Outdoor Games

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Teva Mountain Games

The Teva Mountain Games, set for early June, has rightly dubbed itself “the country's largest celebration of mountain sport, soul and culture.” The festival has some of the largest cash prizes, a laundry list of big-time sponsors, and the luxury of taking place in one of the country’s eminent mountain towns: Vail.

With prize money totaling over $100,000, the Teva Games annually lure some of the best athletes from around the world.

“We’re trying to create accessibility,” says Joel Heath,  founder of the festival. “So many times the best climbers are out in the middle of nowhere, or the best kayakers are in the back woods. So we wanted to create accessibility. We want people to see these sports first-hand, right in the heart of Vail Village.”

Mission accomplished. Not only does Vail become the world headquarters of mountain sports for a weekend, but spectators can easily watch—and even interact with—some of the biggest names in mountain sports.

Jaime Eschette, who handles corporate relations for Teva, the Games’ main sponsor, has witnessed that interaction first-hand. She recalled seeing Pat Keller, a world-class kayaker, floating downriver with a Vail resident, giving him tips as they drifted along. She also says that last year cyclist Floyd Landis stopped during a ride to chat with someone holding a sign that bore his name.

“The Mountain Games has one of the biggest purses in the industry, so money’s at stake,” Eschette says. “But it still has that appeal of just being in the outdoors, enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. Everybody—even pros—can enjoy that. So it’s about more than the money.”

When: Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8

Events: Freestyle and extreme kayaking, kayak and raft paddlecross, bouldering, speed and dyno climbing, mountain bike freeride, big air biking, cross country biking, road bike racing and trail running. Also concerts nightly plus the annual Mountain Ball.

Location: Organizers of the Teva Games say that there simply is no better location—in terms of both nature and comfort—to host this event. Heath refers to Vail as a “mountain Mecca,” while Eschette describes the town as “the epic place to experience outdoor competition and the outdoor lifestyle.”

“The outdoor lifestyle is about traveling to your destination, competing there, and then enjoying it afterwards,” says Eschette. “What better place to do that than Vail?”        

What’s Unique: New this year, the Green Light District is an area devoted to showcasing environmentally friendly ideas, products and services. Heath concedes that the festival is not entirely “green,” but he sees this new feature as a way of taking positive steps towards preserving nature.

“If someone brings their kayak up here, they probably used an SUV,” Heath admits. “But it’s still part of our core value. We’re racing on planet Earth, so we need to take care of planet Earth. We’re just doing what we can.”

A photo competition will also be featured in which photographers will have 58 hours to capture the people, events and natural beauty that make this festival what it is. They will then submit what they think are their three best photos, which will be judged by a panel. The top three contestants will receive cash and have their photos showcased on the Teva Mountain Games website.

Info: www.tevamountaingames.com

Other Sports Festivals Around the Rockies

April 24-27, 12th Annual New Belgium Fruita Fat Tire Festival. Fruita. www.fruitamountainbike.com

May 22, Clear Creek Whitewater Festival. Clear Creek Whitewater Park, Golden.www.goldenriversports.net

May 30-June 1, Lyons Outdoor Games. Lyons. www.lyons-colorado.com/whitewater

June 6-8, Colorado Cycling Festival. Ft. Collins. www.cyclingfestival.com

June 7, Bicycle and Trails Festival. Colorado Springs. www.trailsandopenspaces.org

June 18-22, Crested Butte’s 27th Anniversary Fat Tire Bike Week. Crested Butte. www.ftbw.com

July 9-13, International Climbers’ Festival. Lander, WY. www.climbersfestival.org

August 14-18, Gunnison River Festival. Gunnison. www.gunnisonriverfestival.com

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