Adventure Beat

The Teva Mountain Games wrapped up a week ago, and we left some loose ends on our way to Australia. Foremost was the second annual Everest Awards held June 3 at the Dobson Arena in Vail, as well as the winners of the annual Photography Contest and Filmmakers Shootout. Meanwhile the race continues for the U.S. Whitewater Rafting Team, in hot pursuit of a world record.

VAIL, Colo. — The Dobson Ice Arena was transformed into an elegant ballroom draped in black velvet for the second annual Everest Awards on Saturday night, June 3, 2006. Using the world's highest summit as an analogy for "the highest personal level in each of us," said Adam Druckman of Teva, the Everest Awards are given to those in who have influenced their sport and been a driving force behind positive change. Athlete categories include Trail Running, Climbing, Kayaking, Adventure Racing, Mountain Biking and Expedition of the Year.

Dubbed the “Oscars” of the outdoors, the Everest Awards are given to top athletes who excel in their sports.  This year again the Everest Awards were underwritten by Veramonte, a Chilean winery that's making a play for the younger market — "skewing younger," as the phrase was repeatedly used in Vail — and presented etched six-liter bottles of cabernet sauvignon to each deserving winner. This year's Expedition Of The Year award went to Andrew Skurka, whose hike across North America last year encompassed a 7,778 mile sea-to-sea route over 339 consecutive days. (You can find all Everest Award winners at this link.)

Amidst all the physical strength, grace and skill shown by athletes at the Teva Mountain Games, there were also two contests of a different kind — a photography competition, as photographers from around the country submitted their best outdoor shots to a panel of judges; and a filmmakers shootout, where three teams of amateur filmmakers have 72 hours to make a film about the Teva Mountain Games.

Last year's filmmaker's winner proved a hard standard to reach. "Zoltan," a tongue-in-cheek profile of a whitewater tuber by Rattle Can Studios, won the award last year, and "Zoltan" himself has gone on to become something of an internet celebrity.

But the three competing teams did their best to meet the challenge. The award went to "X-Factor," a parody of the personalities of kayaking's elite by Polly Green and Chris Emerick. Other finalists included Adam Sidman of A Productions and the team of Taylor Seaton and Todd Lorson. (See the winner on video.yahoo.com.)

Among the competing photographs were seven finalists reflecting the images and emotions of the outdoor world. All of the images are powerful statements about the life outdoors, and worth viewing in the accompanying photo gallery. The winner of the grand prize was Steve MacAulay for his photograph of a climber and pictoglyph at Cedar Mesa, Utah.

Long-distance rafting

For some competitors, the race isn't over until the fat lady sings — or, in this case, the Guinness Book of Records recognizes you. On Sunday, June 11, the U.S. National Whitewater Rafting Team will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for number of river miles paddled in a 24-hour period by a raft.

The team will put on the Colorado River at the Shoshone Powerplant in Glenwood Canyon, Colo., and will paddle into Utah as far as they can get in 24 straight hours.  This promises to be about a 250-mile journey through the most beautiful and historical areas of both Colorado and Utah. A full moon will light their course during the night hours.

The whitewater paddling adventure will consist of US National Team members Chris "Mongo" Reeder, Mike Reid, Todd Toledo, Brent Reddin, along with Billy Mattison, winner of this year's Everest Award for Adventure. 

The U.S. National Whitewater Rafting Team placed 3rd at the World Championships last year, and hopes to ride the momentum to the winner's podium at the upcoming World Championships in Costa Rica this fall. They will be paddling a 16-foot 'cataraft' (an inflatable catamaran for whitewater river travel) with four people rowing "Viking Style" and one person using an oar as a rudder to navigate the mild to wild whitewater.  This trip will be also be accompanied by two ambassadors for the Guinness Book of World Records to ensure that the attempt and final results are legitimate.

Stay tuned to the Adventure Beat for an update and exclusive images from the upcoming effort to set a world record by the team.

Next: Canyoning in the Blueys

Previous: Daily updates: Expedition Australia

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