Ocean Bloom
Fitness Pro World Champion
Vancouver, BC

Ocean Bloom is a Personal Trainer, Choreographer, Actress, and a Pro Fitness Competitor Model. In 2005 and 2007 she won the first ever FAME Fitness Pro with stunning physical performances.

Ocean's physical abilities started at the age of five when she first decided to be a professional dancer. Since then she achieved many fitness titles and throughout the years appeared repeatedly at fitness magazines such as Double XL, Oxygen, and Woman's Physique World among many others. She has also been featured on several TV shows including ESPN, TSN, City TV, etc.

Ocean is currently living in Vancouver , British Columbia where she is very much involved with the fitness community. Please visit Ocean's website for more information and her schedules of next appearances at www.ocenabloom.com

Mandy-Rae Cruickshank
World Freediving Champion
Coquitlam, BC

Born in Canada in 1974, Mandy-Rae was introduced to freediving in 2000. It was an instant attraction for her. "What better way to experience the sea and challenge yourself at the same time", she says.

In April 2007 Mandy-Rae broke the women's World record in constant ballast (kicking down to depth and back with weights under her own power) with a depth of 88m / 289ft on one breath of air. Her first World record was in the no-limits category to 136 meters. Since then, Mandy-Rae has gone on to capture more than thirteen National records and seven World records. As a four time member of Team Canada she has been there to help the women's team to four top three finishes (including two 1^st place finishes) in AIDA International competitions.

Mandy-Rae lives in Coquitlam, BC with her husband and trainer Kirk Krack and their dog Cody. They work at Performance Freediving, the company Kirk founded in order to help introduce the world to the sport of freediving.

"Working out in VATA Brasil clothing allows your body to workout at it's fullest potential while at the same time allowing you to look good in the midst of a gulling workout."

Christen Kwan
North American Natural Pro Bodybuilding Champion
North Vancouver, BC

Chris Kwan is a World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO) professional bodybuilder and has been successfully competing in natural bodybuilding for over 7 years. She is a BCRPA registered personal trainer and has been teaching group fitness classes for almost 10 years. Chris has also recently started her own nutritional consulting business, Core Ten Physical Evolutions. 

Chris is passionate about providing information and educating others so that they, too, can experience the many benefits of enhanced lifestyle habits.  Not only is Chris busy in the gym, she is the proud mother of 3 wonderful kids, Katrina (18), Evan (16) and Emily (12). 

“I love that VATA Brasil clothing is made from an excellent quality fabric that stretches to fit all body types nicely without any pinching or binding.  Being a woman with a little extra muscle, I find it difficult to get in and out of some fitness wear.  I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve actually been “stuck” with a top half way on or off.  I love all the fabulous, fun colours and styles too!

Heather L. Gray
Choreographer
Vancouver, BC

Heather Laura Gray is an emerging urban contemporary choreographer who is eager to bring new audiences out to experience dance. Over the past 12 years Heather has performed in musicals, dance companies, film and television along with creating for herself and others. She has produced plays; dance showcases, co-produced a film and is a published author. Selected performance credits include: “Dances For a Small Stage 15, 2007“; “The Score” (CBC Movie Musical); ”PIECES of Heather Laura Gray”(Dance Theatre); “Gabrielle and Evangeline”(Musical) PEI; “Disney Cruise Lines”(Musical) USA; “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”(Musical) T.O.; “The Lizzy Mcguire Movie“(Feature Film); “The Chris Isaak Show” (TV), “Dead Like Me” (TV), “The Legends of Earthsea” (Miniseries).

Heather is Artistic Director of Urbanflow Productions whose goal is to build a new generation of theatre enthusiasts by presenting the highest quality of interdisciplinary dance theatre. Please visit www.urbanflowproductions.com for more information on upcoming performances and classes.

Patty Cruikshank
FAME Westcost Champion
Coquitlam, BC

"I workout hard for about 2 hours daily and that's why I need to wear comfortable, durable, and of coarse something that looks good on me. VATA Brasil offers me
all that and much more. I love the color and the way it hugs my body, very multifunctional, easy to wear in and out of the gym which makes my life so much easier."

From Brazil and living in Vancouver for 14 years, Patty has been physically active all her life but after having kids things changed, she says. Patty is married and has 2 beautiful boys. In 2007 she decided to hire a personal trainer and entered her first fitness competition, FAME Westcost Ocean Bloom. "To my surprise I ended up winning all my categories: Fitness Model, Fitness Master and Bodybuilding as Physically Challenged. Since then I have been competing and doing
very well. My goal is to inspired others to get healthy and to be active. Once you believe in yourself you can achieve any goals set in front of you", Patty says.

