story

Bianca Buitendag

“Winning silver at the olympics was truly a miracle, one of the testimonies that will forever mark my life. It presented the opportunity to celebrate God’s goodness, and it also provided closure. It allowed me to close the chapter on competitive surfing and move onto the next stage of life”

Could you tell us a little bit about where you’re from and your local surf spot?

We moved to Victoria Bay at the age of 11, and have been based there on-and-off ever since, so I consider it home. It has a great community, and I received a lot of support from the locals growing up. I had a wonderful childhood here, discovering the coastal stretch of the Garden Route with friends & family.

How did you get into surfing? And how did you get into competitive surfing?

My father was an avid surfer, and quickly introduced both my brothers and I to the ocean at a very young age. Growing up with two brothers, I definitely developed a competitive hunger. We were always fighting for the front seat, or who would get back from school first. I think I was just born with that competitive nature to be honest.  Our family holidays were always planned around the cold-fronts, and located within a stone-throw from a right hand point break – mostly being Still Bay, Jbay or Vic Bay. I was trying to keep up with my brothers, and one thing led to another. My parents entered all three of us into every possible sport & event they could – and surfing events were one of them.

When did you know that surfing was something you wanted to do professionally?

I was never really convinced until I qualified for the ‘CT and signed my first serious contract. Before then, I was enrolled in university, and had to let them know that I was not coming. I was always quite motivated to have an education, get good results at school, so that I could have options and not feel like I was stuck in sport forever.

In many cases, people only see the highs of being a competitive surfer- travelling to dream locations, surfing cooking waves, being adored by fans etc – what are some of the lows you experienced whilst being a professional surfer?

 I was always treated with the greatest respect and concern by fellow competitors, the organization and my sponsors. For that I am extremely grateful.

However, looking back, I did not enjoy surfing competitively at that level. There is a lot of stress, a lot of demands, and you are removed from the people that love you unconditionally, most of the year. And in your head – your value is also directly derived from your performance. If you don’t perform well, you are not worth much. And vice versa. I guess that’s a good motivation to win, or either keep trying, right?  Looking back, I don’t think I had the emotional maturity at 18 to deal with it all. Realizing that God loves you no matter what, completely diverted the trajectory of my life.

When you qualified for the Championship Tour – was it all that it cracked up to be? Or were there some aspects of professional surfing that surprised you?

Initially it was awesome – an adventure, challenge and something new. After a few years, however, life on the road catches up to you, and your priorities shift. Time with family, especially in critical times, trumps any heat-matchup. 

Tell us a bit about how you came to know and follow Jesus?

When I was 17 , my best friend got saved right in front of my eyes, and I saw the drastic change in his life. I couldn’t avoid the miracle that was happening, and when I reached out, we were sitting in a warung on the beach;  it was the first time that someone had explained God’s grace to me. I was like what, how does that work haha? This was the moment the Holy Spirit nudged my heart, and from that day on, I have never been the same. Experiencing unconditional love and grace for the first time at this age, it really did change the whole trajectory of my life.

What does it mean to you to be a follower of Christ?

 It means, I can know the God who has always been faithful to me, as a friend. That He carries me through the trial and turmoil that life so often throws at us, that I am never alone. That his love pursues me, and that there is nothing I can do that will make him turn away. To be a follower of Christ, to me, is to experience true, unconditional love. This life is not easy, and God doesn’t promise life to be easy; but, he does promise to be next to us- through every season and phase of our lives.

Could you recall a moment in your life when you could see God’s faithfulness in the midst of a storm?

There are so many. I lost my dad when I was 21. Life up until that point was so easy, almost too easy. So that was obviously a big shock to me and my whole family. God really came through for us, and I realised that challenges and trauma is a part of life. And I must say, in hindsight, it’s really a great opportunity to build character, and to be able to relate to everyone else’s difficulties as well. I remember going through that pain, and nothing anybody says can ever make it feel better, but if you reach out to God, he’s the only one that truly understands your situation. There’s no one answer that fixes it all, type of thing, but overtime, it gets easier. God has faithfully carried me through that trauma, one day at a time. He has been my strength when I didn’t have any, my hope in hopeless circumstances, and my closest companion after all these years. 

What was it like getting silver at the olympics? Was it a dream come true?

It was truly a miracle, one of the testimonies that will forever mark my life. I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. It was wild. It was definitely one of the craziest weeks of my life. I feel like God was orchestrating His plan, and I managed to make it to the podium which was something I thought I wouldn’t be able to achieve.  I always thought like- what’s God’s take on competition? Does he really care about who ends up at the top? Does he really care who’s standing on the podium? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not necessarily the result or the achievement, or what colour the medal is around your neck, or if you have a medal at all… it’s more to do with your heart posture & intention, and how you treat other people in the process.

I know God cared more about my heart than my achievement, as he does for everyone else.

The Olympics presented the perfect opportunity to celebrate God’s goodness in my life up until that point, but also for closure – to turn the page, close the chapter, and get on with life. 

Post professional surfing, you have curated a life sans media attention. What has led you to live such a quiet life?

I enjoy a private life, I find immense beauty in the mundane, those moments that are not ‘post’-able. And I have realised, what you see online is hardly an accurate reflection of the truth. 

If you could leave a parting thought for young girls who are wanting to be professional surfers…

 It takes blood, sweat and tears. Buckle up! 

What verse has God laid on your heart recently?

Psalm 23:6

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life.

Because his unconditional love did chase after me everyday of my life…