 11-08-07
19-year-old Vanessa Florentino is one of the up and coming women pro racers in the WMA.
Following multiple wins in amateur racing at the WMA Cup she turned professional, scoring podium finishes two years in a row at the WMA Cup. The race she really got the attention of the industry was at the WMA Steel City national this past September where she fended off Jessica Patterson in the first moto and ultimately earned her spot in the winner¹s circle. More recently she landed a sponsorship with Etnies Girl. I caught up with her at home in New Mexico training for this years WMA Drill Tech Women¹s Cup. MK: To get started, can we have little background for our readers, when did you start riding? Racing? VF: My dad rode back in the day and got my older sister and little brother into it, so we always had dirt bikes and a little track at our house. I didn’t really start until I was like 12 when a bunch of my neighbors got 80’s and built tracks in their backyards and showed me it could be really fun. MK: You had a really good season in the WMA Pro Nationals. What did you do to prepare for the race year and what was the highlight? VF: I just tried to ride as much as I could, and didn’t cut myself any slack when it came to doing motos. I think the highlight of my year was actually at Washougal in practice because that practice session was the only time in the year I really felt like I was riding like I can at home. MK: You continue to improve. Has it been more challenging for you mentally or physically? VF: It’s definitely been mental. I used to over train and ended up just sucking all the fun out of it, and I wasn’t even getting better. Now I spend days where I just go out in the desert with my friends and find cool jumps and have fun like I used to. MK: I know you and Josh Hill hang out, what kind of advice does he give you at the Nationals? VF: At races he just picks my gate, sweeps it and tells me to have fun because it’s really too late to give advice that’s going to make me do any better. I owe him one though because at Thunder Valley the holeshot I got the first moto was all his gate pick. Everyone was going for the inside/ middle gates and he found me this one where the tractor had been driving up the hill on the very outside, so when the gate dropped and everyone sunk in the mud I had a hard packed line! MK: Being that you are both “Pros”, how do your programs differ? VF: The biggest difference is that he’s trying to lose weight, and I’m trying to get stronger. So while he’s over there with his salad and no dressing, I’m carbing up ha,ha. MK: You always do well at the WMA Cup, you won the Collegegirl class, the intermediate and have podiumed both years as a pro? How do you feel coming into it this year? VF: Yeah, Cycle Ranch is one of those races I come into super unprepared but with the right mindset and somehow everything turns out good. I guess this year I am going to step it up with doing motos and stuff but still try and keep it casual, so well see how it goes… MK: For a while you were going to school. What were or are you studying and how does school fit in with your racing? VF: Right now I’m just getting the basics done with, and even now it gets really frustrating sometimes. You have so many things going on at once, and at the end of the day all I really want to do is think about riding, not work on poetry for some crazy professor. MK: What else do you do besides racing, training, school? VF: I love snowboarding! And this year I went wakeboarding for the first time and I could definitely see myself doing some more of that. MK: We were talking last winter and you mentioned some little snowboard jump you built in your backyard… VF: Ha-ha yeah its really not that exciting, we just have this perfect little slope in my backyard so when it snows we build a roll in and put some kickers and ghetto rails at the bottom, its where we learn tricks. What was cool this year though is we started hitting the rails on sleds, it was like extreme sledding. MK: Someone mentioned you were into Holistic healing, is that true and what or how have you used it for motocross? VF: That makes me sound like a witch or something! Ha-ha well I guess I’m a big acupuncture fan, every time I get hurt I get acupuncture done and its like magic! Also when I get road rash or any kind of cut I use lavender oil, I take it with me everywhere. MK: What is your guilty pleasure? VF: That’s a tough one because I don’t usually feel guilty about stuff that makes me happy. I guess I spend too much money on stuff sometimes, like I bought the sickest snowboard last year that was pretty expensive and I was broke for awhile, but then again every time I see it in my room I get all excited so I don’t feel guilty anymore. MK: Your dad (“G”) is your mechanic, what’s it like traveling with him? VF: Ummm… can I plead the fifth on this one? ha-ha MK: Do you have a ritual you do before racing? Or do you have to wear any item when you race? VF: No, I think being superstitious and all that just fuels my mental issues so I had to cut everything out. MK: What would you like to see change in the Motocross industry? VF: It’d be cool if the officials didn’t penalize riders for taking each other out and fighting. I think as long as they keep it in the corners and don’t seriously hurt each other it makes motocross and supercross way more exciting! MK: What are your goals in motocross and after racing? VF: I want to be the best rider I can be, get over all my mental blocks, have lots of fun with it, and make lots of money. Then I can buy my own island like the Virgin Mobile guy! MK: I was just looking at the new Thor catalog and you have some great photos in it including a two-page action shot, how did it come about? VF: It was really just a casual deal, Jammi called me up for the yearly photo shoot so I got some pictures taken. When I actually saw the catalog though I was a little surprised of how big of a picture they put in, so it was kind of cool. MK: Whom would you like to thank for helping you? VF: Most of all my dad and mom, my little brother for his advice and just having someone to ride with, Lee Bowers for helping me get hooked up with sponsors and his pep talks, George Ellinger for letting me have a good track to ride, Jammi at Thor, Etnies girl, Panolin, Dunlop, Spy, FMF, Factory Backing, and Cycle gear. MK: Do you have a motto to live by or what piece of advice would you give a young female racer looking to turn pro? VF: I’d have to say don’t be scared to race the guys, because they can teach you a lot about riding more aggressive. View Vanessa’s WMA Profile http://www.wmaracing.com/Profiles/Florentino.html |
