BEYOND THE BOARD

A memoir from a woman pioneer of big wave surfing.

As a young teen, Gabeira, who grew up in Rio de Janeiro, was introduced to surfing at a beach party she attended with a friend from dance school—and she instantly fell in love. Headstrong and independent, she convinced her divorced parents to let her dedicate herself to learning to surf, kicking off a lifelong obsession that even her severe asthma couldn’t dampen. As she trained in Brazil and locales as far-flung as Australia, Hawaii, and Indonesia, Gabeira struggled to find her place in this male-dominated sport. She had a chance meeting with Eraldo Gueiros, a big wave surfer—someone who rides waves measuring 20 feet and higher (the term isn’t defined in the book)—and his enthusiasm inspired her to strive to become the world’s best big wave surfer. As one of the first women to attempt to conquer such massive waves, Gabeira faced misogyny, double standards, isolation, and harsh critiques from men who surrounded her. Injuries, anxiety, heartbreak, and self-doubt all plagued her as she pushed herself to break the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman, which she succeeded in doing in Nazaré, Portugal. Although the minimal dialogue and relatively few descriptions of scenes make the narration feel dense at times, Gabeira’s journey will captivate young athletes and inspire them to break barriers.

A celebration of the possibilities for those who are made to feel like outsiders in sports.