Three area athletes have been selected to compete in the 2016 Adventure Team Challenge Colorado, presented by World TEAM Sports.
Jeff Bryan and Cory See, of Cortez, and Bee Mathis, of Durango, will all be climbing, biking and rafting their way around Grand Junction this weekend in the event’s 10th year.
World TEAM Sports is a nonprofit that puts together athletic events for disabled and able-bodied citizens. The three-day, multi-sport adventure race teams athletes with disabilities with those who are able-bodied.
Teams are composed of five athletes, with three able-bodied and two disabled – including one wheelchair user. Bryan, See and Mathis have each had a leg amputated, so they will each be joined by three able-bodied athletes and a wheelchair-bound athlete as they race to complete a course that includes a mix of events like rock climbing, rappelling, mountain biking, hand cycling, rafting and paddle boarding.
“We specifically design our events so that able-bodied and adaptive athletes compete together,” explained Patti Haley, a 10-year volunteer for World TEAM Sports. “Which is pretty unique. Most organizations focus solely on events for adaptive athletes. We want to show able-bodied people just how much people who have physical disabilities are capable of, and in many cases they’re the strongest athletes on the team.”
This year’s event includes 12 teams. And although Bryan, See and Mathis will be on different squads, they’re all excited for what the weekend has in store.
Bryan, a firefighter in Towaoc, has been rock and ice climbing for over 30 years. He lost his leg in 2014 due to a failed ankle replacement, but it hasn’t stopped him. With the support of his wife Tana, the Ute Mountain Tribe and county fire departments, Bryan was back to work 11 months later and continuing to participate in his favorite adventure activities.
It was Bryan that introduced See and Mathis to the Adventure Team Challenge.
See, a Navy veteran who had his left leg amputated below the knee after a motorcycle accident, recently relocated from Miami, Florida to Cortez. He said that he’d previously been involved in Paralympic sports, but that since arriving in Colorado he’s started rock climbing.
Mathis, a student at Fort Lewis College in Durango, had her leg amputated nearly two years ago after a climbing accident and multiple surgeries. She said that the support of her husband, Brandon, and family helped her recover and return to climbing.
The trio of area athletes traveled to Grand Junction on Thursday for the Adventure Team Challenge’s opening, with former Gov. Bill Ritter serving as the keynote speaker.
Competitors will also have the opportunity to meet U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton on Saturday, and the race itself begins on Friday and runs through Sunday.
Donations are accepted and can help with the cost of transportation, food, lodging, equipment and clothing. They can be sent directly to World TEAM Sports at: http://bit.ly/2cIlLSj
