Top Ice Climbers Converge on Vail for the inaugural Winter Teva Mountain Games presented by Eddie Bauer, Feb. 10-12

The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
  • The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
    The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
    The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
    The Mixed Climbing competition wall being erected at Golden Peak in Vail
  • The climbing wall for the Winter Teva Mountain Games goes up.
    The climbing wall for the Winter Teva Mountain Games goes up.
    The climbing wall for the Winter Teva Mountain Games goes up.
    The climbing wall for the Winter Teva Mountain Games goes up.

The Teva Mountain Games, which hosts the only World Cup climbing competition in the U.S. each summer, is now attracting the world’s top ice climbers for the country’s newest and richest mixed climbing competition, part of the inaugural Winter Teva Mountain Games (WTMG) presented by Eddie Bauer. Twenty climbers will battle it out for an $8,000 cash purse on a new, 50-foot artificial climbing wall at the Eddie Bauer Mixed Climbing competition on Friday, February 10.

“Mixed climbing involves the use of modern ice climbing tools – leashless axes and crampons –to complete routes that include both rock and ice features,” states professional ice climber and Winter Teva Mountain Games climbing specialist, Josh Wharton. “This competition will showcase the amazing strength and agility elite ice climbers use at the pinnacle of their sport.”

The Eddie Bauer Mixed Climbing competition will take place on a newly constructed climbing wall located at the Golden Peak base area in Vail. The competition is an invitational, featuring 20 climbers from around world. Athletes to watch at WTMG include 2012 Ouray Ice Festival podium finishers Emily Harrington, Dawn Glanc, Andres Marin, Bryan Gilmore and Sam Elias.

“Some of the country’s toughest routes are located just down the road from where we’re hosting this competition in East Vail,” continued Wharton. “Vail is a world-class destination for mixed climbers, and the climbers coming to WTMG are both psyched to compete and get out to climb in the surrounding area.”

The Eddie Bauer Mixed Climbing competition will get underway at 10 a.m. on Friday with qualifying rounds. The finals will start at 6 p.m. under the lights and the competition will be capped off with a “Super Final” round, pitting the fastest male climber against the fastest female.

Current list of competitors

1. Sam Elias

2. Will Mayo

3. Josh Wharton

4. Andres Marin

5. Bryan Gilmore

6. Josh Worley

7. Adam Knoff

8. Justin Spain

9. Charlie Ziulkowski

10. Stanislav Vrba

11. Aaron Montgomery

12. Chris Righter

13. Marcus Garcia

14. Jack Jefferies

15. Marc Beverly

16. Emily Harrington

17. Dawn Glanc

18. Sarah Shaw

19. Garret Boarts

20. Logan Tyler

21. Artley Goodhart

For more information about the Winter Teva Mountain Games, visit www.tevamountaingames.com.