Bianca Valenti's B COOL blog

1 Woman Surfing - San Francisco and Marin County, California

2011-12-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

2011-01-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

Missing MEXICO!

2009-10-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

It's been 2 months since I've been home from Mexico and I've surfed literally 4 times! THEN I sprained my stupid wrist skateboarding 3 weeks ago and I'm still dry docked. SHuuuu shhaaaaa....I miss MEXICO!!!!! Thanks Edwin Morales for the sweet black and white photo capturing yet another tunnel at the MexPipe

A Morning in Puerto

2009-10-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

July, 24 2009 Biggest swell to hit Puerto Escondido, Mexico in 5 years. I did not paddle out this day, just got a little silly and goofy drinking chingaderra cafe!

I LOVE IT!!! TUBE TIME!

2009-08-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Thank you Alexandra Saa for the photos!

2009-08-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

why I come to PUERTO!!!!!

2009-08-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

2009-08-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

2009-08-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

same wave 2nd and 3 shots thanks again Alex Saa!

2009-08-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Thank yous Alexandra Saa for this photo!

2009-08-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Weird foamball backwash status, but still a sweet angle, thank you Todd Glaser! Water shots are the best!

2009-08-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

The waves are so good here. I LOVE IT!

2009-08-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

Making the preps before going out at Zicatela is a must do!

2009-08-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a little girl I've stuck my butt out when I bottom turn, and I keep on doin it! So funny!

How to Fall Proper?!

2009-08-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've surfed waves with some size so it's taking a little time for all my stored knowledge to recirculate to the front of my mind. Falling properly on big waves is crucial! Each wave is different so it's all about making the best decision in the moment. During the last swell I forgot that if you land on your butt, if feels like a million needles shooting up there, not good! I remember now, ouch! Note to self, always try to go in feet first! Do not want that feeling again, so uncomfortable! Have a nice laugh at the photo and notice the size of the wave, big enough haha.

2009-07-27T15:31:00.001-07:00

WAVES WERE SICK! Thanks to Juan Munoz for the photo!

2009-07-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

Waves small, time to rip it up!

2009-07-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Gonzalez!

Waves small again, swell was tremendous!

2009-07-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

This past week in Puerto was an unforgettable swell. It began on Friday July 24th peaked on the 25th Saturday and held solid for Sunday the 26th. Wave face sizes on the 25th were around 30 ft, check it out here at surfline.com: "Solid swell pounds the west coast." I surfed on Friday and Sunday, but Saturday was a day for only the heaviest weights of the Mexican Pipeline, I'm talking about chargers like Greg Long, Rusty Long, Jaime Sterling, Gavin Beschen, Dane Ward, Coco Nogales, Crazy Will, Alejandro Moreda, and I think that was it. Two jet skis were out towing, in addition to making a number of rescues even amongst the aforementioned A-list of big wave riders! I can't tell you how amazing those guys are and the energy each one of them has is truly special. I pretty much worship them. Waves like that for me? I hope so, one day...but I've got time!

Now that the waves are small again it's time to sleep in, sit in the lifeguard tower and watch the waves while drinking coffee, and scope out the morning happenings at the beach. The beach is poppin in the morning because it's much cooler at this time of the day, very good for people watching! No need to rush, the smaller the waves, the more people, go figure. One on the many reasons I want to surf bigger waves! YA!

My Mexican sister Vanessa Gonzalez is HAPPY! Even when the waves are "small" here it's double over head for her, check the pic! It's funny because my only sister in real life is named Vanessa, and from the moment I met Mexican Vanessa she has been truly like a sister and introduced me to many of the people who have become my Mexican family. I'm very lucky to have my sister here with me to show me the ropes in Mexico and watch out for me! A MI ME ENCANTA MEXICO! I LOVE MEXICO!

FUN

2009-07-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not the best backside barrel rider, but I'm working on it, and having fun! Check out this lil'left tube of me at Zicatela

Surf's Up Dude

2009-07-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

For the past week everyone has been talking about the upcoming swell that's about to slam Puerto starting tomorrow (Thursday, July 23, 2009). From the way surfers talk and the forecasters hype up swells you never really know what to expect. But, when the gnarliest helmsmen chargers from all over the world show up in the same place at once (i.e. right here right now) it can only mean one thing...the waves are going to be XXXL! That's what the world's best big wave riders do for a living, chase after the biggest waves in the world. Things should get interesting to say the least! These are a few new photos from some of the days so far this week that obviously have not been grande yet, but on their way for sure. Thanks to rpmsurfer.com for the shots!

2009-07-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Puerto Escondido: The simple life

2009-07-20T14:55:00.001-07:00

I love coming back to places that I love, like Puerto Escondido, Mexico where the living is easy! I live one block up from the Playa Zicatea a.k.a. the Mexican Pipeline. I can literally wake up, check the surf, and be out in the water in about 1 minute...can you say... I LOVE IT! I am staying in the yoga and massage center so I'm surrounded by healthy living, positive vibes, love, and good peoples. Once again I LOVE IT! Being here gives me the opportunities to push my surfing, practice my spanish, yoga, cooking, and chilling. It's really a dream.

