Miss Brazil 1961 was the eighth Miss Brasil pageant, held on 1961-06-17 at the Maracanãzinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro. Miss Brazil 1960, Gina MacPherson (Guanabara), crowned Staël Rocha Abelha of Minas Gerais as the winner. The winner represented Brazil at Miss Universe 1961; the runner-up went to Miss International 1961; and the third place to Miss World 1961. The event was broadcast by TV Tupi. In August 1961, Staël resigned to marry, and runner-up Vera Brauner (Rio Grande do Sul) assumed the title, though the win still counts for Minas Gerais.