Meet the California 89 Ambassadors!
Anna Yamauchi
Anna is our newest Ambassador. She is a student, skier, mountain biker, kiteboarder, trail runner and outdoor adventurer. At only 17, she is an accomplished Big Mountain skier and was one of 12 females invited to the Junior Freeride World Championships in Austria.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
In 2018 I want to be mentally stronger. I want to challenge myself in new ways, have a more positive mindset, and learn to take setbacks in strides.
What inspires you to #getoutside?
The tahoe community is full of athletes and people that I look up to every day. The outdoors are a playground where I find myself happiest and a place where I can do the things I love.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe?
Skiing powder laps on KT22 or wakesurfing on a sunny and calm morning in Lake Tahoe
Britt Hobart
Britt is a Lake Tahoe local who loves travel, snowboarding and is a talented photographer. She has a knack for capturing those famous Lake Tahoe sunsets.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
Peace. This year I have a lot going on, I will be getting married, turning 30 and doing lots of traveling. In all of this, my goal is to find peace, balance and acceptance, as I know each day leading up to these events will be overwhelming. Another huge goal is to be present in all that I do. As technology takes over more and more, I am really going to try to put the phone down and really be in tune with all that surrounds me.
What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
Snowboarding, is hands down is my favorite outdoor activity. There is no better feeling then gliding across the white waves among the trees. Freedom in every sense of the word is how I feel when snowboarding.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe?
Definitely, taking photos all around the Lake Tahoe Basin. I always carry my camera on me and find new places to shoot whenever I am on a hike or venturing lakeside.
Sunshine Saldivar
Sunny is a Law student, photographer, adventurer and traveler who loves to spend time outdoors with her dog, Atticus.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
In 2018, I will complete law school, take the CA state bar, begin practicing law in CA, travel to some new adventure destinations (my first adventure of 2018 was a trip to NYC with some of my best friends!), read a book I wouldn't normally read, get back in shape/ sign up for a half marathon, sign up for salsa dancing lessons, learn a new hobby, procrastinate less, trust my intuition more & always make time to get outside and create stuff.
What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
It sounds simple, but I love hiking, because I can do it with my dog, I get a good workout at the same time and the views are usually unparalleled.
What inspires you to #getoutside?
My dog, he’s a great adventure partner and he makes it so fun. And honestly just my love for photography, nature and how therapeutic it feels to be out in the fresh air. My week usually goes vastly better after a weekend in the mountains or by the water.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe?
Paddleboarding is my favorite activity in Lake Tahoe. Few things compare to traveling across crystal clear blue Lake Tahoe on a paddle board, while surrounded by mountain, friends and fresh air.
Cortney Hadley
Cortney is a mother, marathon runner, triathlete and loves the outdoors. She enjoys trail running, hiking, biking and paddling and sets a healthy example for her children.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
I’m working to increase my weekly mileage and adding 2 additional days to strength training. I always see an improvement in my running when I’m adding more strength training to my workouts each week.
What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
My favorite outdoor activity is running the local trails. The scenery is amazing, the trails are never boring and you can run almost year round on most of the best trails. My favorites include Animal, Drunken Deer and Emigrant.
What inspires you to #getoutside?
I can't stand wasting the day! More recently I feel like I can’t waste a day of snow! I LOVE running in the snow, it’s so peaceful, quiet and my favorite time of year to run on roads.
Daria Pond
Daria is a triathlete, student and outdoor enthusiast. Cycling and water sports are just some of the activities she enjoys in Northern California.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
Some goals I have for 2018 are to go to race at standard distance triathlon age group world championships in Gold Coast Australia, attempt a half Ironman if I don’t go to worlds, to drop my Olympic distance triathlon time to under 2 hours and 30 minutes, graduate high school along with going off to college.
What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
My favorite outdoor activity is anything in or by the water, for example open water swimming, stand up paddle boarding, wake boarding, or just hanging around in the sand.
What inspires you to #getoutside?
What inspires me to get outside is I’m happier when I’m out of my house especially out in nature, it gives me a sense of decompression from the stress of how crazy my life can get.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe?
