Vail Valley Foundation Acquires Teva Mountain Games

November 12th, 2008 3:19pm

Tags: Birds of Prey, Ceil Folz, Honda Session, Real Vail, Sports & Outdoors, Teva Mountain Games, Vail Valley Foundation

Best of The Teva Games

The nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation (responsible for the Birds of Prey World Championship) announced Tuesday that they had purchased the Teva Mountain Games from Untraditional Marketing, based in Edwards, Colorado. Teva Mountain Games is the nation's largest annual outdoor sporting event, featuring kayaking, bouldering and the crowd favorite Dock Dogs competition. Professional and amateur athletes from around the world travel to Vail for the three day celebration of mountain sport and lifestyle. (See highlights from the 2008 Teva Mountain Games to the right).

Real Vail reports:

"The agreement marks the culmination of more than a year of discussions between the Foundation and Untraditional Marketing. The Foundation will begin the production of the Teva Mountain Games immediately, with the 2009 Games scheduled for June 4-7 in Vail. Untraditional Marketing and event founder Joel Heath will play a key consulting role in the future development of the property.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to carry on the great legacy of the Teva Mountain Games,” said Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation. “Untraditional has done a tremendous job of growing the event to what we all know and enjoy each year, and we anticipate a great collaboration with Joel Heath in taking the event to new heights.

“Our resources and collaboration with Untraditional will ensure that the Mountain Games not only continues its worldwide dominance as the premier outdoor adventure event, but builds on the legacy and purity that the Mountain Games has delivered for the last seven years.”

So often these transfers of power for large Vail staple events can be cause for worry. Already this year we've lost the fan favorite Honda Session (2009 was scheduled to be the final year), but it sounds as though the Teva Mountain Games are poised to thrive for years to come under the enthusiastic leadership of the Vail Valley Foundation. And, if anyone is wondering if the VVF is up for the task, they only need to look at the fantastic work the Foundation has done in the past with Birds of Prey and the Session.

Here are some shots from the 2008 Teva Mountain Games.

Photo Gallery

Arguably the best adrenaline festival in the world, the Teva Mountain Games wrapped up its 2008 season with an array of athletic magic, ranging from back flips on mountain bikes and kayaks to people dousing themselves in mud while sprinting and World Cup bouldering. Teeth were bared, heart rates were high. See what it all looked like ...