Andrea Moller facts for kids
Andrea Moller is an amazing athlete from Brazil and America. She loves to compete in many ocean sports like outrigger canoe racing and SUP long-distance races. Andrea is also a professional Paramedic and a mom. She lives on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
A Brazilian sports magazine called Go Outside once named Andrea the "most important" Brazilian water woman. This was because of her incredible performance as a top female athlete in 2010.
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Andrea's Journey to the Ocean
Andrea Moller was born in Brazil. She grew up on a small island called Ilhabela, near São Paulo. Her family owned a marina, so she was around ocean sports from a very young age. Her family always supported her dream to be a top athlete. In Brazil, she won many medals in swimming, biking, and windsurfing.
In 1998, Andrea moved to Maui, Hawaii, to follow her dreams. There, she became a paramedic and a professional ocean athlete. She focused on many water sports, especially big wave surfing, outrigger canoeing, and SUP. She started paddling in 1999 to stay fit. Soon, she became known around the world as a very skilled waterwoman.
Amazing Ocean Sports
Outrigger Canoe Racing
Andrea has won many awards and set records in outrigger canoe paddling. These include famous races across channels like Maui to Molokai (Pailolo Channel) and Molokai to Oahu (Ka’iwi Channel). She also competed in the Tahitian Race, Hawaiki Nui Va'a. For many years, Andrea was part of Team Bradley, one of the best women's paddling teams in the world. This team won the challenging Na Wahine O Ke Kai race seven times by 2012. This race is a 42-mile journey across the channel in a six-person canoe.
Stand-Up Paddling (SUP)
Andrea started her SUP career in 2005. She was one of the first women to cross the Ka’iwi Channel on a stand-up paddleboard, competing against men. She and Maria Souza were the first female Stand Up team to cross the tough 32-mile Molokai to Oahu, Ka'iwi channel. Today, Andrea holds the world record for winning and crossing this channel. She has also won many other long-distance SUP competitions in Hawaii, like The Battle of the Paddle.
Big Wave Surfing
Even with all her other ocean sports, Andrea Moller is truly a big wave surfer at heart. She loves riding huge waves, sometimes over 40 feet tall, at a famous surf spot called Pe'ahi, also known as "Jaws". This is where she truly shows her power as an athlete. She loves to surf the biggest waves on Maui and around the world.
In 2004, Andrea and Maria Souza became the world's first female tow-in surfing team at Jaws. This means they used a jet ski to get into the giant waves. They were pioneers, not only surfing but also using jet skis to rescue people in big waves. Andrea is also the first woman to paddle into a wave at Pe'ahi without a jet ski.
In 2016, Andrea won the "Women's Best Performance" award at the WSL Big Wave Awards.
In 2023, women competed in the famous surfing competition called “The Eddie” for the very first time. Andrea was one of these amazing women, and she was the first woman to ride a wave in that competition!
Ike Moana
Andrea Moller started an event called “Ike Moana” in 2013. She wanted it to be an annual event. The goal of Ike Moana is to give kids with special needs a chance to spend a day with professional athletes. They get to learn how to stand up paddle. This event happens before the Paddle Imua race, which raises money for Camp Imua Family Services.
Titles and Achievements
Andrea Moller has won many titles throughout her career. Here are a few examples of her wins:
- In 2013, she won 1st place in the Paddle Imua race (9.5 miles, SUP) and 1st place in the Olukai Ho’olaule’a race (8 miles, SUP).
- In 2012, she was part of the Team Bradley that won the Na Wahine O Ke Kai race (42 miles, OC6). She also won the Triple Crown Overall Female Champion for SUP, winning all three legs of the series.
- In 2010, she had an incredible year, winning six out of six races she entered. This included 1st place in the Molokai to Oahu Paddle Board Race and 1st place in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai with Team Bradley.
Equipment
Andrea uses Quickblade paddles, SIC Stand Up Boards, and Kai Waa OC-1 canoes.
Sponsors
Andrea has received support from several companies throughout her career:
- 2010: Maui Jim, Dakine, and Maui Surf Girls.
- 2011-2013: Maui Jim, SIC, and Planet Sun.
Films
Andrea Moller has been featured in several films:
- “Wave Chasers”: A Travel Channel documentary by Warren Miller Production. It showed two teams of wave chasers, including Andrea Moller and Maria Souza.
- “Extreme Moms”: A documentary by Rebel Media. It featured Andrea Moller and Maria Souza as the first female team to tow surf huge waves like Peahi. It showed these two moms following their dream to be water women.
- “Osso Duro”: A national TV show in Brazil. It featured six top Brazilian athletes in a reality-style show. They challenged the tidal bore wave called Pororoca in the Amazon.
- “A Vida La Fora”: Another national TV show in Brazil. This show featured Andrea's lifestyle on Maui.