What's a typical day like down here? Well, today was pretty typical, I woke up around 7 stretched, drank a coffee and some water, ate a cliff bar, surfed for about 3 hours until it became windy, took a shower, ate some tostadas con pollo and a mango papaya smoothie (so delicious!) Chatted with my homies who work in offices and are on g-chat all day (big up to all the dedicated 9-5 workers out there) for a bit until my food digested. And then did yoga and exercises for a few hours (too hot to be at the beach). The best perk about living in a yoga center where there are only 3 classes a day is that I have an empty Palapa (or chillapa as I like to call it haha) with an ocean view to clear my mind and work on myself. Pura vida y simple living! Now I have to go pick up my laundry (about 50 feet up the street, and my only task of the day) and then I'll probably go surfing again and then cook dinner and hang out with friends. Happy summer!

Save Turtles, Fish, Whales, and MONEY$$$$$

2009-06-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

Water is my favorite drink. Staying hydrated is crucial. Stop buying one time use plastic water bottles and you will save money, turtles, fish, whales, rivers, wetlands, rivers, beaches, the EARTH, as well as your health! Please help save the environment and yourself...stop buying one time use water bottles!!!! PLEASE

2009-06-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Gidget Pro Huntington Beach

2009-06-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I competed Gidget Pro at Huntington Beach. It was the third event in a series of 5 contests put on by the Professional Longboard Association (PLA) sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The waves were about waist to shoulder high and the weather varied from overcast drizzle to sunny and glassy to sun and windy slop on Sunday. There was some amazing surfing in both the women's and men's events.

The highlight of the weekend was definitely the expression session. The men were absolutely mindblowing pulling open face airs on longboards! Pretty sick! When it was time for us women to hit the water we were very inspired and I managed to walk away with the Best Overall Perfomance on a wave...I think I did a long rail slide coping floater to round house cutback to noseride to barrel in the shorebreak. We were all having a blast out there goofing around and really trying to push each other to do some innovative maneuvers for some $$$$ cash prizes. I also did fairly well in the contest and walked away with 2nd place. I could've surfed a much smarter heat given the crap-OLA waves but oh well I guess I'll have to wait until next time.

There were also two funny highlights of the weekend. First one was on Saturday when a gorgeous European Rico Suave sat next to me in the bleechers during the rain (well strong drizzle). Rico and I started talking and turns out he's from Spain but lives in LA. I asked him what he does there and he responded that he works in the film industry. I said oh what do you do? He responded, "Well, don't say it too loudly, but I'm in the adult film industry." I was a little shocked and said "oh are you like a director or producer or something?" Rico responded, "No I am the one in front of the camera." Myself, the and the other people around me (including my mom) all started laughing pretty hard. Yes ladies that's right we have a porn star on the longboard tour and he is HOT! But then again watch out for Rico Suave...he might be a porn star. I snuck a pic of him...hahahah!

The number two funny moment was on Sunday when my cheerleaders i.e. family including my grandma, mom, sister, niece, and nephew were sitting on the sand directly in front of the announcer. The announcer asked my 8 year old nephew Ian what my nickname is and Ian responded "Anty" so the announcer proceded to call me "Anty Valenti" for the rest of the contest saying things like "Good thing Anty Valenti survived all those party's in Isla Vista attending UC Santa Barabara so she can live up to her nickname and take care of the kids." Haha ya right! Hilariously good times. The longboard community is the best! We are like one big family constantly laughing and supporting each other. Come out to our contests for some real fun and laughs and to taste a real slice of the ALOHA!

In SOCAL I longboard and I LOVE IT!

2009-06-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

Amidst the crowd of 100 at Lower Trestles today I was looking around and laughing. Frothers. SoCal is full of a bunch of frothy McFrothersons who are wave starved for the most part, battling out the traffic, and kooks. The reason I was laughing is that while the rest of the ding dongs out in the water (aside from my good buddy Salmon boy and I) were on potato chip shortboards in 2-3 ft south swell so CAL Salmon boy and I were riding the proper equipment...9'0 high performance longboards by Inifinty!!!!! Oooooo yeaaaa. We get whatever waves we want, although we always share (haha ya right not with those agro frothers!)

Walking down the beach happy crappy after some sick ones this fat dude on a gigantic pointy board (not short at all) looked at me and said "Come on now no longboards.....uuuuggggg" Translation: I'm pissed off because I didn't have fun and you shouldn't either...WTF@#$%@?! Grumpy shortbarders in SoCal should get a life...or a LONGBOARD!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT! LONGBOARDING IS SO FUN!

Longboard Shortboard Board Board Board?!

2009-06-17T22:16:00.001-07:00

I love riding all different kinds of boards depending on the waves. As of late I spend my time in places with real waves (Nor Cal, Hawaii, Mexico) and my real cravings are for good tubes so my shortboards and guns are usually what I ride. When I'm in Southern California (Dana Point representing) I ride strictly longboards because the waves are usually small and gutless. Either way I am having a good time. In big waves my main thrills come from the intense adrenaline rushes whereas in small waves I enjoy my ability to be worry free and relaxed. No matter what though,
I always ride an INFINITY surfboard shaped by Ryan Engle
check them out... http://www.infinitysurf.com/ Queen B (that's me)
model coming soon!!!!!!!!!!