20th annual Skate the Lake raises nearly $70,000 for Boarding for Breast Cancer

TAHOE CITY, Calif. - Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC) turned Lake Tahoe pink this weekend at the 20th annual Skate the Lake presented by LivOn Labs. 185 participants joined the nonprofit in the push for prevention, raising nearly $70,000 for B4BC’s education, prevention, and survivorship programs while supporting their mission of a healthy, active lifestyle, and early detection as the best means of breast cancer prevention. The weekend was full of fun and fundraising, kicking off with the Community Celebration at Common’s Beach on Saturday, July 20, followed by the 28-mile skate-bike-roll on Sunday, July 21.

Saturday brought sunny skies to Commons Beach for the Community Celebration as Skate the Lake participants and the Tahoe City community enjoyed the festivities and registered for the skate-bike-roll. Partnering vendors showcased different products, games, drinks, and auctions and B4BC’s booth was buzzing with excitement and breast health education. Kellee Rich helped participants get relaxed and ready for the 28-mile skate-bike-roll with some yoga, and live music by Bear Whiskey and other local Tahoe talents including Crash Monkeys, Mama Foxxy and The Whiskey Gypsy Rebels, Fragile Like a Bomb, The New Donovans and G Brown Sound provided the soundtrack for the afternoon, courtesy of Mountain Vibe Music Festival. The day ended with a raffle featuring plenty of prizes from partnering action sports, health, and wellness brands.

Participants arrived at Sugar Pine Point Park bright and early Sunday morning to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Skate the Lake and push for prevention in honor of those affected by breast cancer. It was a great mix of first-time riders and veteran participants, including Jason Knight, who commemorated his 19thyear of skating 28 miles at Skate the Lake, and Kayla Anderson and Doug Carbonari, who both rung in 18 years. Shuttles transported everyone to the starting line, and they set off on the 28-mile journey to Common’s Beach! Hydration stations were set up throughout the course to keep participants cool with hydration provided by Suja Organic, ÜR Watur and BUBS Naturals Hydrate or Die Electrolytes, and an 8-mile drop in point (and a delicious lunch!) were offered at the Palisades Auld Dubliner for those who wanted to participate in a shorter skate-bike-roll. Participants crossed the finish line at Common’s Beach and were greeted with a cheering section and awards party, including final raffles, auctions, and prizing for the top three fundraisers.

Top fundraisers included Clayton Fraser who raised $5,000, followed by Matt Salcedo at $4,200 and Charles Carbone who fundraised $3,145. They each were prized a custom B4BC engraved knife from Diamond Legacy Branding. The top fundraising teams were Gleaming the Rubix at $4,730, Laubender Crew who fundraised $2,000 and Battle Born Derby who raised $1,015.

It’s a great honor to have been hosting this event for two decades now,” said Lisa Hudson, B4BC co-founder and president. “We’re grateful to have many returning participants who have been with us since the beginning, and we continue to grow with new riders each year. We’ve watched Skate the Lake become something that people look forward to every year, and it’s shown us that we have a community that will continue to not only ride for us, but rally for breast cancer awareness year after year. Our mission is resonating, and that is the whole reason we do what we do.”

Virtual participants were also invited to join the fun by pushing for prevention on their local trail and sharing their ride via social media, spreading B4BC’s mission around the world. All funds raised at Skate the Lake benefit B4BC’s breast cancer education, prevention and survivorship programs. This event kicked off the Summer Skate Series, with supporters eager to rally for breast cancer awareness once again at the 17th annual Skate the Coast, which will take place October 26-27th in Santa Monica, Calif.

B4BC would like to give a huge thank you to its Skate the Lake sponsors, including LivOn Labs, North Tahoe Community Alliance, CAPACITY,The Morrison Group Tahoe, Yeti, Mountain Vibe Music, ÜR Watür, Suja Organic, Sun Bum, Arbor Skateboards, Firestone Walker, GoPro, The North Face, Pura Vida, Tahoe Longboards, Palisades Tahoe Village, Auld Dubliner Tahoe, KTKE, Premier Plate Rental, Tahoe City Public Utility District, Traeger Grills, Seaborn Cocktails, Super 73, BUBS Naturals, Dakine, Dragon Alliance, etnies, Melin,Von Zipper, Zumiez, Tahoe Dave’s, Triple 8, Pro-Tec, Hume Supernatural, EXL Media, Kendric Vineyards, River Ranch Lodge, West Shore Market and Pastime Club.

B4BC would also like to thank the dedicated Skate the Lake volunteers who helped make the event successful.