#72 Bianca Valenti’s Second Act: How She Won Equal Pay, Redefined Her Sport, and Trains Her Body and Nerves for Big Waves — and for Life

Ageless Athlete - Bianca Valenti
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Kush: ~Today that's making you a bit tired. ~

Bianca: ~Yeah. I'm on this cleanse and I'm like, I think I have like some detox fatigue or something. ~

Kush: ~Okay. I actually, I, yeah, I saw you posted about that. I wasn't sure if this was happening as we spoke or this was something that was, uh, going on in the past. So it sounds like you're still in the middle of this, uh, this long fasting No, no, no, no, no, ~

Bianca: ~no, no.~

~Now I've, now I, I've meeting food, but it's just a different, it's different food, so I'm just still figuring out like what works, what works for me. ~

Kush: ~Yeah. With what I can have. Got it. Okay. Yeah, that sounds, sounds like quite the experiment. Yeah. ~

Bianca: ~How about you? How's your morning? ~

Kush: ~My morning has been great. So, uh.~

~Just want, just wanna make sure that this is still, uh, still a good time. You're still up for, uh, having this conversation. Yeah. ~

Bianca: ~I mean, I'm sure I'll have more energy another time. I just, I just like went to sleep and woke back up for this. But, uh, ~

Kush: ~I, I appreciate you. Mm-hmm. Break, sleep. Your, your midday, midday sleep to, uh, make this conversation happen.~

~I also didn't sleep super great. I am sleeping at a new place. I'm at this, uh, Airbnb at this one city in Mexico, and, uh, I have been sleeping in my van for the last several months and Oh wow. It's super, super cozy. You know, I have, I have an excellent bed, totally quiet, dark, and here I'm in this like, big loft.~

~Oh. And, uh, Lala Light. I. Strange mattress. Anyway. So where are you? I'm in this town called Kero. Where is it? Kero. It's just slightly north of Mexico City. What are you doing? I am on this long rock climbing trip through Mexico. Oh, cool. And I just left, um, I was staying in the mountains for the last several months and I just left because my parents just showed up here.~

Bianca: ~Mm. ~

Kush: ~So you're with your parents ~

Bianca: ~now? ~

Kush: ~Yes. Yes. I am doing some work, but then I'm also playing tour guide. Nice. Do you speak Spanish?~

~Mm-hmm. I, I know you, I'm aware you also spend. Quite a bit of time in Mexico as well. So maybe we can touch on that during our conversation. Uh, before we get started, Bianca, any questions you have for us? For me? I don't think so. Okay, okay. Okay, great. Well, uh, just quick housekeeping. Um, I can edit anything we record here if you need to get up, answer the door or anything like that, you know, all is good.~

~I have a dog in the living room. If he starts working, same thing. You know, I might have to go. He's also getting adjusted to his new surroundings. Yeah. So you drove, ~

Bianca: ~you drove down to Mexico? ~

Kush: ~I did. I did. Yes. I, so I'm also from San Francisco. ~

Bianca: ~Mm-hmm. ~

Kush: ~And I, yeah, I used to live in the mission burn area and I left San Francisco Thanksgiving of last year.~

~Uhhuh. But it's been like a slow, slow drive because I stopped to climb and check out a couple of places, kind of. Yeah. Bishop Eastern Sierras and then, uh, some places outside. Red Rocks in Las Vegas. Yeah. And then, uh, arrived here just after Christmas. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. It's been, it's been quite the trip, but it's been amazing.~

~I can, I can still like do some of this podcast stuff and actually be in the outdoors instead of, you know, being in my living room in the city while I talk to people like you who are reaching in the outdoors and now I feel things are a bit more balanced. Yeah. Cool. Great. Well, ~[00:00:00] Bianca, super excited to have you.

Um, like I said, I am also from San Francisco. I don't think we have met, but I also learned to serve At Ocean Beach at Pacifica, some of those breaks yeah, so ~I mean, in a, in a, in a strange way,~ I feel some kind of kinship, to interview have somebody who's an ocean beach charger on my, on my podcast.

well just to kick off, this is how I usually start. Tell us where you are right now, Bianca. 

Bianca: Um, I'm in San Francisco, California at Ocean Beach. 

Kush: Okay, super. And then what did you have for breakfast this morning? 

Bianca: I had some berries and a little sweet potato and a couple of Turkey meatballs with like some chard and olive oil.

Kush: Okay. That sounds like a different breakfast than I usually have people tell me about. Yes. 

Bianca: I'm guessing, is this [00:01:00] like a normal breakfast? No, no, no. This is part of this cleanse that I'm on. Yeah. 

Kush: Yeah. Do you mind if we talk about that for a second? 

Bianca: Sure. I'm just on a cleanse to reset my gut and like get rid of parasites in my body.

Kush: Okay. Was that, um, medically advised or is this something you just doing proactively? No, 

Bianca: no, no, no. My trainer, my trainer recommended it because I, I noticed like I, a few months ago I started getting puffy and then I gained about like 10 pounds and, but I didn't necessarily earn it and so, um, I was like, what's going on?

And he was like, oh, I've got this great parasite cleanse. So, um, I'm just , putting my trust in him and he's my guide. 

Kush: And when you say trainer, I'm, I'm guessing this is like your, your, your physical trainer and not like a 

Bianca: Yeah, my coach. My coach, exactly. 

Kush: Okay. And have you ever done a cleanse before?

Bianca: No, I've [00:02:00] never done a cleanse before. Yep. First time. 

Kush: Well, I have been, let's say, contemplating doing something on those lines for like, longer than I care to admit. I haven't brought myself into it. So how was the experience? 

Bianca: Um, it's interesting because it de the first couple, the first, first of all, I'll just say disclaimer is like, this one's specifically prescribed for me.

So I wouldn't suggest that anybody try it. And it's, it's really important that you have a guide in this process. Um, and it's probably a little different for each and every person. But, so for me, for the first 10 days, I, all I consumed was raw goat milk and raw cow milk. And that was, um, actually not, not super challenging.

It had challenging moments like finding raw goat milk is actually incredibly, incredibly challenging. And, and the reason why raw goat milk is that, um, it's the closest [00:03:00] thing to mother's milk, and it's the easiest thing for your body to digest. and so that part, the, yeah, the cha, I'd have to go on like these scavenger hunts to find the milk.

Right. And, um, because not a, because not a lot of places carry it. And then, but they, it was also kind of easy because I didn't have to think about what I was eating. And that is like also super good for your gut. So, um, and it's also really rich and fatty And so that part actually was pretty easy and that was for 10 days.

And then I'm also on like a, a number of different supplements throughout the day, as part of this. And then now I'm in the second phase, which is, I'm still adjusting 'cause I just got into the second phase like two days ago. And so it's, this is like to reset your gut and, um, cleanse parasites. And so now I can have, um, most [00:04:00] vegetables, but not potatoes.

I could have sweet potato or yams. I could have berries, no other fruit. and then I can have any like meat or fish that I want. Not eggs though. Um, but no salt, no sugar. I. And I can have two cups of black coffee a day. So, um, and I'm still on now, I'm on a handful of different supplements, so I'm still just adjusting to it and it, it requires some meal planning and, uh, oh.

And I can only, um, bake, boil, broil, or grill my food. No pan, no. Using the pan. so yeah. So I think I'm just still adjusting to it and it's, it's, yeah, it's, it is a challenge. I've got 11 more days left. 

Kush: Yeah. My head is just spinning as you speak about it. I mean, just, just that one thing, like not being able to add [00:05:00] salt Yeah.

To one's food. 

Bianca: That's the hardest. I can't 

Kush: imagine. 

Bianca: That's the hardest part for sure. I don't exactly understand why, but I'm putting, like I said, I'm putting my faith in my guide and, and I know there's a lot of other, other cleanses that where, you know, like salt is restricted during the process. So, yeah, I'm doing it.

Okay. Awesome. 

Kush: Awesome. Yeah, it sounds like something else, and I don't wanna take all the time just talking about it, but let me just, let me just say once again, thank you for making time. Yeah. To have this conversation in the middle of this, uh, yeah. Intense, uh, period. Yeah. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you.

Thank you, Bianca. for those of us who don't know who you might be, Bianca, can you tell us who are you and what do you do? 

Bianca: Yeah. So I am, um, I'm Bianca. I'm a [00:06:00] professional big wave surfer. I am best known for winning the fight for equal pay and surfing. And, um, I love surfing big waves. I've been surfing for 31, 32 years.

I love surfing. All size waves, but big waves, definitely I have my heart and, um, I love the ocean and I am an aspiring entrepreneur, just hustling, trying to figure out how to keep supporting myself as a big wave athlete. And that's, uh, that's kind of who I am in a nutshell. 

Kush: I didn't get a chance to ask you this though.

So while you're doing this cleanse, are you allowed to exercise and maybe surf? 

Bianca: Yeah. Yeah, I have been. And so I think that also, like, I probably overdid it a couple of times and then, and then like yesterday I was very tired I had like a rest day for me. And then today I did some light activation this morning.

[00:07:00] But, um, I skipped the gym today. 

Kush: Okay. Yeah. Okay, got it. Because yes, you know, exercise and in your case surf, uh, is also some part of the ritual that keeps us mentally healthy. yeah. So if you take that away, then that can make things, you know, extra challenging. 

Bianca: Yeah, no, I mean, I've, the only time I would say I would need a cleanse from surfing is if I was burnt out, which I have definitely experienced before when I was 16.

And so sometimes, you know, if you're not, if you're going out in the water and you're not loving it, Then it's probably a good time for a break. 

Kush: When I was surfing more regularly, I loved the feeling of surfing fasted, you know, early in the morning, like driving out to the beach and, uh, but then I would look forward to having like, you know, that big hardy breakfast after.

But in your case, in your case, at least for these few days, that changes because [00:08:00] Yeah, I don't, I 

Bianca: per, I personally don't do well fasted anyways. Um, and I'm not sure if it's because I'm a woman, but I know a lot of guys like to do that. But I, if I go out surfing without any food, it, I, I just like, uh, kind of crash and burn.

So I like definitely always like to have a light, light breakfast. 

Kush: Yeah. 

