Teva Mountain Games 2012

Heading into the "bird bath"

Even though this years Teva Mountain Games didn't go the way I had planned, I was still very excited to be in Vail again for one more year of pure excitement!


 This year both of my parents came out to watch and cheer me on. I did heaps of runs on Homestake prior to the race on Thursday and I was feeling really good. The water was really low this year so there were loads of rocks everywhere to get stuck on.... or pinned.


The Teva Games have been really well known throughout the industry because the pay out is huge and there is a lot of publicity that comes with it.

Ending out the mank section of Homestake Creek.

The beginning of the waterfall section.

Left air wheel in a shallow hole in a composite boat!

I even made it into the newspaper!

So, anyways, the day of the race came and I was nervous, as always, because I had won the race last year. I knew a lot of people were watching me closely to see what my next move would be. I had done about ten really clean runs up to this point and I had confidence that I would do just as well on my race run.


I made it through the "mank" section and I was feeling really good, then, I let my head get out of the game and suddenly I was pinned. I was head up and in no danger but I was losing time quickly. I was stuck there for about 30 seconds and finally got myself off of the pin spot. I knew I had lost the race and that someone else would be taking the top honors this year.


I learned a lot that day. I have been racing a lot in the last six years and I don't mess up races very often. It is a lot harder losing than it is winning.


So, just because my steep creek race didn't go well,  it didn't mean my weekend was ruined.


On to the freestyle!

The scene at Vail during finals. Pretty awesome in there.

 Freestyle has never really been my forte but somehow I always do kind of well in it. (the BV Pro rodeo for example!) When we got to Vail there was literally no hole at all. It took two days and lot of man power to make a hole for the rodeo. Note the plywood on both sides of the hole and ropes attaching them, it was a pretty amazing feat! But, my problems were just beginning. I was in a composite boat, in a really shallow hole, in really cold water. It was always interesting dropping into the hole.


In one of my practice rides I hit my head so hard that I almost knocked myself out, I also hit my paddle on the rock so hard that my wrist hurt. Needless to say, all of us in the eddy were trying to be "careful" while also trying to do the biggest tricks we could.

Looping huge in the composite boat! Representing Liquid Logic to the world!!

Right air wheel during finals. You can see the bottom....

The finals in Vail is always my favorite because its like a miniature stadium in there. With the people on the streets and then the hotels with people hanging off of all of the balconies, it's pretty awesome. I ended up in fourth but still got a bit of a pay out, that was nice :-) Claire O'Hara had a huge ride, stomping both of her phonix monkeys and doing a huge mcnasty, I guess there is a reason she is the World Champion!!

Huge thanks again to Bryon Dorr for taking some awesome photographs!! Check out his website at www.exploringelements.com

I've also gotta thank Shane Benedict for making an awesome composite boat that didn't even break in Vail, even though I was trying my hardest.... if I can't break it... I don't think anyone can. 

Also huge thanks to Kokatat for the immense support in the last few months, it's been amazing meet everyone that works for them and learning about their company. Also, having gear that is warm, dry, and breathable is life changing!! Check their gear out if you have never looked at their stuff, lots of good things coming out of their company right now!

www.kokatat.com

I am now off to my new adventures, a full time job being a Paramedic with Greenville County EMS.

Until next time. Over and out. 

Adriene