Power carves are her thing. A local to heavy San Francisco barrels, Bianca Valenti is the reining Big Wave Champion. Photo: Shannon Reporting
The organizers of the Titans of Mavericks have added a women’s heat to this year’s event. But to many people, the list of six women invitees is at least one name short.
The conspicuously absent name belongs to Bianca Valenti, says The OTHER Project, which has started “Stand with Bianca,” a Change.org petition to have Valenti added to the roster if Titans runs this winter.
As the petition’s backers see it, Valenti was left off the list despite being a stand out surfer at Mavericks because of her outspokenness about getting women included in the contest.
“If you have looked up the Titans of Mavericks recently you are bound to see Valenti speaking in a video or quoted in an article advocating for a women’s division (not heat), equal prize money, and more, making her the most outspoken female big wave surfer,” the petition says.
In 48 hours 365 folks have signed to #standwithbianca. Amazing. Link in bio; please sign and share. It’s time for critical mass ?? Big wave world champion, Bianca Valenti, has not been invited to compete in the Titans of Mavericks inaugural women’s heat this year. Valenti has been leading the fight for the inclusion of women in the Titans of Mavericks contest for over a year. If you have looked up the Titans of Mavericks recently you are bound to see Valenti speaking in a video or quoted in an article advocating for a women’s division (not heat), equal prize money, and more, making her the most outspoken female big wave surfer. She is one of the founders of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing (CEWS), along with fellow big wave surfers Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, and Andrea Moller – all three surfers were invited to compete, but not Valenti. “Having her at the forefront for all of us women who have been fighting to be in the event, seems like she is being punished for speaking up?!” Paige Alms writes, “For the public that don’t know the whole story, without her speaking up for all of us, we may never have a women’s heat, ever, at Mavericks!” Andrea Moller writes, “Politics aside, she is one of the top chargers at Mavericks. She is the local girl who has been making a difference for all the women hungry to compete [at Mavericks]… Bianca knows those waters and has caught more waves out there then any of us. I’m here not just as a surfer, but also as someone who wants to make a difference for the next generation. Competing at Mavericks is a huge achievement for the women. But please, let’s make this fair.” Currently, six women are invited to compete in the Titans of Mavericks this year…why couldn’t there be seven? Bianca Valenti could be added as a competitor, not an alternate. This would mean seven surfers instead of six in the water – in the past, there have been up to eight surfers competing in a heat at Mavericks. Bianca Valenti deserves to be celebrated and rewarded by surfing with her sisters at Mavericks this year. Stand with Bianca by signing and sharing this petition. #titansofmavericks #biancavalenti #bigwavesurfing #femalebigwavesurfer
A photo posted by By Margaret Seelie (@othersideofsurfing) on Nov 7, 2016 at 8:40am PST
Along with fellow big wave chargers Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, and Andrea Moller, who were all invited, Valenti started the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, the group that led the charge for women’s inclusion.
The petition was launched Friday. As of Monday morning, it has amassed 372 of the 500 signatures sought. If it reaches the target amount, the petition will be delivered to Cartel Management.
The much-stoked 30-year-old Dana Point native surfs Mavs every time it breaks, and took home wins from the 2014 women’s Dive N’Surf Pro Nelscott Reef event and the 2012 SeaHawaii Women’s Pipeline Pro.
On its website The OTHER Project says it “creates community, promotes diversity, and inspires folks by organizing events that celebrate the untold stories in surf and skate cultures.”
Here’s a short video on Valenti from The San Francisco Chronicle:
