Teva signed its first winter athlete to support the launch in September of its new Lifty Collection of winter boots. Professional ski patroller and heli-ski guide, Lel Tone, signed on to the Teva brand team of athletes.  
 
“Lel is truly living the life,” says Amy Stanfield, Teva senior content marketing manager. “For us, Lel represents mountain culture in its purest form. We are beyond excited to welcome our first winter athlete to the team and look forward to helping her live better stories.”
 
Lel grew up in Switzerland where she first put on skis at the age of two. When she eventually moved to the States, she ski raced while in college in Vermont, then moved to Lake Tahoe in 1995 and was hired as a professional ski patroller at Squaw Valley. Fascinated by the beauty of snow science, Lel now divides her winters heli-ski guiding in Alaska, teaching avalanche courses, and patrolling in the Sierras where she has over 16 years of medical and avalanche control experience. Most recently, she was also fortunate enough to travel to Kashmir, India to heli-ski in the Himalayas for Warren Miller’s 2011 release, “Like There’s No Tomorrow.” Come summertime, Lel is drawn to the liquid form of snow and most enjoys paddleboarding and surfing, in addition to mountain biking, trail running and camping.
 
“It’s remarkable where life takes you after putting skis on at such a young age,” says Lel. “The awe and humility that I feel when up against the elements is what keeps me feeling alive and connected. I’m honored that a brand with rich heritage like Teva has welcomed me onto their team and I look forward to taking their passion for adventure onto the snow.”
 
The Lifty Collection of men’s and women’s winter footwear will officially be available at select retailers and online at www.teva.com starting in October 2012.