Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar together with iconic Australian surf brand Quiksilver have teamed up to create a specially painted aircraft to launch the 2010 Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast this weekend.

The aircraft landed in the Gold Coast today ahead of the event tomorrow, with some of the world’s best surfing talent on board, including nine times World Champion Surfer Kelly Slater and Australian rising-star Julian Wilson.

Jetstar Head of Marketing and Public Relations David May said Jetstar was proud to be associated with the 2010 Quiksilver Pro and to fly Australia’s best surfers to the event on the special aircraft.

“The artwork designed by Quiksilver is an exceptional piece of Australian design and we’re very excited to have it flying to our holiday destinations here and overseas,” Mr May said.

“This Quiksilver decal is one of only a handful we have done before at Jetstar, and surfing represents the Australian culture that Jetstar is all about – holidays, fun, and good times.”

Quiksilver and Jetstar were inspired by Julian’s passion for surfing in designing the uniquely detailed aircraft, which features him surfing and wearing his signature board shorts designed by his mother Nola .

Julian was both impressed and shocked when he first saw the larger-than life image on the Jetstar A320 aircraft.

“I must admit it was a bit of a shock when I first saw pictures of the aircraft - it’s not every day you see yourself sprawled across an aeroplane,” Mr Wilson said.

“I’m really pleased with the way it looks with my mum’s designs covering the front. It’s a special thing we have created together and it’s incredible to think just how far those surfboard sketches have come,” he said.

Nola’s designs have developed a reputation as having some of the most original and creative board art around the world, with each piece hand drawn with paint pens. She now works closely with Quiksilver to design a range of board shorts which Julian proudly wears.

The Quiksilver and Jetstar aircraft will continue to carry surfers and holiday makers across Australia and overseas to Jetstar’s surfing and leisure destinations.

The Quiksilver Pro begins tomorrow, Friday 26 February at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast and continues throughout next week.

Visit Jetstar.com/3bigbreaks for details on how to win the ultimate surfing journey to three of Jetstar’s most popular destinations including Bali, Hawaii and one of Jetstar’s Australian destinations of the winner’s choice.

For more details on the 2010 Quiksilver Pro visit quiksilver.com.au or Julian Wilson visit julianwilson.com