2022 California Gold Team
Outside of lifeguarding in the summers Peyton teaches high school computer science and music, works as a swim coach and sings in his own band. Peyton is a “craft” specialist. He specializes in the surfski and surfboat, which tagged along with his swimming abilities he enjoys competing in the American and International Ironman. Peyton ranked 3rd in the American Ironman at 2021 Nationals. Peyton is participating in The California Gold “to support the Ben Carlson Foundation and show lifeguards across the country that there are so many people who share their love for the job and sport of lifesaving”.
Peyton Ouano - Monmouth County Lifeguards, New Jersey
Nate has been a lifeguard for Monmouth County Usla at Long Beach Island, New Jersey for 17 years! Nate recently moved to San Diego, California to coach at sdckt . He is a surfski and board specialist who has had multiple podium finishes at USLA Nationals, and also competes on the USA Sprint Kayaking National Team. This past year Nate won The Chattajack 31 mile surfski race with Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Barton in Tennessee! Fun Fact: Nate grew up land locked in Pennsylvania and saw the ocean for the first time at the age of 17 when his high school swim coach brought him to New Jersey to try out to become an ocean lifeguard! As a lifeguard, Nate appreciates putting his fitness to work helping people and is always eager for a race in the waves!
Nate Humbertson - Monmouth County Lifeguards, New Jersey
Sam grew up with a love for the water from swimming, playing water polo AND following her dad’s Olympic footsteps in Sprint Kayaking. Sam started competing for sdckt in Sprint Kayaking at the age of 7, and now at the age of 24 she has represented the US National Team 7 times, including the 2019 World Championships. Sam is currently studying Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management at San Diego State University. Fun Fact: This past summer Sam worked as a whitewater rafting guide in North Carolina! So if you’re looking for an Olympic caliber rafting guide, you now know who to contact! Sam is participating in the California Gold to “raise awareness of drowning and compete with top surf racing athletes”.
Sam Barlow - San Diego City Lifeguards, California
As a “military kid”, Tyler grew up in many different places, but the place that had the greatest impact on him was Hawaii, where he lived for 7 years before moving to California. Tyler is an overall WATERMAN! He has paddled the Molokai Channel in Hawaii 13 TIMES (2x Paddleboard, 2x SUP, 1x surfski, 8x outrigger)! He also has competed internationally where his outrigger team won the race around the island of Hong Kong. Tyler moved to California 2 years ago to pursue a career in lifeguarding. He currently lives in San Diego and also trains with The San Diego Canoe and Kayak Team!
Tyler Jaggers - San Diego City Lifeguards, California
Ben is a lifeguard for both LA County Lifeguards and Cal State Lifeguards at Mugu State Beach. Born and raised in Malibu, California Ben became involved with the junior lifeguard program at an early age, where he started competing in surf racing competitions. Ben has been a member of the USLA Surf Racing national team in 2015 in Australia and 2017 in New Zealand. Not only is Ben a stellar athlete, but he is also a talented violinist! Fun Fact: Ben played at Carnegie Hall with his high school orchestra. Ben said he is looking forward to participating in The California Gold to challenge himself and help raise awareness of drowning and water safety through the Ben Carlson Foundation.
Ben Tran - Los Angeles County Lifeguards, California
Coral has worked as an Ocean Lifeguard for the LA County Fire Department for the past 15 years. Coral played Water Polo for Cal Berkeley where she studied French. Besides being a strong swimmer Coral is a “Board Specialist”. With multiple National Team appearances and top finishing performances at the regional and national level, Coral has recently earned an appointment to the USLA U-19 National Team coaching staff. Coral’s daily life revolves around the ocean. She says, “My day isn’t complete unless my skin either sweats chlorine, I taste like salt, or sand shakes out of my hair.”
“Lifesaving sport is so inspiring to me because of its humanitarian purpose. What other sport directly influences the training of lifeguards and promotes drowning prevention? My main motivation for competing in the California Gold is to spread awareness of lifesaving sport and encourage growth among professional and junior lifeguards.”
Coral Kemp - Los Angeles Lifeguards, California
Peter is a lifeguard at Riis Park in New York City where he studied exercise science at Brooklyn College and competed on their swim team. Peter started out surfing at a young age and then got into triathlons before discovering surf lifesaving. Peter specializes in surfski and paddleboard. At 2021 nationals he ranked 5th in the Surfski and 11th in the Board Race. Peter loves endurance races and got 3rd in the 2021 Cape May Surfski Paddle. He is looking forward to The California Gold and we are looking forward to having him on this year’s Cal Gold Team!
Peter Ebert - Riis Park, New York
Dustin Simis - san diego Lifeguards, California
Hayden hundeby - Laguna beach Lifeguards, California
Ellah campagna - san diego lifeguards, california
Ava Albertson - LA County Jr. LIfeguards, California
greyson tracey - san diego lifeguards, california
Kristin DiTommmaso - Monmouth County Lifeguards, New Jersey
Reed Barbour - Santa Cruz LIfeguards, California
amy okada - la county LIfeguards, California
chris barlow - san diego LIfeguards, California
Race Director of The California Gold. Renae currently works as a lifeguard for both Huntington State Beach and La County Fire. Renae holds 7 national titles and has represented the United States on 6 National Teams between surf lifesaving and sprint kayaking, including the recent 2019 Lima PanAmerican Games. As a collegiate rower Renae got hooked into the sport of lifesaving when she started rowing surfboats in 2015. From there, she picked up the discipline of surfski and hasn’t stopped since. Inspired by Ben Carlson, Renae stated “Sean and I wanted to use this race to bring together lifesavers from around the world in memory of those that we lost, and to promote a cause we deeply care about - Drowning Prevention”
Renae Jackson - Los Angeles County Lifeguards, California
porter hogan - laguna beach lifeguards, california
patrick hemmens - laguna beach lifeguards, california
noelani vernon - LA County Jr. LIfeguards, California
Maddie Cooke - Monmouth County Lifeguards, New Jersey
James ahearn - Orange County LIfeguards, California
Samuel regen - Long beach LIfeguards, California
katelyn nimskey - la county LIfeguards, California
Anders Hundeby - Laguna beach Lifeguards, California
Dani zimmerman - monmouth county lifeguards, new jersey
Austin trinkle - long beach lifeguards, california
Kelsey Lynch - Los Angeles County LIfeguards, California
Rylee Nakayama - LA County Jr. LIfeguards, California
Kees Van Der Meer - Santa Cruz LIfeguards, California
eric brust - long beach LIfeguards, California
Alex Sweeney - orange county LIfeguards, California
Emmanuel Arias - LA County Jr. LIfeguards, California
Hunter was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and currently lives in San Diego, California where he studied real estate and finance at the University of San Diego. Hunter is a paddleboard specialist but growing up in Hawaii he is an overall waterman. Hunter has competed in more than 20 Molokai and Catalina Channel Crossing and is also a 2x ISA Prone Paddleboard World Champion. Fun fact: Hunter won his first World Championship Title in prone distance paddling at the young age of 21! Hunter has also represented the U19 lifesaving national team in Australia in 2015 and Netherlands 2016. In 2020 Hunter was studying abroad in Australia where he was lifeguarding for North Bondi and had plans to compete in the Coolangatta Gold when he got sent back to the US after the covid pandemic took off. Hunter’s dad was a Newport Beach Lifeguard which inspired him to participate in The California Gold race in memory of Ben Carlson. “I want to participate to set an example for the next generation to have ambitious goals and face great challenges. It is no secret that the Australian's dominate this sport, so to inspire some of the younger kids to get into ocean sports would be great.”