My favorite activity around Lake Tahoe is Cycling- every year in June I do a century ride around the lake and it’s so beautiful that I forget how hard the ride is.
Bella Gotts
Bella is a member of the California 89 family (daughter of Lisa Gotts, owner of CA89). She studies nutrition at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, loves travel, skiing, fitness, and has passion for the outdoors.
What are some goals for 2018?
I am hoping to do as much as I can in SLO before I graduate in June (finish everything on my bucket list) and finish these next two quarters with all A's. I aim to travel to a new continent (hopefully South America). To continue to radiate positivity/optimism. Go to yoga at least 3x/week and practice self love and reflection. Try at least 1 new recipe each week to expand on my creativity in the kitchen.
Favorite outdoor activity?
This one kind of depends on the season. In the winter- skiing is hands down my favorite. I've been skiing since I was about 2 years old and I love getting on the mountain with my mom and brother to hit our favorite runs at Squaw Valley (this is my favorite thing to do in Lake Tahoe also too answer the last question) When the weather permits it, which is very frequent in sunny San Luis Obispo, I enjoy running, hiking, biking and going to the beach.
What inspires me to #getoutside?
Taking in the beauty that the outdoors has to offer is something I crave. I am always looking for new hikes and trails, and it helps that SLO has an abundance of these. All of the activities I love to do outside make me feel alive and help me express myself and explore more of what makes me happy.
Seva Fridman
Seva is a father, triathlete, skier, mountaineer, endurance cyclist, and has completed several Ironman competitions. He is originally from Russia where he was an accomplished soccer player.
What are some goals for 2018?
I am hoping 2018 will be the year fulfilled with joy and fun, meaningful actives. Just as 2017 was! I continue to explore the remote section of the world and looking forward to my backcountry ski expedition to Greenland in April. Once back to California, I jump into heavy summer training preparing for Ironman race in Mt. Tremblant in August. Our beloved Tahoe Donner Tri in late July is a great way to tune up for the IM.
Favorite outdoor activity?
My favorite outdoor activities are by far skiing in the winter and triathlon in the summer. In the recent years, i think, i enjoy more backcountry skiing and exploring than the resort skiing. Yet the resort skiing is also a great way to spend a weekend. Triathlons, which include three activities, swimming, biking and running keep me busy and in shape during the summer months.
What inspires me to #getoutside?
Being so lucky to spend a lot of time in Tahoe is very inspirational. The mountains, the lakes, the backcountry roads and trails and, what is most important, same minded, very outdoorsy people living in Tahoe area is the best inspiration I can get.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe
Tahoe area offers some world class outdoor activities. I love skiing in the winter, swimming in the lakes and biking the Tahoe roads in the summer.
Deana Dhillon
Deana is a surfer, snowboarder, yogi and all around adventurer. She hails from Carlsbad, CA where she learned to surf as a child. She enjoys spending time at Lake Tahoe snowboarding and is a talented photographer.
What are some goals you have for 2018?
For 2018 some of my goals are to work and travel as much as I can while staying happy and healthy! I’m hoping to buy a van or a camper with my boyfriend and travel around California and the Pacific North West.
What is your favorite outdoor activity and why?
It’s hard for me to choose one so I would have to say my favorite outdoor activities are Snowboarding AND Surfing. Snowboarding in the powder is just an unexplainable feeling, it’s just like surfing but even better. Hiking up a hill, imagining your line, choosing it and then being able to put your dreams to reality is a pretty epic feeling.
What inspires you to #getoutside?
I think that Nature inspires me the most. I go for the views, the breath of fresh air, the chirping of the birds and the silence of the snowfall.
What is your favorite activity around Lake Tahoe?
I would say my favorite activity in the Winter would be, hiking the backcountry with my friends and their dogs! In the summer, the possibilities are endless. We usually go out on the boat and go wake-boarding or just look for a private cove to swim in, then we end the day with hiking with dogs for a nice sunset above the lake. Tahoe is the BEST ❤️