Bianca: Fair enough. So today, maybe today was too hardy. I don't know, but 

Kush: Sure thing. Sure thing. Yeah. Bianca, I know you have probably like told your. Origin story like a hundred times. So I won't ask for full replay, but I'm curious, was there a moment early on when you felt like, like this is it, you know, that's, that, that, that is ocean or, or surfing wasn't just something that you loved it was something that was shaping who you [00:09:00] are.

Bianca: Oh, well, I mean, I started, I started surfing when I was seven and I, I got a poster of Kelly Slater that very week, and that was in 1992 and it was his first world title. So I got this poster, put it on my wall, and it was like Kelly Slater World Champion 1992. He's 21 years old. And that was like the moment I knew that I wanted to be.

The be I wanted to be the best surfer in the world at that time, and I was just like, I wanna be like that person who's like standing in that barrel right now. And that's really never changed throughout my life. I've always just, um, just loved surfing and loved being in the ocean. And, um, luckily I have a mom who really encouraged me to get out there as much as possible and stay in the water as long as possible.

And, um, you know, my, the nuances of like what I've loved about surfing have, um, morphed and changed and adapted. And, and so that's [00:10:00] what I love about surfing is like, you, you can always, you can continue to keep learning and evolving and growing and doing it for, you know, as long as you want. 

Kush: Was your, so your mom sounds like a, like a trooper, was she?

Pushing you into waves as No, no, no, no. Young child. No, no, no, no, 

Bianca: no. She, she's, I was standing up on a Boogie board and basically she was like, Hey, do you wanna try a hardboard? And I said, yeah. And so she said, okay, you can have, we have a $75 budget for it. And so we went around all the local surf shops.

There weren't very many at the time, three, I think. And nobody had anything for $75 except for this one board that was covered in school and crossbones. And so I was seven years old and that, that was really scary. And I was like, I can't, I can't ride that. That's way too scary. But the guys at the surf [00:11:00] shop just said, um, come back tomorrow and it'll look totally different.

So we went back the next day and it was all white and um, and then we went down to Doheny Beach. Which is a great beginner beach in Dana Point. And my mom basically just put her chair at the water's edge and said, okay, don't make me come and rescue you. 

Kush: Mm-hmm. 

Bianca: And that was it. So I was on my own. Yeah. 

Kush: Wow.

how old were you when you first actually entered the water? Not to surf or boogie bird? Your first exposure perhaps? Oh, 

Bianca: I don't know. Like in the ocean. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I, we, like, there was a pool in the neighborhood and, um, I, I don't know. Probably pretty little. Yeah. 

Kush: Okay. Well, let's say you, you're seven now.

You have this poster of Kelly Slater and you have this, uh, deep conviction that you are going to be, let's say, the best surfer Yeah. Out there. And that [00:12:00] is. Not common for somebody at that age. Yeah. To have that kind of, uh, I, I don't know what I was doing at seven. 

Yeah. 

Kush: Probably playing with Legos or, you know, reading comic books, so as you were growing up, you continued surfing.

I'm curious, were there any things that changed for you that changed your choices for your family's choices to allow you to pursue this dream, this passion to 

Bianca: I luckily, like Dana Point is right on the water and so things that my mom did were like. It wasn't so serious. Like you see the kids nowadays, if you, if that's what you're getting at.

It was more like, I still played every other sport, you know, like, you know, any soccer, baseball, you know, tennis, golf, whatever. I, I wanted to [00:13:00] play all the sports, skateboard, snowboard, but I was really most passionate about surfing And so there to create community. My mom, we joined this, um, there are these longboard clubs up and down the coastline of California and they're really nice like family clubs because she didn't surf and nobody in my family surfed.

So she was like, okay, like how do I create community for my child who loves this sport? And I think she also just saw like, like what you're saying, like how healthy it was for my mindset and my spirit my wellness. She, she saw that really early on and so that's why she was always encouraging me like, if you wanna go surfing before school, you gotta get up now, you know?

Um, and taking me to contests on the weekends. So we joined this club called the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association Club. And those are just like, you meet once a month, there's a meeting and then you pick up trash on the beach. And like at that time, surf Rider Foundation was just starting and so, and you know, people were still [00:14:00] smoking tons of cigarettes, so we'd just be like, pretty much picking up cigarette butts.

So. It was, um, a different community from the people who I was going to school with. And, um, and so I think that that was just, she saw that there was value in that and having like different groups of friends, a different community. And then, you know, I started competing when I was nine and whenever there were contests, um, she would take me and I was competing with the boys.

There was no girls divisions back then. But I mean, no, I mean, school was always the top priority. ~And um, and I was also a really good tennis player and people were always pushing me like, oh, um, tennis is where the money's at, and that's what you should, you know, you could get a scholarship to college on tennis, but not on surfing.~

~And, and they weren't wrong.~ But I just loved surfing and I actually really wanted to be like a pro surfer, pro skateboarder, pro snowboarder. I thought like I could do the trifecta and then, you know, as, as I got, as I got older and you start slamming on the skateboard and you're like, oh, this actually, this really hurts.

And then snowboarding, I just, I would get up there, but not, not often enough. And so, um, by the time I was 13, I was like, that's when I started surfing year round and getting [00:15:00] sponsors and, um, I. And yeah, that's kinda like how it evolved. But as far as my family making any sacrifices or changes, no. I mean, it was just me and my mom and she would just, she was just super cool and she also loved like being at the beach with her dog, so that's why she would wake me up before school and be like, Hey, it's five 30 if you wanna go surfing now, you know, I'll walk the dog while you surf.

And she'd wa and that was before there were any surf teams and now you go to the beach before school and you, it's really crowded with the surf teams out before school. Um, so yeah, I just have a lot of gratitude to my mom for being so cool and see, seeing that passion and really, um, just, you know, doing whatever she could to support me getting to go surfing 

Kush: and Well, uh, good thing that your mom also.

Enjoyed the beach and also had a dog that needed to be, uh, needed to be, [00:16:00] uh, walked in the morning. And as you were talking, I was also thinking that you were growing up, at least at that time in Southern California by D Point, orange County, like, kinda like Surf Zone Central. Mm-hmm. And I've, I've visited there, never lived there just to surf.

And I feel like the culture there feels so different than the culture up here in San Francisco where I, I think in San Francisco, even now, you don't really see, you know, huge groups of kids, families, parents, you know, Jones seemed to get out, uh, to surf in the mornings. And I think that is just so different.

So now that I think about it, like what you were doing maybe was not so counterculture because down there I think it, it is seen as a healthy activity. Maybe there are more people doing it. Right. Any, any reflections on like, how. Your journey may have been different had you grown up anywhere else? 

Bianca: Well, the difference was that I was the only girl out there.

Kush: Ah, 

Bianca: yeah. So like [00:17:00] when I was doing it, they, you know, like I said, there, there weren't really, the family aspect was because we joined that long board club. So once a month we'd get to meet up with those families and, um, and then, yeah, the main difference was that I was the only girl around and it was still, it was the nineties and it was really punk rock and hardcore and very intimidating, especially in the shortboard scene.

And um, but I didn't care 'cause I just was like. You know, whatever. I, I just wanna go surfing. And so, like, when my mom was at work, I'd walk to the beach and then I'd collect, call her and, uh, you know, when she was off work and be like, pick me up and then hang up the, you know, hang up the payphone and then I'd just wait there.

So I would just spend hours and hours and hours at the beach. And, um, I was pretty good at just like, being in my own world, focused on surfing and not really like, getting into the, the drama or the, like, I, I, I don't know, I wasn't turned away by like the punk [00:18:00] rock, um, localism. I was just like, I was just kind of maybe a little bit oblivious to it until a certain point.

Kush: Yes. Excellent point. That times have changed quite quickly and even now. Mm-hmm. You know. We have so much to do when it comes to equal access. But back then, you know, things were, uh, yeah. Yeah. Just way different, you know, many people who get good at surf. I started surfing as an adult. Mm-hmm. And I sometimes complain that I wish that I had grown up by the water, had my dad pushed me.

That didn't happen for me. Uh, you also were self-taught, it sounds like. Mm. 

Yeah. 

Kush: How, how were you picking up these. Skills, Bianca, or do you think you just had some gift to be able to learn the basics, get good at technique? 

Bianca: Um, well, I mean, just experimenting. Yeah. I think like, yeah, [00:19:00] coaching, coaching didn't exist when I was growing up.

I'm definitely 1000000% self-taught. Um, I had to learn differently too because, um, because I was the only girl. And so what I noticed was like the guys who had older brothers or older dads, you know, they would get passed down a lot of information and I was definitely jealous of that growing up. I always wished I had like a older brother, somebody who I could, you know, who I could go surfing with and who would like help me break into the pack, but I didn't.

And so I always would just. Um, I would always just try to pick everyone's brain all the time and ask a ton of questions and try different boards. And, um, I watched, I mean, I must've watched the Endless Summer two, like 2000 times, probably no joke. I would watch it like at least three or four times a week, and I would, I, um, I subscribed to every single surf magazine there was, and I would get every single surf video that ever came out, like, as [00:20:00] I was just, um, obsessed, you know.

And so I think that there is value if you're constantly watching surfing and good surfers and, you know, reading through magazines and looking at pictures that. That's another way to pick up on the technique and, um, and develop a skillset. And also just like that, having that, uh, curious mentality and trying new, new equipment and fins and, um, I mean, whatever I could get my hands on.

'cause I didn't have, like, my mom was a single mom and so, you know, like we, it wasn't like I, you know, I would save up and save and save and save to get a new board but I was always curious to try new things and to try different fin setups and different boards and, um, I think that's how you learn is just by taking notes and, um, trying different equipment in the same conditions and trying different equipment in different conditions.

And, um, so that, that's what I did. And just spending a, [00:21:00] a ton of time in the water. 

Kush: many of us try to teach ourselves a, a difficult sport, but all of us don't end up. at that, at that world stage, like, like you have, so you obviously have, you know, besides the talent you all, you also have this ability to learn.

Yeah. And to explore and to invent. And the other thing I also, um, perhaps gleaning is that this tenacity that you had to kind of, find your place as a female, as a kid in this lineup mm-hmm. And to, to fight, to learn, to focus. Where sometimes the, the field seemed uneven is it feels like you have carried that part of your personality.

