Bianca Valenti

Bianca Valenti (born c. 1986) is an American professional big-wave surfer and sports equity activist. She is a co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing (CEWS) and is recognized for her role in achieving equal prize money for women in professional surfing.

Early life and education Valenti was raised in Dana Point, California. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where she was a three-time national champion and captain of the UCSB surf team. She earned a degree in Global Studies in 2007.

Surfing career Valenti is a specialist in surfing wave faces exceeding 30 feet. She transitioned to big-wave surfing after moving to San Francisco and surfing Ocean Beach.

Mavericks and Big Wave Records Valenti has established a multi-year presence at the Mavericks break in California. Between 2022 and 2024, she won "Biggest Wave," "Ride of the Year," and "Performer of the Year" at the Mavericks Surf Awards for three consecutive years. In 2024, she was named the Big Wave Challenge winner for "Women's Ride of the Year" for a wave ridden at Puerto Escondido.

The Eddie Aikau Invitational In 2023, Valenti was among the first group of female surfers invited to the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay. She competed in the 2024 event, finishing second in the women's division.

Activism and equal pay In 2016, Valenti co-founded the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing (CEWS) alongside Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, and Andrea Moller.

Inclusion and equal pay advocacy Valenti's advocacy was highlighted during the campaign to include a women's division in the Mavericks competition, a goal achieved through the California Coastal Commission's permitting process. This movement for inclusion and equal pay was the subject of a 2019 cover story in The New York Times Magazine, which chronicled Valenti's role in the landmark victory for sports equity. In September 2018, the World Surf League (WSL) announced it would provide equal prize money across all its events globally.

Honors and awards California Outdoors Hall of Fame (2023 Inductee) Honorary Chief of State of California (2023) 9× Mavericks Awards Champion (2022–2024) Big Wave Challenge winner, "Best Ride of the Year" (2024)