Pipeline’s female surfing pioneer passes away: Cause of death of legendary surfer
At 55, the surfer, designer, and cultural activist left a profound mark on Hawaii’s most challenging waves and on the history of women’s surfing.
The surfing world is mourning the loss of Lane “Laneski” Davey, a key figure in the evolution of women’s surfing in heavy waves like Pipeline and Bowls. Davey passed away at the age of 55 after a long battle with metastatic cancer, diagnosed in 2023. Her husband, renowned surf photographer Sean Davey, confirmed the news with an emotional message on social media that generated a wave of reactions from the global surfing community.
“Lane fought this like a warrior,” wrote Sean. “I’ve never seen anyone fight so hard to live.” Davey endured a diagnosis that gave her two months to live for nearly two years, enduring five severe surgeries. “Laney actually passed away with a smile on her face. I’ll always love you, Mrs. Mate,” her husband added.
Lane Davey was much more than a surfer. A pioneer in regularly surfing Pipeline since the 1990s, she also founded the “Us Girls” brand at a time when women’s surfing was still considered unmarketable. Her initiative was distributed in more than 50 stores in the US and Japan. She was also a journalist, designer, and academic, even integrating he’enalu (Hawaiian for surfing) courses at the University of Hawaii, where she also taught.
Through her blog and collaborations with media outlets such as Surfing Magazine, National Geographic, and the Honolulu Star Advertiser, she documented the growth of women’s surfing from the water. In December 2024, already ill, she shared her testimony, asking to be recognized for her contributions to Pipeline: “I’ve dedicated 30 years to surfing these waves at dawn. It’s time our history is recognized.”
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