And that's also, that's only gotten maybe just bigger and more polished because of so much of the work that you have done outside [00:22:00] of just your own surfing. Prowess and competence, you know, and, and I hope to get into some of that a little bit later. But one quick, uh, fun aside I wanted to point out is like, I also adore, um, endless summer too.

Mm. I haven't watched it like 2000 times. Like you have when I watched it Plenty. I, I, I actually had ving that on this podcast, uh Oh, cool. Some time ago. And I just, I, I was like, you know, I just, yeah. I was like, I just had to find a way to bring him or Pat Karma onto the show. Yeah. That is, that is such a good movie.

It is. So I think one thing that will likely surprise folks is that you started out as a long boarder. Yeah. Which seems a far cry, you know, from the world of like giant, you know, spray train barrels at place, like Mavericks that, you. Are best known for. So, [00:23:00] uh, is there like a, like a story that you can share on?

How did that transition take place? Yes. 

Bianca: there's actually, I think that, I honestly think that everyone should start on a long board. And that, especially if you're struggling with technique, that that's what you need to do. Because when you ride a long board, you learn how to engage the rail and use the tail and the nose and, um, that actually translates really, really well to surfing big waves.

'cause in big waves you ride big boards. So, um, so it was actually less of a struggle, but no, I, I, yeah, I was a long boarder and I started, when I started to shortboard I did notice that like the vibes were just agro and, not as enjoyable to be around for the most part. Like when I was, I was on the US junior surf team when I was 13.

I went to Bali and I was with all short borders and, um. I was an eighth grader and I was going into high school the next year and like they were all really [00:24:00] mean. And I was like, I was click calling my mom again, like thousands of dollars in money of click calls from Bali. And um, and I was just like, so, and I think she was always encouraging me too to longboard 'cause she liked the vibe better.

Just, um, and she liked watching. 'cause you know, you, you just catch more waves and it's more like a dance. but I, and so I was sponsored athlete And when I was 16 I realized like that, that girls didn't have the same opportunities as boys in this sport. And that really pissed me off and burnt me out.

I like just immediately felt burnt out. I realized like the guys who were on the same team as me, even though I was the athlete who was always at the top of the podium, um, but the guys who rode for the same companies and the girls who had the model image, they had better packages than me. And so that really, really pissed me off.

And I was like, you know what? I'm over this. And I just [00:25:00] stopped talking to everybody. I dropped all my sponsors and I completely stopped longboarding. I there was one year where I went to, um, school in LA 'cause my mom got remarried and, um, there was a surf team every in the morning before school.

And so these kids that were on the team, one of them gave me a shortboard. And it was like this potato chip shortboard. And so I was like, oh, okay. And it was just something new and different to try and a and a new scene. And, um, those guys respected me and they were cool. And so I started hanging out with them and, and so then I was like, oh, this is like a new challenge and it's really hard, and I'm not the best at it anymore. And, um, and so I was like, okay, well I want to get good at this. And, and I put in, you know, all my time and effort and energy into then learning how to shortboard well. and then when I, and then I went on to go to uc, Santa Barbara. And, um, I picked back up the longboard a [00:26:00] little bit because in Santa Barbara, a lot of the times you just have really tiny waves.

And I was like, oh my gosh, I've somehow I got better at longboarding by not longboarding for three years and by shortboarding. you know, I learned that there, you know, what was helping me in both the ways that longboarding could help my shortboarding and the ways that shortboarding could help my longboarding.

And then there at uc, Santa Barbara is when I started to dip my toes into big waves. And, um, I had a, a neighbor, uh, who was dating a guy who was kind of like this mythical legend on the coast, and he was really known for, um, surfing these big misto slab waves in central California. And he was like, totally a solo surfer guy and very quiet, very introverted.

But, um, we became friends 'cause he was coming over. We shared a driveway myself and these my [00:27:00] neighbors. And so, um, he was just, he, he liked me and so he started inviting me to come with him to these spots. And um, and he was like, oh, if you longboard you'll be good at surfing big waves. And, you know, and you just need to get some bigger boards, you know, now you need to start getting some guns.

And so I would go with him and he showed me the spots. And so I started just like, again, saving my money and, and um, building up my quiver so that way I, you know, I'd have bigger boards to surf bigger waves. And, um, there was one day where we went up to Alama Beach. There's a wave called Tarantulas and it gets humongous there.

And, um, it's like, you know, quadruple black diamond. Ninth degree black belt kind of stuff. Um, and so, but you can surf the left and it's about one third of the size is the right. So I surfed the left and he surfed the right on his nine six, like [00:28:00] maverick style type of gun. And, um, I was in on the beach and we were watching and we saw him paddle into this wave and pull into the barrel on the right this, and it was the biggest wave I had ever seen to that date.

And we, he disappeared into that barrel and we were, I mean, our jaws dropped because we thought he's, he's dead, you know, like, and then we saw the tip of the board come out of the, the barrel again. Then we saw it again and then he shoots out at the end. And um, there was like seven of us there and we were just jumping up and down on the beach like, oh my gosh, that was just so amazing and spectacular.

And that kind of like that raw energy there. And, um, I was like, you know, that, that at that moment I was like, that's, that's the coolest thing I've ever seen. Nobody was out there surfing. These waves were unbelievable, but like very, very challenging. Most people could never do that. And, [00:29:00] um, that, that really stuck with me and inspired me to start trying it on my own.

Kush: Amazing. Yes, yes. I mean, like, you know, waves come in so many shapes and sizes and, a lined up like glassy uh, four foot wave at sunrise can look like something at real. But then you take a very different scene like the one you talked about, you know, that is something out of, you know, a completely different dimension.

Yeah. It was dark, it was scary. And that was, I wanna actually just, uh, just take a moment and talk about that, uh, that, that, that early time in your career, Bianca, when, maybe your first exposure to, let's say, the unjustness in the sponsorship world. And [00:30:00] you were one of the top athletes and you were winning competitions.

And at least from the outside it was, it would seem like you should have been paid at least as well, if not more, because of maybe, you know, the attention that you were bringing to your companies, but that was not the case and you ended up dropping your sponsors. Yeah. So that's, yeah. That just seems crazy.

Like I'm sure you, can you just talk about that time a little bit, like, yeah. What was going on? Did you try to act, even ask for equal pay? And then when that didn't happen, like, and then when you said dropped, did, did, did you actually like just stop surfing for a while? Like you dropped out of the door?

Bianca: Yeah. You, yeah. Like I, so I, you know, I realized that, I mean, first of all, back then, you know, what sponsors wanted was they wanted you to have your [00:31:00] pictures in the magazines and your, your, clips in the videos. But if you didn't have them, if you were a woman and you didn't have the model type image e even if you did, I mean, I subscribed to everything.

I subscribed to Surfers Surfing Surfers Journal, um, Pacific Law, you know, like whatever magazines were out there. Those were the main three. I, I had a standing subscription for years, and like I said, I would buy any Shortboard, longboard V you know, any VHS. Video that I could get my hands on. I was buying it and it just clicked at a certain point where I was like, wait a minute.

I, I buy these magazines every single month and I'm always flipping the pages looking for other women surfers. And I know they're out there and the only representation that I see is the woman in the g-string in the ref ads, or like a woman in a thong filming her boyfriend surfing. And I was just like, that's not me.

And that's not who I [00:32:00] am. And that's, and I wanted, I was like, this is lame. You know, like, it just, it, so it pissed me off at, at a pretty deep level. and the same went for the clips and the videos. I was like, like, my mom was also cool 'cause she, I would get her to film me whenever I could and, you know, I was, I was getting like great clips and great waves and, So, and, you know, winning the contest at the time, if you got a mention in the mag. So I always thought like, you know, why am I not in the magazines when I'm winning or, and I'd go on the photo shoots and like the photographers would focus on the model images. So it was just like very clear, very messed up.

and I probably didn't have the skillset, you know, I know, I know. I didn't have the skillset to have the conversation in a, in a calm in a productive way. You know, I was 16, 15, 16. I just have a ton of fire in my personality. and so the, the solution I was just like, this, this [00:33:00] is, I'm over this, you know?

I was like. Screw you, screw you. You know, like, I was like, I'm done. I, I tried having the conversations I would bring, you know, and, um, they didn't go anywhere, and that was it. So I was just like, um, I'm done with all of you for now. At least, you know, like I just had to walk away from it because it, I was, it, you know, they call it competitive burnout, and that's absolutely what I had was I was just like, I, I, I got burnt out from it.

Um, and I, you know, and it, when I first got that poster of Kelly Slater when I was seven, I didn't realize that he was a man and I was a woman, you know, or a girl. I didn't, you know, there was no, he was just a surfer in a poster. And I was like, and I'm a surfer and for a very long time I also was beating all the boys in the contest.

So I have tons of trophies where it's like first place boys division, you know? Um, and, [00:34:00] um. That was also fun to me was, it was just like, it, it didn't matter. I was like, yeah, I'll, if you're my age, I'll take you down. Like I just loved winning and I love competition and that spirit, and I also wanted to surf with the people who were the best.

'cause that, you know, that's how you get better is by surfing against people who are either better or as good as you. Um, and so, so yeah, it was just, I'm not saying it was right or wrong. It probably, you know, it, I, it wasn't very, if I, if I was not a teenager, I would say it was unprofessional the way I handled it.

But like, it was, it was just is what it is, you know? And so, yeah, I took that break and then I, when I came back into surfing, and especially with big waves, I really, um. I really got back to doing it for the love. And I think that that's what matters most. And that's, that's what takes you the farthest in a sport and, um, keeps you going.

And, you know, and anything in life is like when [00:35:00] you're doing something for the love, that's, that's the best way to do something. 

Kush: And not only that, I mean surfing even now is not the most handsome, like prize giver as compared to, let's say even, even tennis, you know, like, or, or other, other mission sports.

So, you know, one has, I mean, doesn't matter how good you are, doesn't matter how famous you might be, you know, one still needs to be intrinsically motivated to Right. Be able to train, be able to serve, to be able to even take down like. Uh, you know, brutal wipe outs. Yeah. The kind that I'm sure you have seen more than you care for.

