' contest and the wave measured {{convert|73.5|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref name=":18">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/brazilian-surfer-maya-gabeira-breaks-own-world-record-for-largest-wave-surfed-by-a-woman/|title=Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira breaks own world record for largest wave surfed by a woman|date=2020-09-10}}</ref><ref name=":19">{{Cite news|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/9/brazilian-surfer-maya-gabeira-breaks-largest-wave-surfed-record-630505|title=Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira breaks largest wave surfed record|date=2020-09-10}}</ref>
She is the subject of the 2022 documentary film ''Maya and the Wave''.<ref>Dan Lybarger, [https://filmthreat.com/reviews/maya-and-the-wave/ "Maya and the Wave"]. ''Film Threat'', September 12, 2022.</ref>
In 2022, she was named UNESCO Champion for Ocean and Youth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNESCO welcomes Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira as Champion for the Ocean and Youth |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-welcomes-brazilian-surfer-maya-gabeira-champion-ocean-and-youth?TSPD_101_R0=080713870fab20005d01b1ec60d6faa9e9124e13eb8024099e5f8c292927adb5ef5220caff40ba16083e305523143000c86e2d2bd171c073a2938196af526cfb1a5647e804403736efa56e81d8292b4f774216ddd13a6a5d2b4ae500d9a72ee0 |access-date=11 September 2023 |website=UNESCO}}</ref>
In 2025, Gabeira announced that she was retiring from professional big wave surfing.<ref name="ST"/>
==Books== Gabeira is the author of three books:
''Maya and the Beast'' (2022). Children's book. ISBN 978-1647005993
''Maya Makes Waves: A Picture Book'' (2024). Children's book. ISBN 978-1647006006
''Beyond the Board: The Untold Story of the World's Most Daring Big Wave Surfer'' (2025). Memoir. ISBN 978-1647006013
==Personal life== Gabeira is the daughter of Fernando Gabeira, one of the founding members of the Green Party of Brazil. Her father is the son of Lebanese immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://istoe.com.br/um-homem-do-presente/|title=istoe.com.br/um-homem-do-presente/|author=Revista IstoÉ|authorlink=Revista IstoÉ|date=8 December 2017|publisher=2017-02-08|accessdate=2019-02-24|archive-date=2019-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225040144/https://istoe.com.br/um-homem-do-presente/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://journals.openedition.org/confins/5122?lang=pt|title=Review of Atlas du Liban: territoires et société, edited by Éric Verdeil, Ghaleb Faour and Sébastien Velut, french-lebanese edition by IFPO (Institut Français du Proche-Orient) and CNRS Liban (Conseil National de la Recherche Scientifique – Liban) Beirut, 2007.|journal=Confins. Revue Franco-Brésilienne de Géographie / Revista Franco-Brasilera de Geografia |date=2007|issue=4 |accessdate=2019-02-24|last1=Maalouf |first1=Ramez Philippe |doi=10.4000/confins.5122 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Her mother, Yamê Reis, is a Brazilian fashion designer.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
Her former boyfriend and tow partner, Sebastian Steudtner, is also a big-wave surfer, and as of 2025 holds the world record for the tallest wave ever surfed.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bensinger |first1=Graham |title=Maya Gabeira: Sticking with my ex-boyfriend|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzBw1q1fmJ0|website=youtube.com |publisher=grahambensinger.com |language=en |format=video |date= May 19, 2021|access-date=December 22, 2025}}</ref> She continues to support him as a surf partner.
Gabeira revealed in an interview in 2021 that she had suffered from anxiety for years, and was only diagnosed after an aunt gave her an anti-anxiety pill that made her feel better, leading her to seek professional help.<ref name="GB">{{cite web |last1=Bensinger |first1=Graham |title=Maya Gabeira: Enduring years with undiagnosed anxiety |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvgQovMdGdU&list=PLW5qT4HIAd1YC9SIA4twfkIoOnCVmEgkA&index=13|website=youtube.com |publisher=grahambensinger.com |language=en |format=video |date= May 19, 2021|access-date=December 11, 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.mayagabeira.co/ Maya Gabeira - Official Home Page] {{in lang|pt}} * {{WSL profile}}
{{ESPY Female Action Sports Athlete}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabeira, Maya}} Category:Living people Category:Brazilian female surfers Category:1987 births Category:World Surf League surfers Category:Brazilian people of Lebanese descent Category:Sportspeople of Lebanese descent Category:Sportspeople from Rio de Janeiro (city) Category:21st-century Brazilian sportswomen