Surfer hits road with message

Leah Dawson and Cindy Santini spread cancer awareness in their Wicked van at the Festival of Surfing.  

Geoff Potterne

As she eyed Sunday’s Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing pro women’s final on Sunday, Hawaiian longboarder Leah Dawson was happy to give some of her rivals a spray.

The two-time Pipeline Pro champion, who has finished as high as three in the world championships, likes to keep abreast of the competition.

As she revelled in the “epic” waves going off at the Noosa points on a competition layday on Friday, Leah was happy to show off the wicked artistic handiwork of some real surfing professionals.

The best female longboarders in the world did the business on the Be Love Bus provided to her during her first tour of Australia by Wicked Campers to help raise awareness for the Keep A Breast Foundation.

Leah said her life thankfully had not been touched by breast cancer, but she had a real passion for promoting the good fight against this major killer of women.

“It’s been really great. In-between surfs in these epic waves we’ve been getting some of the pro girls to spray the van with their artwork,” she said.

“We’ve also had a couple of Aboriginal artists paint on it and they did some cool work.”

Leah said she had been waiting six years to come to Australia to surf Noosa, and organisers said she was welcome back every time if she and the Be Love Bus could bring in a swell like this.

Leah, who has been travelling with musician Cindy Santini, began the Be Love Bus tour on the Gold Coast three weeks ago at the Quicksilver/Roxy Pro and arrived in Noosa last week.

“Australia is an amazing place and I’ve never surfed as good a wave as Noosa before,” Leah said.

The girls have been documenting their trip, posting video blogs and photos for fans and followers to enjoy.

Follow the girls on their journey or make a donation for their Keep A Breast fundraiser at belovebus.com. Leah lost on Sunday to Crystal Dzigas.