Mm-hmm. And I think, I think you needed that, uh, love and that fire again, because after that episode, there [00:36:00] had to be something new that had to come your way and, you know, you went out and you had this, yeah. It's just like life giving moment. Yeah. Experiencing like your, uh, you know, your friend cast that barrel and then maybe that again, like that lit a fire under Bianca and then you just re channel your energies into big wave.

So, uh, just, just moving forward a little bit, Bianca. So, you know, you have, from that point, you have served. Big waves all over the world. You have certainly specialized in a couple of spots. I just asked this very simple question, which is, is there a moment from your big wave surfing career that you get the most pride from 

Bianca: most, I [00:37:00] mean, yeah.

The, the most pride is definitely winning the fight for equal pay. Yeah. Um, and but then by the way, when I saw my friend get that barrel, that wasn't exactly the moment that lit the fire. That was like, where I, I was like, okay, there's something here. But I actually had a, um, near death experience here at Ocean Beach that, that was really the true moment that lit the fire where I was.

Um, I was still in college and I was a senior and I was up at visiting my friend at uc Santa Cruz, and we, it was the first 12 of the season in November. And we got up really early and started checking all the spots. And everywhere was crowded, crowded, crowded. And Santa Cruz at the time even had like an even more intimidating localism factor than anywhere else in the state.

And um, so we started, we just started driving north and we kept driving and driving and we got to Ocean Beach to VFWs at the beach chalet in between Fulton and Lincoln. And we saw like [00:38:00] perfect waves. It was sunny offshore, nobody out. And we were like, oh my gosh. Y you know, like I was thinking of, you know when people c are coming across the Oregon Trail and they get to California and they're like, Eureka, we found gold.

And so I. I thought that, that this was it. I was like, we just struck gold. And so we, um, what we had no idea was how big the waves are. 'cause there was no scale, there was no people and we didn't know what we were doing. Mm-hmm. And so, um, we were both good surfers at the time already, but not, didn't have, um, the right gear and weren't prepared to go out into what we went out in.

So we just, you know, we paddle out and we actually choose, you know, like I was already a lifeguard and so I, I knew the ocean and so jump into a rip and, um, have a nice, pretty easy paddle out. And then there's this one pr really big whitewater, like, uh, like [00:39:00] 15 feet of whitewater. And I was like, wow, that's p that's a pretty big whitewater duck dive.

Go under that one. And then the next wave was just absolutely psychotic. It was like two story house and it was just throwing out, you know, like. Squaring off, and it was the biggest wave I had ever seen in my life about to break 10 feet in front of me and with, so I was gonna have to absorb all the power of the wave.

I couldn't, I wasn't able to just like get under it before that point. And so, um, I looked at my friend and he said, well see on the other side. And I thought like, do I try to duck dive this wave or do I bail my board because I've just got this, um, comp light leash, which is like dental Foss. And I decided to try to duck dive it and, um, immediately the board's ripped outta my hands.

And I am just [00:40:00] like experiencing violence. Like I've, I've never had this kind of experience before and I'm just getting like. Rag dolled and flipping and twisting and spinning. And, um, and I am just getting completely throttled, completely demoed. And finally the violence stops. And I opened my eyes and all I could see was black and I had no idea which way it was up.

And then my feet touched the sand. And, um, I pressed off the sand and I, I think it took me like three strokes to get to the surface. I mean, I had no energy, so I'm just like very slowly making my way to the surface. And I had this thought of like, oh, if there's another wave, I will be dead. And it was just, it was just absolute fact.

There was no, I, I didn't have any energy to have any emotion [00:41:00] about it. It was just like, yeah, the, if there's another wave, I'm dead because I am like. I have no gas in the tank right now. And I got to the surface and I was just gasping for air and my whole entire body was, um, started to convulse like parts of my neck, my fingers, and I had complete battery acid in my legs from lack of oxygen.

And I saw my friend, he was there and he was like, I'm going in. And I was like, yeah, me too. And um, and so get back, finally get back to the sand. And I just stood there looking at those waves, like, I wanna surf those waves. I know I can do it and I need to get the right gear, put in the hard work, and that's what I want to do.

And, um, I knew I knew it at that moment. And, and then he, um. He, he didn't, he did not have the same experience. He ended up moving to Montana and [00:42:00] becoming a fly fisherman. And, um, and then actually later we went to Fort Point, and I had never, and Fort Point was like, gigantic and barreling, nobody's out again.

And I'm like, Parker, let's go out. And he was like, I'll film you. And I just thought, I was like, this looks easy compared to what we just did. And, um, immediately get like, paddle out, immediately get pinned down on a rock. And it was, there was no way I could, it was the same thing. I, I didn't have the right gear, not the preparation, but I, I don't know, like, that was just how my mind worked.

I was like, I see perfect waves, I wanna try to surf 'em. And, um, so yeah, that was the moment where I just like, after that day, I, I never looked back. I, I committed fully and um. And then, yeah, it's been like, it's been a, it's been a long, it's been an epic ride and a long ride and a ton of hard work and uh, and a steep learning curve [00:43:00] where kind of, once again, I, you know, I just, same thing I did when I was a kid.

Like picked people as many people's brains as I could, begged people to let me tag along in the beginning. And, um, begged the first person who I got a, a gun from to surf Mavericks. I had to beg him to make me the board and promise him that I wouldn't die 'cause I was a woman to, to buy a board from him.

And, uh, and you know, in the process I realized that like there was this, this, this, this power that, that was really impactful when people would see women surf big waves. That they would have their minds opened to like what women can do. And their whole perception of like. Women, what women are capable of would change and switch.

And so, um, along the way I, I started surfing contests again. And, um, and one of 'em was the big, the big wave event at Nail Scott Reef, Oregon in 2014. That was part of the Big wave world [00:44:00] tour. And that was a really pivotal moment in my career because I, I, I met, um, Paige Alms, Andrea Moler and Keala Kennelly and to get, and um, and also it was the first time that, that a big wave surf event was broadcast live on the internet.

And so we went out, we surfed the first hour of the day. There were 13 of us and we just had a really positive experience and really, um, really great feedback from everybody who watched live online. Having that experience of like, wow, we've never surfed seen women surf big waves. And so at that moment, after that event, I ended up winning, which was also like fired me up because I'm a competitor and I love winning.

And I was like, well, we should be on the whole entire big wave world tour. 'cause at the time the men had a six event tour and the you, you know. And so I [00:45:00] went to pay, I went to all the women at the time and I was like, Hey, there's something here. I don't know what it is, but we should all make a pact to stick together, just like Billie Jean King did in tennis.

And um, most of them were like, we don't know what you're talking about. You're crazy except for Paige, kale and Andrea were like, yeah, we're with you. together we formed the Committee for Equity and Women's Surfing and we got the state of California to back us. At first we were I just asking for access to compete at Mavericks.

Then eventually we also started asking for equal pay as well, and we got the California, so first we got the California Coastal Commission to back US, and next we got the California state lands to back us, which is even bigger than the Coastal Commission. And um, so in that process we were able to kind of back WSL into a corner and win equal pay for all women in surfing.

So that was when you asked what was, uh, [00:46:00] what was the, the most proud moment in my big wave surfing career. That, that's it. 

Kush: Yeah. Like, great answer, Bianca from let's say, say that, uh, pleasant and benign Welcome. On your first day out at Ocean Beach. 

Bianca: It wasn't my first day. It was just a day that I had never, like, I didn't know I had surfed Ocean Beach, but not on days like that.

Kush: Sure. Actually that, so that particular day, was it one of those days where it was big and it was perfect, but maybe it was just so big that either they were just, just that many less people and then maybe the few people out there were just scattered out. So yeah, I mean you like kind of on your own. 

Bianca: Yeah, it was, you know, it was 2006 and there weren't as many people surfing Ocean Beach especially not on the big days.

And if I had to make a guess, I would guess [00:47:00] that the people who were surfing were probably down towards the middle of the beach and we were up at VFWs and I don't know, but like even just recently, that's usually where I have have my worst beat downs is at VFWs. For whatever reason. And I, I know a lot of other, uh, surfers with a ton of experience here who also, um, have that experience.

It's like it just packs a punch and the sandbar can get really shallow there. So, um, yeah, nobody was out there, but I think, yeah, at the time there were the, the surf culture in San Francisco, since I've entered it, which I would say I started to enter, like, yeah, in the early mid two thousands. Um, my dad lived in San Francisco since I was eight, so, but I didn't start surfing here until I was a student at uc, Santa Barbara, like in 2003.

And, um, when I first started surfing here, there just were not [00:48:00] nearly as many people who surfed here. And now there's a really, um, nice thriving surf culture and community here. But yeah, when, even in 2006 and you know, now on the big days. You can find a couple hundred people, you know, giving it a go. But back then, you know, I don't know.

There, there were still plenty of spots along the beach that are just totally empty. And even still today it's, it's a long beach. It's three miles long. So, yeah, I, we did actually, we saw, we saw a couple of, uh, of surfers who looked like older guys paddling out on huge boards, and we were kind of like those guys, what are those guys doing?

You know, like as if they didn't know what they were doing, but really we were the idiots who didn't know what we were 

Kush: doing. well I started surfing at Ocean Beach or learning at Ocean Beach, maybe around 2009 or so, Uhhuh and even, and I wasn't [00:49:00] going out on those kind of days when you were going out those kinds of days.

I think I was, uh, at the. At the beach with binoculars trying to spot surfers, you know? Yeah. But I would go out on, on, uh, let's say more, uh, you know, everyday surfer days. Mm-hmm. And even those small days compared to days to day like that, there were just so many less people. You know, it's 15 years ago, so even a smaller days.

And I can only imagine on like, big days. Uh, yeah. Just, uh, you, you had the canvas to yourself Yeah. just staying with your, uh, surfing career. Not as, the activist Bianca, but just the surfer Bianca. Is there a moment that stands out, Bianca, where you were like, oh, it's the surfer. This, this was this, this was all that I've dreamt?

I jumped off maybe a particular wave, a particular contest, a particular day that you will [00:50:00] cherish forever. 

