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Seven Stunning Fashion Photos Of The Women’s Big Wave World Record Holder

Maya Gabeira floats on water and shines on shore!

style // Oct 6, 2018
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The recently crowned queen of Nazaré, Miss Maya Gabeira, took the world record from the folks at Guinness for the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman – the first record of its kind. 

Maya was understandably thrilled. It’s nearly everyone’s childhood dream to hold a world record in something, whether that something is how many hot dogs one can devour in the course of an hour; most spoons balanced on a human body; naked patrons on a theme park ride; or the priciest dessert in world ($25k Frrrozen Haute Chocolate – which contains five grams of 24-carat gold), is up to the individual.

As all of the above are legit world records, it’s odd that the biggest wave surfed by a female hadn’t yet made it into the Books.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GjRhiLzWZDQ

The lofty goal of doing something bigger and better than the rest of the world has been on Maya’s radar since she nearly drowned at Nazaré in 2013. After a brief conversation with death, she moved to Portugal and became a student of the notorious rolling mountain.

“I always knew the record was there [Nazaré],” Maya tells Stab. “The giant waves are there, so I never left. The potential at Nazaré makes things possible. It’s amazing to get the record after what happened a few years back [the aforementioned near-death experience].”

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WW1TBU9EoBM

The wave that nearly killed her. Following this wipeout Maya was taken to the hospital with a broken shin.

Her winning wave came from the stream of energy that sent Nazaré into a frenzy mid-January. When sets of tapered avalanches slammed into Portugal’s premier big wave break, Maya held the rope behind Eric Rebiere’s ski.

“It was a giant day,” Maya says. “We made a plan to catch a big left. We waited for hours. Then this one set came in and we were further out than everyone. So, we chose the second wave. I remember dropping in thinking I wanted to find a line and make the wave. That has always been my challenge on the big ones – not to be on the shoulder but ride the wave in a way that’s critically compelling.”

Miss Gabeira is stunning sliding down a 68-ft wave and is a natural beauty on land – so here’s a celebration of both!

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When Maya attended the Big Wave Awards in Los Angeles last April she showed up wearing all Gucci.

ScaleWidthWyIxMjAwIl0 Maya Gabeira Nude ESPN 1

Pure in the elements for ESPN the Body Issue.

Photography

ESPN

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Sweeter than strawberries and sugar!

Photography

Tag Heuer

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