Washington, DC – National Geographic on Thursday announced its 2014 Adventurers of the Year, whose extraordinary achievements in exploration, adventure sports, conservation or humanitarianism have distinguished them in the past year. Among the 13 honorees are snowboarder Kevin Pearce and skier JP Auclair.

Pearce, of Vermont, was nominated after surviving a traumatic brain injury and launching the “Love Your Brain” campaign to encourage the use of helmets for kids. Canadian freeskier Auclair is best known for re-imagining skiing in urban landscapes.

This year’s honorees also include a long-distance swimmer who was the first to swim from Cuba to Florida without protection from a shark cage, and  two veterans dedicated to establishing connections between veterans and the outdoors

“This is the ninth year that National Geographic has combed the globe to find people who embody the spirit of adventure in diverse ways. The 2014 Adventurers of the Year are truly inspiring and remind us of the importance to pursue our own passions every day,” said Mary Anne Potts, editor of National Geographic Adventure online.

Online voting for the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year is now open and runs through Jan. 31, 2014. Fans can vote every day for their favorite honoree. The adventurer with the most votes at the end of the voting period will be announced in February as the 2014 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year.