Bianca: I mean, there, there's so many, but I guess most recently that's like, that's, that's probably why I, you know, still keep striving to do better and better, and I still believe that there's better waves out there.

Um, but I mean, just recently, just this, just this December, I got to surf in the Eddie Icao Invitational and that was, um, I mean that was definitely like one of the best days of my life yet, uh, so special and such an honor to get to surf in that event. Um, it's like, it's at Yme Bay and, um, YME Bay is a perfect natural stadium.

Um, but there is actually, it's like, it's like a festival without actual festival grounds at the same time. So, I think 80,000 people came, which is incredible because that means like 80,000 people had to figure out like how to [00:51:00] get a spot, how to get there. Um, most people like camp out on the street overnight just to watch that next day.

And um, and you know, you get a moment's notice. So, so like they had to figure it out within 24 hours. And as an athlete, um, I was watching the swell two weeks ahead of time and I just had a feeling that it was gonna happen. So I made a arrangements and just committed to going early to get acclimated. And luckily, I, I was right because I'm not, you know, nobody forecasts are all fiction until they're fact.

Um, but I just had like a gut instinct and I followed it. And, um, so like the night before, just to give you an idea of what it looked like is like, um, the night before the event, as competitors, we are allowed to take down a car vehicle and leave our gear inside of that car. 

Kush: Yeah. Bianca for a [00:52:00] second. This is so special.

Uh, yeah. Being invited and taking part in one of the most historic events in the sport of surfing, it is so special. So Well, congrats. Yeah. Thank you for being there. Can you, uh, can you help us for a second and just educate us? Yeah. What is a DI cow and what is a special, one of the things I remember hearing about is I have a friend who's never served, but she grew up in Wahoo.

Okay. And she spoke about she and her family going to. Do this event making this kind of like, it's almost like, you know, if you follow like a a, a baseball team and a football or a football, right. If, if, if when that thing happens in town 

Bianca: Yeah. 

Kush: You go family watch it. And to see that from a sport which is still pretty niche, most people don't surf.

I would just, I was just so amazed because I was already surfing, but I'd not heard of [00:53:00] Eddie College. Mm-hmm. So right after that conversation I had to kind of go look it up. Yeah. So yeah, please, please help us out and tell us about this thing. 

Bianca: Yeah. So the North Shore is like the mecca of big wave surfing and of surfing and so, um, it's the home of the seven Mile Miracle and it has more surf spots and world class surf spots than, um, most places in the world in this seven mile stretch of coastline.

And so, um. And every winter, all of these incredible spots come to life and they're big and they're gnarly. And so Eddie aao, um, was the first ever lifeguard on the North Shore, and he established, um, the Hawaiian Water Safety and Hawaiian, um, lifeguard association and saved more than 500 lives in his time.

And, um, so he is just like, he was a big wave surfer, but he was also somebody who was really, um, in service of others and [00:54:00] had this like, uh, what they call the rainbow warrior spirit. So he was in service of others, but he was also always, um, out there pushing himself, pushing the limits, and um, you know, seeing, exploring his own potential and, um, inspiring others to do the same.

And so he, uh, went on, um, the celestial navigation boat that the ancient Polynesians used to travel on called the Hokulea. And the Hokulea would, um. Reenact some of their voyages. And so they go on these celestial missions where they're sailing from one place to the other just by using navigating, just by using the stars.

Um, and so it's an honor to the ancient Hawaiian heritage and culture. And, um, on this, the Eddie passed, um, on this mission because they went out into these kind of like on a [00:55:00] stormy day. Um, the Hokulea went out, uh, set, set sea, and um, lost all communication and contacts and so they could still see the island from afar.

And Eddie said, you know what, I'm gonna, I'm gonna paddle to the island and I'll get help for us. And so everybody else stayed with the boat. And, um, Eddie ended up getting lost at sea, trying to get back. But so the, so, um, the saying is Eddie would go, because he would go in the surf, he would go to save someone, and he went, um, on that, on that day to try to rescue the rest of the crew on the Hokulea, um, to make sure that, you know, they could get, get help if they needed it.

and yeah, I mean, they searched and searched and searched for him for days, but like if you, if you get, if you go into the open ocean in the Pacific, the odds [00:56:00] of of being found are incredibly low. Um, so in, so in honor of his legacy, this event happens every single year and it's, it's really special. Um, it starts with an opening ceremony that's basically like a celebration of life of Eddie with a, an ancient Hawaiian.

Um. Ritual of prayer and the, the, the ali come, the, the kingdom of Hawaii. And, um, the people in the alii are, um, from the Hawaiian royalty. And so it's a very spiritual, ceremony. And yeah, it's a, it's an incredible honor to even be invited to compete. And so, um, the last time that Eddie ran and, and the, and the event doesn't run every single year because the requirements for the surfer are so large and you don't always get a swell that big.

Um, but we have the opening ceremony every year, and so I've been invited, women started getting invited in 2019, and [00:57:00] I have been, um, the fir I was the first alternate, uh, the last time that Eddie ran. And, and I was, and um, I was with the beach marshal. You know, all day in my wetsuit, um, which is a competitors being the first alternate's like probably more challenging than most challenging thing you can do.

Uh, it's exhausting 'cause you just need to be ready all day. and so anyways, I've, I committed, I showed my, my, um, it's like to get invited. Part of what gets you invited into the event is, you know, you need to embody the spirit of Eddie, which is like the aloha spirit and the rainbow warrior spirit and being in service of others, but also, you know, charging hard when you get the opportunity on these big days.

So this year, um, to get the invite as an official invite, he was, um, just like a dream come true, [00:58:00] honestly. And then for the event to run another dream come true. So, And so, yeah, it's kind of like a national holiday that doesn't happen every single year. So when the contest is actually on the entire island of Oahu, plus people from all over the world and all over the states fly in just to, um, to get to witness this event going down.

So, so the night before the event, we get to take a car down into the Yme Valley, and which is also an incredibly spiritual place, um, and has a lot of historical significance in Hawaiian culture. And so we get to take our car down and leave it with all of our gear and then, um, walk as we walk back to the house.

Like that. That's the fun part, is there's all these people who have already set up there, like you tail the people tailgate overnight and they set up couches and cookout and they even bring screens and, um, [00:59:00] and yeah, 'cause like if you wanted to buy, there's no concessions or bathrooms. So, I mean, there's bathrooms, but, um, like if you, you need, when, when you, when you wanna go watch the Eddie, you need to come prepared with your, your own water, your own food, and, um, whatever you're gonna need throughout the day.

So that was really touching and spectacular to see like what people do to just go watch the event and then to think about like, okay, all these people are here to, to watch us surf. And, um, and then also I liked, I had fun thinking about like, well, what, what would my strategy be if I was going to be a spectator?

'cause it's, it's hard to, you know, you like the, the traffic and everything. And, um, I decided I would take the bus and get dropped off. Um, but, uh, but yeah, so then, so then you wake up, then, then the next morning you wake up in the dark. And, um, I was with Greg Long, we were staying [01:00:00] together and he, it's like a classic big wave surfer thing.

Uh, the morning of an event, somebody always is like, um, do you think there's gonna be any waves? And um, I'm like, what? You're crazy. It's gonna be huge. Of course there's gonna be waves. And so then, you know, I'm 

Kush: sorry, but that, that is something maybe that, that like, you know, the power of nature and the ocean, that's like, I.

Equalizes, you know, the everyday Joe surfer and like the, the pro big wave surf, which is like the morning I feel like, oh my God, I took a week off to go surf. Like, I don't know. I don't know, like Lobo or somewhere like, 

Bianca: are we actually gonna get any waves? Yeah, yeah. It happens every single event, whether it's, and I mean, Greg Long's one of the best forecasters in the world, and, um, whether I'm with Greg or Paige s or whoever, it's like this, that thing of, you know, your nervous anxiety and somebody says they are, is it gonna be flat?

Um, so we walk down in the [01:01:00] dark again, back down to Yme, and it's same, it's like buzzing. And there's, you know, people are selling coffees on the side of the road and there's so many people. And if you've ever been to Hawaii or Oahu, you know, it's, it's kind of like a later morning kind of culture that people don't really like rise before dark before the sunrise.

Um, and so yeah, we get down there and there's just like this natural arena filled with thousands and thousands of people. And, um, the swell was still filling in during the morning. But then it was just like pumping all day. And so, you know, in my heat I had, um, I had Ross Clark Jones who was the oldest competitor in the, in the event.

And that was super inspiring to be out there with him. And he's just like, good vibes all the time. He's like, calls himself a born maniac. And I had Mason Ho, who [01:02:00] also is a really fun personality, and Ian Walsh and Mark Healy and Annie Riker, um, and Francisco Portella. And so we, you know, you can get, you can, so you can get a lift off the beach from the water patrol.

So you, um, the Yme has giant shore break and so they want us to obviously save our energy for sending it on the wave. So you get on to, you can paddle out anytime during the heat, before your heat. Each heats 45 minutes. And when we get out into the channel and see, or watching, looking straight into the waves of the heat before us, everyone is just like screaming and cheering and psyching out of their minds.

Like, because the waves are giant. I mean, why may I, if, why may I is that big? They're running the Eddie. So you don't, you also don't get to practic in conditions like this or even see y male like this from the water or the land. You know, it's, it's [01:03:00] rare. So it was just like amazing and spectacular. And um, and yeah, and then when our heat started, the guys just start going crazy.

So, um, and they're sending it, you know, going nuts, like big wipe outs and sitting too deep. Um, and then it was like my turn to, you know, get to, to take bat and, um. I caught probably one of the biggest waves of the event. Wow. Yeah. 

Kush: Stopping you for a second, Bianca. So you were an alternate the year before.

Yeah. Which is such a nerve wracking Yeah. Uh, sort of state as you described. Next day, you get invited back as a confirmed competitor. 

Mm-hmm. And I 

Kush: don't want this point to be lost in people that the whole contest happens in one day. Right. And there is no guarantee that the contest [01:04:00] is even gonna happen because thanks to the wizardry of surf forecasting, they can likely come up with like a day when the waves are gonna be like the grandest and the best.

