GearJunkie to Cover, Compete in Winter Teva Mountain Games

Yes, that photo below is indeed a mountain biker hucking off a ramp of snow. If this image is any indication, the first version of the Winter Teva Mountain Games, starting tomorrow in Vail, Colo., should be something special.

With events ranging from rando ski races, to ice climbing, to the Teva Best Trick Bike contest (reference the image below!) the Winter Teva Mountain Games will pull thousands of athletes and spectators from around the world. The overall prize purse for the weekend is $60,000, making the Games one of the biggest events of its kind.

In addition to the sporting events that anchor the Games, there are dinners, films, parties, a photo contest, concerts, and a tent village (called “Gear Town”) in Vail’s city center where companies will offer demos and show off new equipment in an epicenter of outdoor sports.

The Teva Games was created in 2002. It has grown to the point of hosting more than 2,500 adventure athletes and 40,000 spectators over the course of the annual four-day summer event. This year, February 9 – 12, is the inaugural winter event.

GearJunkie.com has long covered the Teva Games, including staff and editors competing in events over the years from an adventure race (2006) to the “All Mountain Challenge” (kayak, bike, run) in 2008. We’re packing now for the Winter Games with plans to compete this year in the “Ultimate Mountain Challenge,” which includes Nordic, rando, and “uphill” components.

Watch the site this week for updates live from the Games. Editor Stephen Regenold and reporter Sean McCoy will be live in Vail for the weekend. They will cover some of the events and then push it hard in competitions. Some serious gear testing is on the schedule, too. Just don’t expect our guys to attempt a back flip on a bike. We’ll leave that to the pros.

—Follow GearJunkie editors as they compete in the “Ultimate Mountain Challenge” and “Teva On-Snow Bike Crit” events this weekend. See more information on the Winter Teva Games at www.tevamountaingames.com.