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This is Brazilian hellman Stephan Prado getting his share on a nice late season afternoon. Photo: Jack Dekort
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Carlos Burle, Pescadero Point, December of 2007. Day 1 of the same swell featured in the Scratchin' image. After wrestling with gigantic Ghost Trees, we drove fourteen hours down to Ensenada to chase the swell to Todos. Photo: Jason Murray
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Inside out in Brazil. This is my favorite beachy in Brazil. It's a solid wedge, close to shore, and perfect for water shooting. Photo: Adam Duffy
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One of the primary reasons they call it “Insanity’s.” And another reminder that Gabriel Medina’s surfing is truly mental. Photo: Jeff Byrnes
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Gabriel Medina flaring on a tiny day at Sydney's most famous beach, that being Bondi Beach. This kid really is unbelievable in the air. Photo: Alex Marks
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Maya's relationship with Teahupo'o is a long one. Photo: Red Bull
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Gabriel Medina, Cloudbreak-ing for the spectators. Photo: Stuart Gibson
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Bruno Santos, Telos. Another beachbreak find during the Rip Curl Tip to Tip project. Bruno is a Brazilian, and a phenomenal tube rider. He's also the most laidback character you can imagine. Image: Sparkes
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Cauê Wood, a young Brazilian, making the most of a small day at V-Land. Image: Blanco
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Alejo Muniz boosting way out in New York during Hurricane Katia in his semifinal heat at the Quik Pro. Photo: Evan Conway
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Here's Everaldo from Brazil on a monster of a wave at Teahupo'o in 2005. Image: Street
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Brazilian backwash. Photo: Adam Duffy
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August, 2009. Maya at Dungeons, on one of her many XXL entries. This one netted her the biggest wave ridden by a woman. Photo: Red Bull
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When the Rip Curl Pro came to town, the whole city showed up. Miguel Pupo did too! Photo: Seth Migdail
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Another angle of Puerto Escondido and Brazilian surfer Diego Silva. Image: Blanco
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Alejo Muniz, cloud grab. Photo: Eduardo Fleck
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Maya taming a Tahitian beast. She's no stranger to the danger here – a horrendous 2007 wipeout got her in the nomination books for Billabong's XXL Wipeout Award. Photo: Red Bull
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Gabriel Medina varial at Lowers. Always one of the most exciting people to shoot. Photo: Kevin Jara
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Jesse Mendes, soaring. Photo: Eduardo Fleck
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Jean da Silva, tucked right in. Mentawai perfection. Photo: Eduardo Fleck
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Gabriel Medina, air drying. Photo: Matt Dunbar
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Alejo Muniz sinks his teeth into a Lowers right, 2010. Photo: Chuck Schmid | surf-shot.com
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Jadson Andre cutting back at the track. Racetrack, Uluwatu, Bali. Photo: Trevor Murphy
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Alejo Muniz in the Mentawais. Photo: Eduardo Fleck
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Miguel Pupo, squeezing into one. Photo: Eduardo Fleck
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Looking for it in Hawaii. Gabeira did a photo shoot in Hawaii for ESPN's Body Issue. "It was pretty weird to surf naked," she told ESPN. "It was hard to focus. I was feeling self-conscious and trying to control something that was uncontrollable."Photo: Red Bull | Brian Bielmann
Brazilians the world over have made our jaws drop with undeniably electric surfing. Whether it’s finely tuned aerials, big wave prowess or simply smooth carving lines, surfers like Gabriel Medina, Adriano de Souza, Carlos Burle, Maya Gabeira, Miguel Pupo and more have cut their teeth for years on the world’s best waves. And we’ve been lucky to play the role of audience.
While there has never been a world tour champion of Brazilian descent, there are plenty making the rush to the top, like the current world number one – Gabriel Medina. Regardless of unfortunate stereotypes, it’s impossible to put Brazilian surfers in a box as folks like Carlos Burle and Maya Gabeira charge some of the world’s biggest waves. It certainly seems like the golden age for Brazilian surfers, but maybe the best is yet to come.