But Mother Nie still may not provide for that. So anyway, so there's all this anticipation the. Contest happening. You know, the morning off, you don't know if the waves are gonna be that good until again, the waves show up. Yeah. The sunrises, the waves show up. Tell us what's going through your mind and your body, Bianca, when your heat is about to start, uh, describe to us the sensations you have.

You have done all the preparation, but until you actually get on that jet ski and get dropped off, it's not real. 

Bianca: Yeah. Well, you know, I think that's like, uh, one of [01:05:00] the values of like being a, a veteran or a modern elder in the sport. You know, I'm 39 now. Um, is that like I have a ton of experience. I have so much experience in events and in big waves, and so I think that that's like, I.

Something that you don't have when you're younger is like being able to just stay centered and stay in balance. And, you know, I have my morning routine and my activation dialed in and so, um, I think I was just really present and just soaking it all in and ready. Like, if there's ever a time where you're gonna send it and go for it, this is the time you've got like the best Hawaiian water patrol looking out for you.

You've got a crowd of 80,000 people watching. So like, I was just like. Just, just ready to go and, um, and really, you know, really filled with gratitude and very, very present. And, um, calm calmness is good. You know, you don't wanna [01:06:00] like burn out your energy and be overly excited, um, or, you know, and just entering with, with no expectations and making sure that you're, you're maintaining that, that centeredness and that balance throughout your entire heat and throughout your experience.

Because, you know, in big waves, if, if you're, if you're, um, if you're not centered and you're going for a wave, you know, really bad things can happen. So, like, that's, that's one of the, the beauties and the values of, um. Of being, being, you know, of, of, uh, the natural process of aging and big wave surfing. Is that it, it's actually a huge advantage.

And so, um, just getting out into the water, I just, I just felt really good, you know, like I felt, I felt like this is just, this is just all fabulous and such a great day. and I was enjoying being a spectator of the waves, the athletes, you know, in appreciation of all of the organizers. The Hawaiian Water Patrol are the real [01:07:00] superstars of the day.

They're out there all day, um, making rescues and watching out for us, and they, they don't get a break all day. Um, so like, also just, I like to take time and just watch and admire them because they're the best, the best water patrol in the world. Um, so yeah, I felt like, I've just felt like I really at peace with myself.

Kush: Amazing. Bianca, I love the storm that you, uh, just threw at us. Modern elder. Yeah, modern elder. I mean, I mean, yes. You know, you're not quite 40, but you haven't surfing for most of your life. Yeah, more of highest than 

Bianca: not. Yeah. 

Kush: Yeah. And at the highest levels too. So, you know, you come at this point and you're like, you're like, you know what, this is a new event and it is certainly a very historic event, but I have been on days like this before.

Yeah. And I have [01:08:00] brought all my skills to the four and I have performed at this level. So yes, you went and caught one of maybe the best waves of the day. And I want to actually connect this in a, in a roundabout way to that, you know, the, to the fight for. Equal access and equal pay for women. Mm-hmm. So one of those things that I have wondered about is that if anything, Hawaii is more ground central for surf.

Yeah. 

Kush: And even, even big wave surf than, than contiguous USA California. Mm-hmm. Even Oregon is, they were certainly more, I think, women surfers definitely. Maybe, maybe even more big web surfers. Yeah. So, I'm curious, um, how was it that, you know, yours was one of the first and maybe one of the loudest voices pushing [01:09:00] for equal pay in baby surfing.

You know, one would think that this may have come from a, from like Hawaii, different place, and if this was just an accident, you know, and like maybe that was it. But I'm, I'm just wondering if there was something else to the story then the fact that you were out here fighting. I. Maybe leading the fight along with others.

Bianca: You know, I think, um, my voice was definitely not the first, and there was, there have been women advocating, uh, for access and equal pay since the beginning of the sport, honestly. But I think the, the main difference with, um, our strategy was that we were four women who showed the power of what happens when you support each other and you stick together.

Mm-hmm. And that was the real key difference was, um, just now you had four women collectively using their voice together and then working with, uh, the state to, um, to make sure [01:10:00] that we were heard. And, um, you know, California sets the precedent for so much, um, throughout the United States. So I think that that's why it happened in California first and then Hawaii.

Um. Followed suit. Actually. 

Kush: Such an excellent point, Bianca, which is, yes, individually you could be the loudest, but you wouldn't go that far. But then you bring, you corral a team together. Mm-hmm. And maybe that's where you, your leadership skills shine because Yeah. 'cause you brought everybody together. Um, what did that process look like behind the scenes?

I mean, was it, it sounds from the office, it sounds like maybe it was quite messy, you know, because to me it seems like, you know, you are competing within the WSL in, in so many ways, but [01:11:00] now you are kind of. Challenging the WSL? 

Bianca: Yeah, well, um, honestly, actually that was one of our advantages was we didn't have anything to lose.

Um, and so at the time when ma so well, so what it looked like was like we surfed in that first event. And so first it was the big wave World tour was separate from the WSL at the time. And um, the Mavericks event at the time was also run outside of the WSL and by different organizers. And so because Mavericks was geographically 20 minutes from my house, it made to me it made the most sense to advocate and try to get into that event.

And, um, and it was, I was naive. I just thought that, hey, this is like, I. This is just makes sense. Like you're gonna have more viewers for your [01:12:00] event. You know, you're, you're reaching a bigger demographic. And so from a business perspective, to me it was like we just had this one very successful event in Oregon that was broadcast live.

And we saw all of the incredible feedback in support of women and, you know, and so it, it, it just kind of like, in my mind, I I, it was a no brainer that they were gonna say yes when I asked the event organizers at Mavericks. And, um, in a way they did say yes, because what I did was I called in to, um, Jeff Clark and the cartel management were on the radio on a, on a, on a, um, show called Off the Lip Radio.

That's like a local Santa Cruz. And so I called into the radio. I was working at, I have a restaurant in Marin and I was actually working and um, I told the, uh, the radio host that I was going to call [01:13:00] in at like, at seven on the dot. And so I made sure everybody in the restaurant had like their, you know, in my section had their drinks and food.

And then I ran outside, like right next to the restaurant called the radio, and they answer and I asked, um, Jeff Clark on the air. I said, Hey, huge fan. You know, um, after Oregon, since Oregon was so successful, can you know, can we add a women's division to the event at Mavericks? And he basically said, um, if women show up and surf all winter, and we see that they're committed and put in the time that yes, yes you can.

And so I, what I heard and my interpretation in that moment was like, it was a yes. So then right immediately that night, I sent out an email to the 13 women. There were only 13 women surfing big waves at the time. Now there's probably like about, I don't know, 50 [01:14:00] in the world. Um, and I said, Hey, the great news Jeff Clark says we can have a women's division at Mavericks and um, and we're gonna create a fund.

And ev all of you, you know, if anybody needs a place to stay, all you have to do is show up every time the wave breaks. And if anybody needs a place to stay, like, I got you and you know, this is gonna be so awesome, you know, and, um, and then, you know, no, nothing was really happening. And so like I, I, I thought I heard a yes, but then the, you know, this, this big long fight ensued And it, yeah, it did not look like that. It was like, we, we, yeah, we, so we really had to, even though it, it seemed like a yes. I had no idea, like the fight that I was about to get in, you know? Um, and the cool thing is you'll be able to see the whole, uh, documentary version of it. It's, it's, it'd be too long for me to try to [01:15:00] like, explain the inner workings of it.

But there's gonna be a wonderful documentary coming out made by Sachin Cunningham, and she's got the rough cut now. So by the end of this year, that documentary should be out. And right now the working title is, she Changed, like she changed it. Um, and, um, or you could check out the New York Times Magazine cover story of 2019 and you can get like a, an in-depth account of, uh, how that whole fight played out.

But, um, yeah, it was like, you know, um. I don't like fighting, but, uh, I am good at it when, especially when it comes to fighting for something bigger than myself. 

Kush: Amazing. Yes. Yeah. It sounds like, yeah, that was sounds like the powers that we were open to it, but they it was a big conditional Yes. 

Bianca: Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. And, and the, the good thing is like now that they have, [01:16:00] they have come around and, um. And yeah, and it's like, and you know, we are making change, but change does take time. And a lot of the times when you're in the fight, you know, you want things to happen immediately and it feels like it moves really slow.

And then sometimes you're like, what has changed? You know? And, but then you kind of gotta zoom out and see like, okay, yeah, no, things are changing and change takes time. And it's like a pendulum where things swing back and forth and, you know, you move the needle forward and then someone tries to turn it back and then, you know.

But, uh, overall we are, um, making great change and it's been especially fun watching the women on the WSL Shortboard tour just, um, really, really like, uh, accelerate, like they've gotten some kind of rocket fuel or something because now that get to surf in all of, at all the best locations and you see just that the level of surfing really, really is [01:17:00] incredible.

When you, when women get the opportunity, they rise to the occasion. 

Kush: A hundred percent. I mean, all humans do. Yes, exactly. Yeah. And women, women do as well. And Bianca, it's such a good story. Like, uh, you know, talking about this, this long process, you know, as the modern elder Yeah. Off the surfer, you have certainly come a long ways from the, uh, the fiery teenager 

mm-hmm.

Who 

Kush: dropped all the sponsors and uh, now you know, you have, yeah. I mean, you still fired up, but you have, I think, built up this experience and the wisdom and the patience to stand ground. And this is this other excellent point that you just hinted at, which is Yes, I. Um, we did not have women surfing at places like Pipeline and Oo until recently.

And [01:18:00] just even me as a spectator, just looking at women performing just in the last few years, it's ridiculous. Like Right. The stuff that women are doing, you know, at those, you know, in some of the biggest gnarliest waves. Mm-hmm. And the confidence with which all of you're surfing. It just seems crazy. Like talking of, I mean, it would seem that that would've taken much longer, but like, to your point, like, you know, you give people a door to go through and then you just get more and more people doing it and all of a sudden, like just the, the level standards.

Yeah. They just go, yeah. Yeah. They just go crazy. Um, Bianca, moving on. So you have carved a path, you know, not just as a surfer, but also as an activist. But also as an entrepreneur. Yeah, and as a coach, I mean, just following your career a little bit, like [01:19:00] you seem to be, just talk to us. What is life as a professional surfer and.

