For the last several years, the Teva Mountain Games, the largest outdoor adventure sports festival has become a visitor and locals favorite in Vail Colorado. Teva announced that it has signed a five-year title sponsorship deal with Vail. Teva, which has been a key partner in the first six years of the Mountain Games, has renewed its commitment through 2012. The Teva games take place shortly after the first week in June a prime off season time in Colorado. This year, they were held from June 5 – 8th in Vail Colorado. What makes Vail the perfect choice for this event is that this is the best place in the world to enjoy the outdoors. Vail can literally accommodate any sport that you can imagine and June is a great time for those sports (except maybe fly-fishing), given the incredible roar of the river. The games are environmentally friendly, motorless outdoor sporting event. 2500 athletes both professional and amateur compete from all over the world. There are around seven different sports and 21 different disciplines in the sports with over $100,000 in prize money. The games last only 4 days which seems like a lifetime to some competing as the action is non-stop.
This year's disciplines included kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, road cycling, World Cup and amateur climbing, paragliding, fly-fishing, trail running, diving dogs and multi-sport racing. Some of the best athletes in the world live right here in Eagle County including Jay Henry, Anita Ortiz, Mike Kloser, Billy Mattison, and Daniel Weiland. Not that competing in any of these disciplines is in itself incredible enough, but add to that fact that there is a team of amputees who compete in the Ultra Mountain Challenge, which is four grueling events over two days. A special group that competed for the second year in a row, was called the Senior Snow Pigs. They are a group of veterans who worked on Vail Mountain in the 1960s. Let us not forget that not all athletes are human. Vail Colorado is an extremely dog friendly place where dogs are included in as many things as possible. The Teva games are no different and this year an amazing dog actually jumped 25 feet in the diving dog competition. One of the most popular and crowd pleasing events is bouldering and this year was no exception. This year also marked the first time in 20 years that a World cup climbing event was held on US soil. An estimated 1.4 million people tune into the Teva Mountain Games on national television and on-line broadcasts. The Teva games provides an authentic platform for both amateurs and professional athletes to compete together.
The Teva games boasts more than just adventure, having other great activities, such as concerts, photography competition, film school area, feature Sera Films and of course the Teva Mountain Ball. The town of Vail comes alive during this event. It is something to look forward to after “mud” season, which given the long winter was a welcome sign of Summer. There are booths setup around Vail Village with food and lots of information about how to become more environmentally aware, shopping and even a kayak pool for the kids.
Teva was founded in the early 1980’s by a Colorado River guide, who then pioneered the sport sandal and the entire sport sandal category. Teva is committed to sponsoring this competition which also gives them a great opportunity to showcase their brand of products to their core consumers. Other sponsors of the Teva games include SoBe, Outside Magazine, GNC and the Town of Vail. So if you didn’t get to make it to the games this year, get out your Teva’s and come to Vail for a couple days of outdoor adventure next year.
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