Small talk with: Valentina Vitale!
January 28th, 2011 by admin received Comments Off TweetPictures: ©Cesare Francorsi and ©Matteo Mangherini
We got a lot of talentuos riders and surfers here on Candiesmagazine.com and today we’re proud to introduce a girl well known both for her style and talent on surfboards both for the commitment she’s pushing the Italian scene more and more with. She’s from Ostia, she rocks, check it out! Valentina Vitale!
Hi Valentina! A quick intro: where do you come from, how old are you and how long have you been surfing?
I’m from Ostia (Rome), 26 and I’ve been surfing for almost 8 years now
What are your sponsors?
Roxy, RT Surfboards, City Beach
What boards are you using at the moment? And which one would you suggest to a chick willing to ride her first waves?
At the moment I’ve a quiver of 7 boards, from 5’7’’ to 6’3’’, all RT of course! My best are the two 5’10’’ fixed fins, that I use mainly in Italy.
Regarding my suggestion to a newbie, I really can’t give a generic measure, since it depends upon her age, weight, height, etc…but generally, starting with a softboard would be the safer and funnier choice for a first approach to the waves!
I know you’re travelling a lot, where are you at the moment? How much do you think it’s important for a surfer to travel and surf the best spots around?
I’m in California now. Obviously travelling is fundamental to improve and to experience different kind of waves.
An aspect that really fascinates me about surfing is the great love and respect for sea and nature. Do you share this philosophy?
For sure! I’ve always loved the sea in all its forms, moreover, I’ve always lived at the seaside. I think that every surfer has to respect and love the nature, how could you be in harmony with the Ocean without showing him respect?
And where do you usually surf? Do you have a favorite spot in Italy beside your homespot?
My homespot is Ostia, and it’s where I’m surfing the most, especially during summer. But when it’s on fire and there’s some wind blowing I often surf Banzai, my second home! When I’m surfing there I meet all my friends and I’ve tons of fun surfing the whole day with them!
Like many other sports, surf’s surely fun, but not everybody knows the sacrifices and the commitment needed to emerge. Maybe in Italy it’s even harder then…do you think you renounced to anything to reach your level?
I don’t think I ever had to renounce to anything, surf is my greatest passion and every time I drop in, even if it’s a black day, I turn up smiling again! For sure traveling is expensive and I’ve always to save cash to pay my trips, but I don’t take it as a sacrifice!
…but undoubtedly constancy and commitment get their payout. Your best moment linked to surf?
Maybe my best moment linked to surf is the 5 months trip I did in Australia. Beside the surf itself, it has been an unique and unforgettable experience, where I saw unique and spectaculars places.
With Alessandro Cinco you’re working on a great project, “Ostia Surf”. Can you give us some update on next events?
2011 will be a rich year in terms of events for Ostia Surf, as usual. We’ll have a lot of surf camps abroad, the surf school, and a lot of other activities I can’t spoil now, but stay linked to www.ostiasurf.it to be always up to date!
What do you think about the Italian girl scene? Personally speaking I don’t know more than a few girls that surf, but do you think things are somewhat evolving? Who do you think is on her way to emerge or confirm herself?
Telling the truth the surfing girls are a lot now! Just in our school the 40% are chicks! Young girls that start surfing are growing year by year and their names stand out in the Italian juniores championship! We have to keep an eye on them next year!
Do you like surf contests? Or do you prefer to take laps on your own?
I really like being in contests and it’s also a great opportunity to meet friends that I can’t meet very often since they live in different Italian regions. It’s also an opportunity to put yourself at stake and give out the best in a 15 minutes heat. But even if l like contests, I prefer so much to free surf and travel on my own or with friends, to surf wherever I want and discover new places and new waves!
What do you like to do when you’re not in water? Do you have other passions that involve you at least like surfboards?
My other passion is music. I play piano since I was a child. And l like reading too and of course traveling!
How do you get ready for an important surfing day, I mean both physically and mentally?
To be honest I don’t get ready to surf in any particular way, but when I know that waves are going to come I usually go to bed early to be in shape and enjoy my surfing day
It’s plain to think surf has made a good part of your life, lucky you eheh… but have you ever thought to a plan B? Something completely new that you would have done or would do in different fields?
I graduated in “Lingue e civiltà orientali” at Università La Sapienza di Roma, I can say it’s not only surfing what I’ve done ‘til now!!!
But in any case of course there’s also a plan B, and the funny thing is that I’m calling it for real my “plan B” ahahhahha. But ….i can’t tell you! 
We’re at the beginning of the new year, what do you expect from this 2011? Do you have any particular project or target to foreseen?
New year, new life, isn’t it? I’ve a lot of projects and targets. For sure a very important one will be to go ahead with the surf school and the club!!
Valentina thank you for your time, and we hope to meet you and Ale here one day. Last line is your , feel free to say whatever you want!
Thanks to all the sponsors and people that believe in me, especially the kids and the children of the Ostia Surf. Their willingness to learn how to surf and live the sea makes me happy everyday and makes my teaching always exciting! Thanks to Candiesmagazine too! Go guys and go Ostia Surf!
Tags: City Beach, ostia surf, ostia surf club, Roxy, RT Surfboards, valentina vitale
Posted under: INTERVIEWS, SURF