The things that you are doing in the water and outside the water. 

Bianca: Yeah. Um, so like, yeah, so depending on the time of the year, right now we're kind of like in a transitional phase, right? So the, we just sort of, the Northern Hemisphere season is, um, which goes, which is from, you know, end of October through March is coming to a close.

And now we've got like a little period of kind of like spring training. And then, um, you've got the Southern Hemisphere season that fires up. But the, the Northern Hemisphere season is, um, you know, in the Pacific Ocean, you, you're gonna get the, the bigger and more incredible waves during that window of time.

And, um. So, but essentially like if [01:20:00] you are ready, you know, if you have the means and the resources, you can go surf big waves. You know, you could fly somewhere around the world and surf a big swell every week almost. But I, um, I'm don't have those means and resources. So my days look like right now I'm kind of like in spring training, I'm on this cleanse and um, I'm at the gym.

I'm at the gym, you know, three times a week, uh, doing a movement-based strength training. And then I surf. I usually get in the water every single day because it is a part of my wellness pillar. And, um, I'm, I'm obsessively checking surf models and surf forecasts, you know, throughout the day more than I'm checking social media for sure.

Um, and then I'm trying to, um, build my businesses and, um, launch my next course for Surf Longevity. Um, and [01:21:00] so that's one of the ways that I make money is, um, through coaching. And, um, one of your previous guests, Lionel Coner, is somebody who I coached. And I basically, what I realized was it, it, it took me 20 years to surf Mavericks and I was able to teach him when he was 59 in 10 months.

And so, um, and so, uh, yeah, so I, I realized like I really love coaching and I love helping people, um, achieve their impossible, whatever that is. Whether it's riding bigger waves or technical surfing or, um, just, mastering their mindset, um, that I have the skills and the experience and I have a lot of know knowledge to share at this point.

And, um, and what's exciting is that I'm still learning too. So, um. So, yeah, so my days are, like, I, and I've always, honestly, I've always had to work to support myself as a big wave [01:22:00] surfer. So usually I'm trying to, um, be really efficient with my timing. Like, um, if I am, you know, if I am driving in the car, maybe I might be doing some visualization during that time or, um, I'm just trying to, to be as efficient as possible because I don't have the luxury of like someone, what I imagine someone like Steph Curry or Serena Williams has, right?

Like, I can't just, I. Practice and play and get massages and go to the spa. Um, which I'm not saying that's all they do, they do a ton more like, but I also have to hustle really hard to pay the bills. Um, and so that's, that's, that's kind of how I split my time is like between, um, the physical part and then, um, working on my businesses.

Kush: Surfing longevity. Yeah. Surf longevity. I may not be getting the [01:23:00] course right. So that ties in so well with the theme of the show. 

Yeah. Can 

Kush: you tell us a bit more on, I'm guessing that this course may be about helping people continue to serve as they hit, let's say limits, perceived limits with aging.

Bianca: Definitely. 

Kush: Yeah. Tell us more about this. 

Bianca: Yeah, so I designed this course well, um. So, like I said, I coached this gentleman who, you know, he started surfing when he was 53 and he had this dream to surf Mavericks by the time he was 60. And so he, um, he, he sought me out. And so, uh, and I, and we were able to do it.

I coached him, you know, I made him do all the work. And, um, and then I applied the strategies that, you know, that I was coaching. I coached him, um, you know, on habits, techniques, and mindsets to [01:24:00] be very efficient and to, um, work with his body and not against it. And, um, and I applied those same techniques to myself.

And I keep having better and better seasons. And like I said, I just surfed Eddie. I, I'm still at the top of the podium in my sport. And so that's got me thinking that like, you know, if you wanna keep. Surfing strong and going for as long as you want. I, I can coach you on how to do it, and it's, I think it really comes down to the habits, techniques, and mindsets.

Kush: Bianca, your work with Lionel is truly astonishing. Uh, people listening to the show, you guys need to go and listen to the episode with Lionel er of him. So the part about Lionel story, which is equally astonishing, is not just that he surfed one of the lest waves on the planet at the age of 59. More importantly, or at least as importantly, he did not [01:25:00] actually even start surfing until crossing the age of 50.

And in a sport where most people like myself sometimes believe that if you don't start young, you might as well like not even start it. So Bianca, you know. Please, um, correct me, challenge me because I always like, I always think that yes, surfing is such a visceral sport where if you start young, you learn how to move with the ocean, your muscles, your mind, your body just grows up with waves.

If you don't start early enough, then one may never acquire, you know, some of those things. But I think you are saying that one can still learn the sport and excel as an adult. 

Bianca: Yes, definitely. Absolutely. Yeah. I think actually, and I think like especially when we look at mindset mindset's, not usually. [01:26:00] You can't even really teach teenagers mindset, you know?

Um, that's like, so I think that, you know, as we age, our experience and our wisdom, um, is a very, very powerful tool in the ocean and learning how to read the water and, um, learning what gear to choose and, you know, how to, um, master our techniques so that way we're using our energy efficiently and that we're not, um, you know, we're not wrecked for our ne next sessions.

I think that, that the, those skill sets are something that are huge advantages in surfing. And so what I learned, but working with Lionel and with others is like that, you know? Um. People with age actually often are better learners, you know, and if they have the knowledge shared in a way that's tangible, I mean, there's, there's never any shortcut for the hard work, but working efficiently.

And, [01:27:00] um, I strategically, you know, I think you can, you can really do whatever you want. I, I mean, I don't believe anything's impossible. 

Kush: No. I mean, that is so badass, uh, Bianca, but I'm still, you know, call me the, call me the, um, optimistic skeptic. Yeah, no worries. And I think people need to actually go check out your course and take your course.

So we will put links on the show. Yeah. But if you don't mind, um, just sharing maybe one or two thing, one or two, let's say drills around just mindset, for example. 

Bianca: Or maybe, yeah, so I think like letting go of that idea that, oh, I had to start as a kid, you know, to get good at this sport. I think it's like, let, first of all, like letting go of that preconceived notion, right?

Um, that's one. And then the mindset also, it's part of like, [01:28:00] you know, when you have a goal in surfing and you wanna do something, and I'll just use Lionel as an example, because his was so clear. It was like he wanted to surf Mavericks. I mean, we both committed to doing the work, but we didn't know what the outcome would be.

And I think that's like, that's, that's like with business or relationships or anything, you know, you don't know. I think it's also, there's, there's a lot of power in accepting, like, okay, I'm gonna go for this. And the beauty of this is that like, I'm going for it. You know, the only things that I regret are the things that I haven't gone for.

But when you go for something and you put in the work and you try your hardest, like everybody respects that and in, and most importantly, like you respect yourself in the process, but you, there's that saying, there's a saying in surfing, like, you don't know if you don't go. And there's truth in that. But then also as, as an age adapting athlete or an ageless athlete, like you do wanna [01:29:00] be strategic and tactical in what waves you choose and what sessions you choose.

And, um, but that's what I love about surfing is that you can learn in any condition, you know. So, um, so those are a couple of the mindsets that, that, um, that I think are, are really, really powerful is like, you know, going for something and just, you know, surrendering to the beauty of going for it, you know, and letting go of the outcome, but believing in yourself on the way.

Right. Believing it's possible. 

Kush: Bianca, I adore everything you just said. And I think this hot, this hits at the crux of the philosophy of the show, which is just the very first limiting belief, which is one is not capable of something anymore just because one is getting older. And I think one just needs to shed that belief.

But then also what you said [01:30:00] is being strategic about it being 

strategic. 'cause I 

Kush: think what you're telling us is that one can actually become better with less time and less. Yes, 

Bianca: definitely. I, I, I would 

Kush: certainly say that, and maybe this, this hangs true to other parts of life, that I get more shit done when I have less time because I'm just more organized, you know, more organized, more thoughtful, more intentional, moving quickly to the end of the session and a couple of things I, a couple of topics I still want to pick your brain on, Bianca. So, um, one thing that I have admired about your approach over time is how seriously you, you plan and you prepare and we cannot, I'm not gonna ask you to go through all of your physical drills and whatnot, but I do wanna ask you about mental preparation.

And actually [01:31:00] to, to zoom in a bit, I have heard you talk about breath work. Mm-hmm. Can you share a bit about how breathwork can help, not just surfers, but I think, prepare all kinds of people. 

Bianca: Yeah. 

Kush: To, to, to take on a, a big challenge. Headlong. 

Bianca: Yeah. So I think that that's number one, that's the most important thing that you can focus on is your breath work.

Um, and what's what's amazing about it is like that you can make gains in very little time. So I think it's also incredibly rewarding practice. But, um, you know, depending on what your, um, where, what your state of being is at any given moment. So, like, for example, um, this morning I just, um, I usually do six minutes every morning because that's an amount that I feel is valuable to me and that I can, that's a, that I can commit to every single [01:32:00] day.

You know, for some people maybe it's one minute, maybe it's two, maybe it's an hour. You know, tho those are like the really disciplined folks that are practicing, um, connecting with their, their, their deepest part of their self. And, um. And have an incredible amount of discipline to, to sit and meditate. But, um, usually, um, for preparing for big waves or for waves that maybe are intimidating, maybe they're not big waves.

Maybe it's just like going out in crowded waves or whatever. I, I like to do just, um, uh, breathing up process where I'm inhaling for four seconds and exhaling, inhaling for four seconds through my nose and exhaling for eight through my mouth. And I, I do, I like doing it just laying down on the floor right after I wake up.

And so I will repeat that breath for, uh, actually today I only did it for three minutes and then I held it for three minutes. So, [01:33:00] so that was just fun because I, I just thought, I felt like, oh, you know what? Instead of breathing for the next three minutes, I'm just gonna do a hold. Usually I'll do a hold at the end of the six.

But, um, I was in the mood, so I just held it for three minutes. And, um, that would be a breath that you could also use in the lineup, in the water to calm down. If you're feeling anxious or nervous or, um, you're too psyched up or you're noticing your heart's beating really fast, that's a breath that's gonna calm down your heart rate and oxygenate your system.

And so that's also the breath that I do breathing up is what I do before when I'm sitting out in the lineup. Preparing to catch a huge wave that I wanna know, I want to enter into that wave with the lowest possible heart rate and the most oxygen in my system. So that way if I wipe out something happens that, um, I can handle that wipe out.

