In the rainforest’s shadow, Brazilian surf capital blossoms

By MAURICIO SAVARESE and CHRISTIAN PRENDERGAST
Associated Press

SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil (AP) — The coast of Sao Paulo has become the epicenter of Brazilian surfing that, in just a few years, has become a global powerhouse. The three world titles of local star Gabriel Medina have drawn surfers from all over to an area that recently was more famous for challenging low-income housing projects, the beach of Maresias. Surfing courses and stores are also flourishing in the city of 90,000 residents. Elsewhere on the coast, like in Ubatuba, older competitors who blazed the trail but were overlooked for years now regularly hold court with admirers. And the area is a microcosm of Brazil’s growing surfing culture.