VAIL — When Teva sandal inventor Mark Thatcher first dreamed up the idea for the world’s first “sport sandals,” he never envisioned how many sports his shoes would ultimately dip their toes into.
But that little ankle strap the former river guide attached to his flip-flops to keep them from floating away back in the early 1980s has hung on long enough for the soles to sprout some soul and branch out to any number of adventure activities — from rock climbing to trail running.
Those two sports, along with five others, are on display at this weekend’s eighth edition of the Teva Mountain Games in Vail. Scheduled today through Sunday in the streets and creeks of Vail Village, some 1,400 athletes are expected to compete for more than $100,000 in 21 disciplines, attracting the best of the best. Nearly 35,000 spectators are expected to contribute to the festive celebration of mountain culture.
For the uninitiated, it can be a little overwhelming. So here’s some background to help you take the plunge into a new adventure. (Note: schedule subject to change)
Sports
Paddling: This is the cornerstone of the TMG, driven by kayak freestyle competition on Gore Creek at Vail’s International Bridge (finals at 4:15 p.m. Saturday). Also known as “rodeo,” the contest scores kayakers for tricks they perform while surfing a standing wave in the river. Other contests include: a 4-mile downriver sprint race; the carnage-infused “8-Ball” race where boats double as battering rams; and a raft-cross race.
Bouldering: The object is to solve rock-climbing problems on an impressive man-made course, which requires a serious blend of gymnastic ability and grip strength. With 32 graded problems to choose from, competitors are scored by their best five ascents.
Running: The 10K Spring Runoff is pretty self-explanatory as far as trail running goes. Ditto on the road-running side for the newly added half-marathon up Vail Pass.
Cycling: Trail riders and roadies are represented in the cross country and hill-climb events on Vail Mountain and up Vail Pass, respectively (both cycling events, the kayak sprint and 10K run also comprise the Ultimate Mountain Challenge event). But the showstopper arrives with the fat tire freeride (3 p.m. Saturday) and slopestyle (2 p.m. Sunday) contests, where the stunt-riders’ only limitations are their imaginations. And maybe gravity.
Fly-fishing: Casting for accuracy and distance serve as the qualifier (Saturday) for finalists who can select two fly patterns to land the catch of the day while floating the rapids of the Eagle River (Sunday).
Dog comp: A fan favorite, dogs compete in distance off the dock, highest vertical leap and speed retrieve (finals: 2:30 p.m. Sunday).
Main event: 2008 marked the first time the IFSC Bouldering World Cup made its way to American soil, and U.S. climbers took the overall team title. The Americans will attempt to defend their turf in international competition once again Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Entertainment
Free concerts tonight (Meese with Pete Kilpatrick Band) and Saturday (Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones) in the heart of town at 6 p.m. Films at the Lodge at Vail include Costa Del Mar’s “Blue Highway” (8 p.m. tonight), “Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk” (8 p.m. Saturday) and the Telluride Mountainfilm Zero Emissions Tour (4 p.m. Sunday).
For the family
The Bear Naked Adventure Village at Golden Peak (on the east side of Vail Mountain) offers a family-friendly taste of many of the TMG sports. Kids can learn to kayak “sit on top” style in giant pools, climb on a portable climbing wall or have some fun on the bungee run.
Details.
