Valentina Diaz

This week sees us in Chile where we catch up with the very talented and committed Valentina Diaz, currently touring with the APB and sitting happily in the top 12 female riders.

At 27 Valentina is in her prime and is enjoying every minute of her super successful career so far.

In Valentina's own words....

" I am from Chile but I live everywere , this last couple of years around Hawaii , Mexico , South America and Europe it depends on the APB calendar because im following the comps of the world tour.

I started bodyboarding when I was 17 in my home town , but i got into it really like 5 years ago when I finished my university studies and started travelling the world to get the waves I always wanted to ride.

I saw my big brother bodyboarding and I wanted to copy him , I fell completetly in love with the ocean and the felling of freedom that it gave to me.

I feel like I discovered America when I started this sport.

It was the best thing that could have happened to me and it has taken me to amazing places and I have met the most amazing people.

My fisrt heroes were Ryan Hardy and Lilly Pollard , they are amazing humble athletes and always taking the sport to new limits and beyond , but my biggest hero is my dad.

My local break is Maitencillo beach break on the central coast of Chile.

But my favourite break would have to be Intendencia in Iquique , the desert at the north of Chile, it is an amazing wave.

If I had to choose my favourite waves in the world thou there are only 2 for me and they are Zicatela, Puerto Escondido in Mexico and Pipeline in Hawaii. Such intense places to paddle out, full commitment is required.

The first board I ever rode was a Jacob Reeves custom bodyboard.

When I first got in the ocean I was the only girl, my crew was all the boys from my hometown , they still bodyboard and travel and it certainly helped my competitive edge pushing my skills against the boys.

I am always on the look out for new sponsors all the time to help me stay competing at this level , I got second at Pipeline this year at the “Mike Steward Pipeline invitational 2017”, also i'm in the top twelve of the APB female ranking.

I have been a professional bodyboarder for 3 years now , it's amazing and I love to promote and share my sport and lifestyle.

I like to ride different boards , I have a store in Chile that sponsors me so I can use different brands, the shop is Surfers Paradise Surf Shop and I want to thank them for their support and for helping me so much, cheers guys x

I really love the NMD Ben Player prorider kinetic surlyn – and the Hubb pp pro kinetic surlyn and the new free kinetic surlyn contour by VS but at the moment i'm riding a Japanese board I had custom made with my own measurements.

I use Oneill wetsweuits , Churchill flippers (blue and yellow ) and an ocean earth leash.

I love all kinds of music but it really depends on what wave i'm gonna ride , if I go to Pipeline I like Alabama Shakes or Pennywise , if I go somewhere less heavy I like a good hip-hop track or some good deep house , I love music and it really depends on my daily mood.

My favourite memories from growing up were long session with my mates , the smell of the wax , watching old bodyboarding movies and flicking through the glossy magazines, especially the wipe out sections hahaha .

I hope to continue my success on the APB and keep riding and living this lifestyle for as long as possible and I want to keep travelling and meeting the wonderful people that I have had the privilege of doing so far and I want to thank LidLife for sharing my story and the stories of others, thank You....."

Valentina, thank you so much for getting involved you are the inspiration so many young females need to show that you can be as successful as the guys on the APB tour and follow your dreams.....

Next week we head over to South Africa where we catch up with the Handpicked Movement, Yewwwww.

Please come follow our new Facebook page LidLife Bodyboarding for up to date news and just want to say how super excited we are to have Gary Thatcher and Stevie Maher join the LidLife team as our first sponsored riders and we can't wait to see them both go head to head at the Sunshine Coast DK shootout January 27th, stay tuned........

Big thanks Trent Bliss for the Photos please go give him a follow on @trentblissphotography on Insta.....

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