HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., June 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 16 participants have been announced for the second annual Mauli Ola Foundation's Battle for the Breasts presented by Ambry Genetics, a virtual surf video contest on Surfline.com. The world's best female surfers will go head-to-head during October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) to raise awareness and compete for genetic testing vouchers donated by Ambry Genetics on behalf of Mauli Ola Foundation to the qualifying cancer clinics.
"We're super excited to bring back the second installment of this powerful charity surf event," said Event Director Mike Cianciulli. "Not only do we get to highlight some of the best women's surfing in the world, but also raise awareness while supporting such a great cause."
The surfers in the event will represent 16 randomly selected cancer center/clinic foundations and win up to $125,000 worth of hereditary breast cancer testing vouchers, donated on their behalf by Ambry Genetics. The remaining 12 foundations/clinics will also receive a voucher for genetic testing a comprehensive BRCA1 & 2 analysis for participating in the contest.
"The 'Battle' is real," said Hans Hagen, Mauli Ola Foundation Executive Director. "The key to surviving breast cancer is early detection. By pairing the top 16 professional women surfers with these cancer foundations and clinics, our goals are to educate a younger audience, provide aid to those who don't have access to genetic testing and simultaneously elevate the sport."
Last year's winner, Bethany Hamilton, is expecting a baby and will not compete this year but is in full support of this year's group of competitors, which includes 2014 runner-up Tatiana Weston-Webb, along with Carissa Moore, Courtney Conlogue, Alana Blanchard, Coco Ho, Sage Erickson, Laura Enever, Silvana Lima, Lakey Peterson, Bianca Buitendag, Nikki vVan Dijk, Dimity Stoyle, Alessa Quizon, Johanne Defay, Pauline Ado and Mahina Maeda.
"Battle for the Breast has helped me raise awareness of genetic testing in my clinic," said Dr. Lisa Curcio, Breast Surgical Oncologist at Breast Link. "After winning the testing vouchers [in 2014 via Bethany Hamilton], I have been able to help many of the underserved population who didn't have access to testing before in my practice."
The bracket-style online video competition will see the playing field narrow throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Check Surfline.com weekly during October to vote on each round and follow the surfers to victory.
Watch the 2015 Battle for the Breasts trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLOZQrqzSvE
Relive Bethany's winning performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XPvJxp5cQY
About the Mauli Ola Foundation
The Mauli Ola Foundation is a non-profit organization which serves children and young adults living with genetic diseases and cancer. Through awareness campaigns, bedside hospital visits, and our surf experience days, we aim to provide a community which fosters hope, confidence and an improved quality of life. To learn more about Mauli Ola Foundation, please visit www.mauliola.org.
About Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc.
Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc. specializes in providing live and predicted ocean weather information, editorial content, and consulting services to consumers, businesses, and government agencies worldwide.
Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Surfline/Wavetrak Inc. is focused on enabling its customers to pursue peak surfing, marine, and fishing experiences through the Surfline.com, Buoyweather.com, and FishTrack.com brands on web and mobile platforms.
The Company offers paid premium subscription services on both web and mobile platforms. In addition to paid subscriptions, the Company also offers advertising and provides a range of marketing services designed to reach and connect with users of Surfline, Buoyweather, and FishTrack.
For more information on Surfline, please visit http://www.surfline.com and check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/surfline. You can follow us on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/surfline and Instagram: @surfline.
About Ambry Genetics
Ambry Genetics is College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified. Together with its subsidiary Progeny Genetics, Ambry is a worldwide leader in clinical genetics diagnostics and software solutions. Ambry is known for unparalleled results reporting, sharing data, safeguarding patient privacy, and responsibly applying new technologies. To learn more about Ambry Genetics, please visit www.ambrygen.com.