Ananda Escudero Gomes
National Freediving Champion
Burnaby. BC

Ananda is a natural talented freediver, who has strongly accomplished to be one of the top female freedivers in the world in short period of time. She achieved greater depths diving below 50m in only 4 months since she started Freediving in 2004.

With just about 3 years of experience Ananda finished in 4^th place at the World Freediving Championship in Nice, France with a depth of 60m in September 2005. In 2006 she broke her own South American record diving to 63m and finished the year in the list of the Top 10 Best Women Freedivers.

Julia "The Jewel" Budd
Canadian Muai Thai Champion
Port Moody, BC

A native of BC's Sunshine Coast, Julia has been competing in sports since she was very young. Track, soccer and baseball were her passions as a girl. Julia is now the Canadian champion in her weight division for Muay Thai Kickboxing.

Julia isn't a lightweight when it comes to her education, either. She is graduating from the University of BC with a Bachelor's degree in human kinetics, and plans to complete a Masters Degree in Sports Psychology.

Julia now lives in Port Moody, where she works as a personal trainer and spin instructor with adults over 50 who have health concerns.

Katrina Kwan
Advanced Fitness Model Competitor
North Vancouver, BC

Katrina has been dancing for 12 years and recently graduated from a pre-professional dance program based in North Vancouver.  She currently teaches jazz and hip-hop to children at recreation centers. Katrina recently entered her first fitness model competition and placed 4th at the WNSO western regional championship.  She then went on to compete in the advanced division at the National level. Katrina was inspired by her Mom to clean up her typical teenager’s diet.  She found it relatively easy to make the necessary lifestyle changes, which resulted in amazing changes to her physique. 

"The comfort and style in VATA Brasil clothes makes them great for school, dance, working out at the gym, as well as just hanging out with friends."

Connie Gallo
Fitness Champion
North Vancouver, BC

Connie's life as an award-winning fitness competitor started the day she stepped foot in her local gym. She never looked back, and her body today proves what devotion to fitness can accomplish.

Connie is also an award-winning hairstylist, winning the prestigious title of North American Hair Stylist of the Year.

"VATA's line of workout wear is truly motivating because the cut and the fabric highlight and define the physique that you work so hard for," she says. "They make you want to work harder to keep your body fit and healthy."

Connie says her success would never have come without her wonderful support team of friends, family and fellow fitness gurus.

Tracy Fruin
Fitness Champion
Burnaby, BC

Tracy's inspirational story started simply out of the desire to get fit.  She hadn't participated in sports since gradeschool, but was feeling lazy and wanted to do something about it. She worked with a personal trainer and was so happy with the results, she became one herself.

Tracy also started competing, and placed first in the fitness model category of the Western Regional Championship of the World Natural Sports Organization. She says "competing is a really great way to challenge myself physically, and is something that I truly enjoy."

Tracy loves the VATA Brasil line because it is so comfortable to train in, and also transitions well to street clothes. She wears VATA Brasil to train clients and to run errands around town.

Shannon Cluff
Yoga Instructor
Vancouver, BC

Shannon arrived in Vancouver in 1999 to become an actor and dancer, but was caught up in the obsession with healthy living and became a yoga instructor in 2004. She is a director and teacher at Sanga Yoga Studio in Vancouver.

"The most amazing quality of VATA clothing is the support I feel while wearing them.  I find that it hugs my body without restricting my movements which makes them great for everything ," says Shannon. "I can feel just as comfortable in a backbend as I do in walking the dog."

Shannon's family and friends are the most important things in her life, and yoga helps her maintain healthy relationships with them.

Her advice to athletes is to make breathing exercises and stretching a bigger part of weekly workouts. It provides better protection against stiffness and injury as well as more energy.

Tina Currie
Personal Trainer
Squamish, BC

"I am enjoying the outfits, they are so comfortable and during my pregnancy I felt great with them. They also keep me looking professional with my work as I am a Personal Fitness Trainer", says Tina.

"VATA clothing allows for freedom of movement."

Tina shares in this passion for the freedom of movement, and it is a motivating force in her personal training philosophy; everyone has the ability to make changes to their lifestyle and to truly feel remarkable, both with the physical body as well as with the inner body.

Tina is mindful and skilled at modifying programs to create a personal training environment out of her home, which allows for freedom and growth within the needs of her clients. She has facilitated training for a diverse client base through her 12 years as a personal trainer in Vancouver. The drive for teaching lifestyle changes, which is the name of her personal training business, TLC: Teaching Lifestyle Changes began in her youth with a competitive level of participation in sport. This then grew into her respect for the human body and for the human potential through movement in its most balanced and natural approach. She has studied yoga intensively and incorporates the respect for movement, and balance within the body; it is encouraging to know that one can achieve a powerful state of being through movement.