By Richard Rhinehart
Eagle, Colorado, August 24, 2017 – It’s not the finish that matters; it’s the journey to successfully complete the sporting event. For participants of national non-profit World T.E.A.M. Sports’ annual Adventure Team Challenge, an inclusive outdoor multisport competition to be held in the high mountains north of Eagle, Colorado this September 15-17, the good-natured competition is only part of the story.
“I am humbled by the opportunity to again participate in the Adventure Team Challenge,” said Brett Herand, principal at Pearl Meyer, an executive compensation consultancy and sponsor of the event. “Although this is an athletic event focused on off-road bicycling, river rafting, rock climbing and orienteering, I’ve found that participants bring home far more valuable life lessons that underscore the importance of character, camaraderie, mental toughness, and working with others.”
As a member of the Pearl Meyer team, Herand will join four other athletes, including two who live with disabilities, to complete the three Challenge stages in Colorado’s rugged Gore Range. Competing against other teams from across the United States, the Pearl Meyer team will seek to improve on their fifth place finish in the 2016 Challenge. Still, the athletes will take time while traversing the rugged back country to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and to learn more about themselves and their colleagues.
Like all World T.E.A.M. Sports events, the Adventure Team Challenge excels in creating sporting adventures that require participants to work together to problem-solve and develop techniques and technology to succeed. Athletes face physical challenges in the two days spent along the Colorado River, but they also discover that clear communication and cooperation, as well as trust, between each athlete – and even between teams – builds greater appreciation.
Held annually since 2007, the Adventure Team Challenge expands upon adventure sports by joining three able-bodied athletes with two adaptive athletes, one being a wheelchair user. In past years, participants have included paraplegic and quadriplegic athletes, as well as athletes with prosthetics, blind athletes and military veterans with Post Traumatic Stress or Traumatic Brain Injuries. By working together to complete each activity, the athletes grow close and better understand each other.
This year’s Challenge will be headquartered at the rustic Rancho del Rio water sports resort east of State Bridge. From this central location, teams will raft the Colorado River, ride knobby-tired mountain bikes and hand cycles on rocky single and double-track trails, rappel high granite cliffs and find their way through terrain so remote that Hollywood once featured the canyon in a Steven Seagal action-adventure film. Located within the deep canyons of the 12,000-foot-high Gore Range, cell phone signals do not penetrate, encouraging participants to set aside modern technology and enjoy their wilderness experience.
Participating in the Challenge for a fifth year, the Pearl Meyer team will be one of the most experienced in this year’s event. They’ll be able to take knowledge gained in past years to motivate their athletes and quickly adapt to changing course conditions. Event organizers Billy and Helene Mattison of Vail have many years of experience in creating outdoor team competitions for adults and for children. With the knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, they’ll stage an event that satisfies both experienced adventure athletes, and casual athletes participating in their first team challenge.
Inspired by the founding of World T.E.A.M. Sports by Chairman James Benson, who sought to honor and remember a high school colleague who lived with disabilities, Herand is motivated by the Challenge. “Working alongside these athletes as we tackle challenging athletic events is incredibly inspirational,” he said. “I am honored to represent Pearl Meyer in this event.”
The 2017 Adventure Team Challenge Colorado from World T.E.A.M. Sports is supported through sponsorship and partner support from American Portfolios Financial Services, Benson Botsford LLC, Cannondale, Devens Recycling Center, Pearl Meyer & Partners, LLC, Penske Truck Rental, and Timberline Tours.
About Pearl Meyer
Pearl Meyer is the leading advisor to boards and senior management on the alignment of executive compensation with business and leadership strategy, making pay programs a powerful catalyst for value creation and competitive advantage. Pearl Meyer’s global clients stand at the forefront of their industries and range from emerging high-growth, not-for-profit, and private companies to the Fortune 500 and FTSE 350. The firm has offices in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
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