Beyond the Board: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Daring Big Wave Surfer

Gr 9 Up–Gabeira, the world’s top female big-wave surfer, began her surfing journey at the age of 14. She left her home in Rio de Janeiro in to chase waves around the world at the age of 17. She surfed in many countries including Brazil, Australia, the United States, South Africa, and Tahiti. Gabeira won her first big-wave award at the age of 19. She enjoyed the amazing journey to be a professional, but at the same time, she felt enormous pressure and criticism. She knew that she was no longer a novelty, an underdog, a surprising Brazilian teenager who chased big waves on occasion. She felt even more pressure to pursue excellence. In this memoir, Gabeira chronicles her remarkable journey from a determined yet anxiety-plagued adolescent to a Guinness World Record holder. She depicts her formative years: the romances, career highlights, vulnerabilities, and setbacks that defined her at an early age. She noticed the alcohol abuse commonly in the field and learned how to withstand the abuse that comes with being a woman in a male-dominated field. Gabeira’s amazing surfing journey has provided many opportunities to live in different countries and some surprising culture-shock experiences.