Maya Gabeira Shatters Her Own World Record

For Largest Wave Surfed By A Woman

BY HANNAH SHARIFF
CCSS  Interest Level 3-12  
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Brazilian pro-surfer Maya Gabeira broke the women's world record for highest wave surfed (Credit:
Aleixo/WSL)

Most people would shudder at the idea of getting caught up in a 73.5-foot

wave. But for Brazilian pro-surfer Maya, it presented the perfect opportunity to
break her 2018 world record for the largest wave surfed by a female. The
athlete skillfully maneuvered the massive swell earlier this year, at
the inaugural World Surf League (WSL) Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge in
Praia do Norte, Portugal. It was the same site where she established her first
world record by riding an equally-intimidating 68-foot wave.

"This wave was during the [WSL Nazaré Tow Surfing] contest, and although I
say I'm not a competitive person, I was very in the zone and braver than I
usually am on this day," said Gabeira. "I was risking more than I usually like to
do. When I let go of the rope, I had a feeling it could be the one but wasn't
sure. The speed was very high, but the noise that the wave made when it
broke made me realize that this was probably the biggest wave I'd ever
ridden."

Though Gabeira completed the incredible feat on February 11, 2020, her

record was not announced by the Guinness World Records until September
10, 2020. That's because the WSL officials had to first determine whether it
was the Brazilian surfer or her competitor, Justine Dupont, who had ridden the
largest wave. The wave's height from trough to crest is
usually estimated with the help of photos and videos. However,
the proximity of the large swells ridden by the two pro-surfers, and
the possibility of a new world record being established, warranted a
more rigorous analysis.

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To help them with the process, the WSL recruited scientists at the Kelly Slater
Wave Company and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The experts
used photogrammetry techniques and other methods to precisely calculate
the size of each wave. The findings revealed that Gabeira's 73.5-foot monster
was two feet higher than Dupont's wave, earning her WSL's 2020 women's
XXL Biggest Wave Award. It was also 3.5 feet higher than the 70-foot wave
ridden by the 2020 men's XXL Biggest Wave Award winner Kai Lenny!

The 33-year-old believes her achievement may be a turning point in

the perception of the ability of women surfers. "Our sport is very male-
dominated, with the performances on the male side [being] often much
stronger than ours as females," she told The Atlantic. "So to find a way and a
place and a certain discipline to shorten that gap, and to conclude this year
that a woman did surf the biggest, tallest wave of the year is
quite phenomenal. It opens the idea that in other categories and other areas
of surfing, this could be accomplished, too."

Though Gabeira, who has been surfing competitively since she was 15,
seemed to effortlessly glide over the monster surf, it has not all been smooth
sailing. Her first attempt at pursuing the world's biggest waves in Nazaré,
Portugal, in 2013 could have ended the career of someone with less resolve.
The surfer suffered a devastating wipeout that broke her ankle and almost
caused her to drown. However, the "minor" setback did not diminish her love
for the extreme sport and her determination to forge her legacy as one of
the world's greatest surfers!
Resources: Pro.org, surfertoday.com, The Atlantic.com