There are some amazing female surfers out there, who constantly impress me with their outstanding performances and never ending passion for the ocean. These rad ladies are my personal superheroes and my nominees for the Top 5 Gnarliest Videos of Women Surfing:

1. Keala Kennelly’s wipeout at Teahupo’o

Keala Kennelly is a Big Wave surfer from Hawaii. In 2011, she charged one of the most dangerous waves in the world  – Teahupo’o in Tahiti – during the biggest swell ever to hit that area. After getting barreled, she got pushed down to the shallow reef, and suffered a massive facial injury. Though it almost took two years to travel back, this insane accident did not stop her from surfing her favorite wave! In 2016, she won the Pure Scot Barrel of the year award at the Big Wave Awards for getting barreled at the legendary, Teahupo’o. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7gwzeiqlSM)

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2. Bethany Hamilton tow-in surfing Jaws only 6 months after childbirth

In 2003, Bethany Hamilton survived a shark attack where her left arm was bitten off by a tiger shark. Despite the trauma of her accident, she was determined to return to surfing. With only  one month after the incident, she returned to her surfboard. Since then, she occasionally competes in the WSL as a Wild Card and even got 3rd at the Fiji Women’s Pro 2016. But what makes her a true Chica Brava, is only 6 months after giving birth to her son, Bethany was surfing Jaws and the massive wave she was riding got her the Billabong 2016 Ride of the Year Entry. Yewwwwwww! (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1updE-Pz1Oc)

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3. Maya Gabeira wipeout at Nazare

Maya Gabeira is a young Big Wave Surfer from Brazil. She became well known in 2009 when she surfed the biggest wave ever by a female (14 meters = 46ft) at Dungeons, South Africa. But that wasn’t enough, in October 2013 Maya lost consciousness and nearly drowned while surfing a massive wave (50ft) in Nazare, Portugal. Two years after her “Second Birthday” she returned to the break that almost took her life, because she says “right now it’s the biggest wave in the world and I’m in love with this wave”.

Check out her wipeout footage here

To hear her story of the incident, check it out here

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4. Tyler Wright’s gnarly barrel at South Coast New South Wales

Tyler Wright is an Australian professional Surfer on the WSL World Tour. She is currently in first place in the ranking this year and way in the lead with her points. Tyler’s surfing is very powerful and her style amazingly unique. This year while she was free surfing with one of her brothers at South Coast she got an unbelievable barrel, and it’s a contender in the O’Neill Wave of the Winter, Southern Hemi edition. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QoEYE5bxcf4)

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5. Silvana Lima air during a WSL competition

Silvana Lima, from Brazil, was pulling some amazing aerial moves during the WSL Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, and landed them! This is indeed a huge raise of the bar on women’s competitive surfing, cause during competitions, everyone wants to play it safe to get the most points. But Silvana Lima just dares it! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ8i3_VV1EM)

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Stephanie Fischer
Surf Instructor Extraordineir
CHICABRAVA