And then another breath that you could do if you needed energy. Well, like, let's say you, it's the end of the day of work and [01:34:00] you're tired and you've got like that mental fatigue, that can be really exhausting. Um, because you were just, you know, working on projects that required you to sit all day then, and you're at the beach and you're like, oh yeah, I wanna paddle out, but I'm just like, I'm tired, you know?

Then you can, uh, energize yourself with your breath through small short breaths. So like, just inhaling once through the nose and exhaling for two out the mouth, you know, inhale, exhaling, you know, and so you're just mimicking the kind of breath that you would have if you say you had an elevated heart rate on a run.

Um, and so that's, I think, the most powerful tool. And um, when I first started working with a sports psychologist, he said something to me like, you know, how many days can you go without eating food? And it's, it's something like, you know, about a month and how many days can you go without water? And it's like a couple days or so, and, but how long can you go without a breath?

And it's not, not very long. [01:35:00] So that, um, that analogy and that metaphor really, um, has inspired my breath work and, um, and is something that I find that I, yeah, I've actually got my, my beads, my mala beads in my hand right now because I find that like. Throughout the day, if I'm noticing, you know, I'm, I've got my mind's going in a million different directions or, um, I need to come back in center and focus that, um, I go back to the breath work all the time.

So it's the way I start my day, it's the way I end my day and then throughout the day I incorporate it and it's something you can do anywhere, you know, and so that's, I, I, I, um, I'm a huge fan of, of breath work and meditation, whatever that looks like for you. Like I said, whether it's 30 seconds or six minutes or an hour, that, um, developing a practice I think is like one of the most valuable [01:36:00] skills you can develop in life.

Kush: Bianca. That's indeed, yeah. It's, it's simple, but again, so powerful. And I'm just curious, you know, I know that you, you give talks and. Motivational, um, uh, speeches to different groups. I'm wondering, do you, do you take people through your breath of practice? 

Bianca: Sometimes, yeah. It depends on the audience. Um, but yeah, sometimes I'll take them on a big wave, breath hold, but not everybody wants to do it.

Yeah. 

Kush: When people from outside the surf world come and hear you speak, what's the biggest takeaway you want to lead them with? 

Bianca: Um, I, you know, the biggest takeaway that I think, uh, you know, [01:37:00] everybody, I hope that people, I think that, like, I hope that people are inspired to go for it in whatever, whatever they're doing, and inspired to, um.

To take action. And, but also it is not for everyone. So like I, I have, I do a talk on risk and um, you know, and it's important to remind people that you can choose risk. Um, but that choosing risk is not for everyone. And that's okay. You know, so I think that, um, it, it varies from person to person, but, um, but I hope that people feel inspired and, um, want to go out and try to achieve their impossible, whatever that is for them.

Kush: Sure. Absolutely. Bianca, last part of the conversation. Yeah. What I like to call the ageless athlete section. What are you doing today to help you prepare to serve at [01:38:00] least as well, if not better, in 10 years? Yeah, 

Bianca: well, I'm gonna complete my cleanse for today. So yeah, that's actually been one that I'd say the coolest part about this cleanse is, um, that it's really made me think about the way that I eat.

And I would, I would've said, if you would've asked me before the cleanse, I would've said, I'm a clean eater and I am. But I think we tend to get, you know, we tend to be to get into a habit of like the things we eat and what we buy at the store. And so even if we're buying healthy food, you know, and the ways we cook.

So I think that, just, um, flexibility and like variety is super valuable. And so like, and for me in this case, it's like how I'm cooking my vegetables. You know, like I'm not using the pan. I'm either baking broiling or grilling them and I'm also using different [01:39:00] vegetables and um, you know, I got a CSA box and they're just delivering me random vegetables.

That I might not have picked off the shelf. So I think the way that I eat today and the water that I'm drinking, I'm drinking spring water right now that I went and filled up from, um, Stinson Beach. If you know that spot, it's a, like, you can go, there's some pipes coming out of, I think it's called Red Rock or something.

It might be, um, right by steep Ravine. But I find that, that, that, that spring water really like, has a different nutritional value when I drink it. So I went and filled up many, many gallons yesterday. So the way I'm eating today and um, and the water that I'm drinking is, all I'm drinking is water. Um. But also I think just believing that, um, the most important part is believing that I can still be an incredible athlete in 10 years, and I know I can.

Um, but I think also [01:40:00] this, this cleanse and this diet reset. I mean, my inflammation is gone in my, like I of course, like anybody, I have my chronic issues and they have been, my inflammation is completely gone right now. And so that is a really, I. Inspiring and incredible, um, outcome so far of, and I'm probably gonna rest, like, you know, I'm probably gonna do some more resting today because, um, that's the other part is like, you know, you gotta make sure you're getting adequate rest.

But I think my lifestyle is like the lifestyle component. I'm, you know, turning 40 later in the year and so that's it. I was just like, I'm just like really reevaluating, like how the ways that I could clean up different parts of my lifestyle and my habits and um, because I know that I keep, wanna keep going as long as I can and moving well and surfing big waves and until and going strong.

So, [01:41:00] um, so I would say my diet, my water, and my rest and, um, are all gonna help me 10 years from now based on what I do today. 

Kush: Well, happy early 40th. Uh, thanks. Yeah. It's kind, kind of a, kind of a banner here. And yes, I do know that spring water, uh, have, have filled up plenty of, uh, gallon buckets on the way to Belinas and back from Yeah, that particular, uh, spring.

Um, any lifestyle changes, Bianca movement practices that. You are adopting besides the one you've spoken about that, uh, we could learn from? 

Bianca: Yeah, so like the, there's the diet and the, you know, what are you, what are you using for your fuel, right? But then also the breath work, but also like, what I've found, um, to be really important [01:42:00] is the way that I prepare my body every single day.

And so I think it, you know, it's about getting warm and staying warm, so having a consistent activation process. Right. And then, you know, to, and mine will vary. Like if, you know, today I'm probably gonna, after we talk, I'm gonna go surf some small waves, but I've already activated. But I might do like a little more activation just before I go out in the water.

And then tonight I'll stretch, you know, I'll stretch and I, I'll foam roll, but I'm taking, you know, I'm never, I'm pretty much never skipping. That process because it, it just, it's like night and day. Like if I stretch before bed, I have a good night's rest. If I don't, you know, I don't rest well. And like that rest is so crucial.

And then activating, you know, like getting the different muscles fired up. So, you know, we have a tendency to use, um, our [01:43:00] bigger muscles, but the little muscles can get overshadowed. So taking the time to do isometric contractions and isometric holds and it, it doesn't have to be a long time, but it just, some kind of, making some kind of a habit out of it is super important for, um, performance and, um, especially as we're aging, as part of the 

Kush: Absolutely.

And BII find that nighttime stretch ritual important as well, because for me it's not, not. Just the quality of sleep. It's also how I feel in the morning. Yes. You know, I, I just turned 47. So if I have, basically if I have stretched, I wake up in the morning actually feeling less of a, a moving skeleton.

Right. And more limber. Diego, what is something that people misunderstand about? You 

Bianca: misunderstand about me. What is something [01:44:00] people miss? I don't know. I think, yeah, good question. What, what is something people misunderstand about me? Um, lemme change it. 

Kush: Lemme change it. Lemme change it. What is something that people don't know about you?

Bianca: Something people don't know about me. Um, I mean, there's many, many things, but, um, yeah, my father's an Italian immigrant and my, my mother is, uh, the survivor of a traumatic brain injury. And, um, so yeah, the, like my dad is just like a hardcore, I call him a professional chef athlete. He's like, is his restaurant and his job?

And, um, but also, you know, so a lot of you, a lot of my ways of thinking and being come from his work ethic. And then my mom, after she had a brain hemorrhage when she was 19, and, um, she could [01:45:00] never reenter the workforce. She had to relearn how to walk, talk, everything. So, um, seeing her strength, but then also her limitations, um, have been huge, huge inspirations to me.

Kush: I can see that, uh, well, that, that, that you have genetic gifts with your, your fighter and your tenacity, uh, those instincts. Um, what's the belief or mindset shift you've made in the last five years that's changed how you live or train, 

Bianca: um, belief or mindset shift that I have made?

Probably, yeah. I've, it's probably been just like connecting with my spirit, um, more and taking that spirit practice to the next level. And so, yeah, I think that's been like the last three years I've, um, worked with a guide and [01:46:00] really tried to, um, just yeah, make sure that I'm always, I. Connected with my spirit and having that stoke and the aloha spirit.

And, um, because after also I, I did burn out, um, after winning the fight for equal pay. You know, like I had a lot of fatigue from that activism. And, um, and so yeah, I got help and I, I started working with a spirit guide and, um, and that has shaped a lot of my, my practices, um, my daily practices on staying connected and staying stoked.

Kush: Awesome. Bianca. And then, yeah, finally, final fun question. I know that you have spent, uh, much time in Mexico just south off the border. Yeah. So, uh, what is one thing that you love about this country besides the, uh. [01:47:00] The pumping surf. Of course. 

Bianca: Yeah. I love Mexican people. So the culture and um, the, they value family above and beyond all.

But also like if you keep showing up somewhere and you have community, which I do, you become part of the family. And that is, for me, that's, that's my favorite part about like Mexican culture is, um, being part of the family and, and engaging in the rituals, um, that they have. Like this last year, I, I was, um, I got to make tamales and Pan de Muertos all in preparation to celebrate and honor the people who have passed.

And, um, and that was, you know, really, really special. And that's, I, I, I just love that Mexican, um, culture and they love to have a good time and eat food and drink and, um, so yeah, it's the people. [01:48:00] 

Kush: Mexican people are some of the nicest 

Bianca: Yeah. 

Kush: And most generous I have met in the world. I almost feel like I, I need to make it a mission to educate Americans.

Yeah. How different Mexicans are from like this popular perception that we have been fed. Bianca, it's been amazing having you on Ageless Athlete today. Thank you so much for, uh, sharing your time and your wisdom. 

Bianca: Thank you so much for having me. That was 

Kush: fun.