Coaches

The Dirt Series by Rocky Mountain Bicycles coaching team combines a deep love of the sport with exceptionally responsive and flexible teaching skills.

In our 2009 roster you'll find plenty of competitive accolades, decades of instructional experience and, most importantly, coaches with an unparalleled interest in helping you meet your riding goals.

Coaches, and guests, are as follows:

• Sylvie Allen: Former Canadian Downhill Champion and National Team Member, multi-time national series cross-country medalist, Fitness Programmer and Personal Trainer based in Whistler BC.
• Tanya Allen: Former New Zealand Mountain Bike XC Team Member, amateur downhill and skate-ski competitor, registered Dental Hygienist, certified in Exercise Science.
• Tracey Billett: Freeride and downhill mountain bike enthusiast, former national level ski racer, CSCF Level III Alpine Ski Coach, and Physical Education Teacher based in Rossland, BC.
• Jennifer Biondi: Mountain bike enthusiast, surf addict, and marketing professional. Former scholarship basketball player at San Jose State, USASA ranked snowboard competitor, and reality show contestant too.
• Lorraine Blancher: 2008 WomensWorx Gala Champion,  2006 Masters World Downill Champion, Former Canadian Downhill Champion and five-time National Team member, based in Revelstoke, BC.
• Cassandra Boon: Multiple-time provincial and national series Downhill Champion, former US pro team rider, undergrad in athletic therapy, studying for her Doctorate in Chiropractic.
• Denise Britton: 2005 Masters Downhill World Champion, multi-time BC Downhill Champion, 24-hour racer, event organizer, trail builder.
• Casey Brown: 2008 BC Junior Downhill Champion, 2008 WomensWorx Gala Bronze Medalist, 2008 Crankworx Amateur GS Champion, 2009 BC Junior Freestyle Ski Champion.
• Penny Cameron: 2008 Trans Rockies finisher, ski and mountain bike Pro Patroller, bike mechanic, multi-sport athlete, and consummate recreationalist based in Whistler, BC.
• Tera Card: Three-time Canadian Dual Slalom Champion, multi-time Canadian National Team Member, Fitness Programmer and Personal Trailer, Sociology graduate.
• Suzie Clarke: NCCP Level 3 club coach, former industry sales representative, instructor with Vancouver’s Adaptive Snow Sports Program, Human Resources professional.
• Lesley Clements: Pro-elite cross-country, marathon, and multi-day mountain bike racer; podium finisher at both the Trans Rockies and the BC Bike Race. Schoolteacher and bike team coach at Pemberton Secondary.
• Penny Deck: Avid North Shore rider, 24-hour soloist and cross-country racer, Nutrition and Physiology lecturer and Kinesiology Department Advisor at Simon Fraser University.
• Janice Fraser: Dedicated bike enthusiast -- downhill, cross-country, and road. Physiotherapist and professional ski instructor based in Kamloops, BC.
• Leandra Furber: Recreational cross-country and downhill racer, as well as longtime bike park administrator, programmer, and coach. Certified instructor in skiing, snowboard, and freestyle. Red Mountain Snow Sports School Director.
• Julie Gamache: Downhill, dirt jump, and slopestyle competitor. Professional ski instructor and ski patroller, landscaper, and (this summer) chain-saw operator, choker and loader too. Former professional rodeo competitor and equestrian coach.
• Karen Gutrath: Freeride and downhill mountain bike enthusiast, women’s sports advocate, industry sales representative, and certified group fitness and resistance trainer. Born in BC, connected to mountain biking in Alberta, and new resident of Brossard, Quebec.
• Emily Johnston: Pro downhill and 4X competitor on the NORBA circuit, dirt jump competitor and demo personality, and the only girl to compete in the first ever Red Bull FreezeRide.
• Charlotte Klein: Pro-elite cross-country, marathon, and multi-day mountain bike racer, seasoned ski instructor and coach, Human Kinetics graduate, and former university level ice hockey player.
• April Lawyer: Maxxis pro DH and 4X racer, former US Downhill Team Member, former professional snowboard competitor, owner of Vanilla, the hippest new clothing store in Bend, Oregon.
• Lisa Lefroy: Mass-start long-distance downhill racer and two-time Avalanche Cup Series champion, Race Face Freeride Challenge semi-finalist, international athlete manager and event organizer.
• Janet Liu: Dedicated XC and DH rider, as well as year round bike commuter; experienced ACMG rock climbing instructor, Kinesiology graduate, and aircraft maintenance engineer from Calgary, AB.
• Courtney Nash: Cross-country racer, incessant freerider, three-year Team LUNA Chix ambassador, trail builder, freelance writer, web producer living in Bellingham, WA.
• Kathy Pruitt: Current downhill World Cup competitor and US National Champion, ten-time US National Team member, former Junior World Champion and pro women’s motocross racer, living in Santa Cruz, CA.
• Candace Shadley: Founder and director of the Dirt Series program, former Provincial Mountain Bike Technical Director, longtime multi-sport instructor and coach, based in Whistler, BC.
• Lisa Sher: 2002 US National Downhill Champion, three time NCAA All-American lacrosse player, Graphic Designer at Rocky Mountain Bicycles.
• Alison Sydor: Three-time World Mountain Bike XC Champion, three-time Olympian, Trans Alp silver medalist, Rocky Mountain Pro Team Rider.

And, for co-ed camps ...

• Geoff Gulevich: Professional slopestyle competitor with top-ten results at Monster Park, Red Bull District Ride, and adidas Slopestyle, international video and photo shoot personality, and newest member of the Rocky Mountain pro team.
• Andreas Hestler: Multi-time Trans Rockies Champion and Canadian National XC Champion, World Cup veteran, 1996 Olympian, PR and marketing professional.
• Kyle McDonald: One of the youngest riders ever to excel in the international freeride scene, 2006 Crankworx Slopestyle finalist, Rocky Mountain pro team member, and Whistler BC native.
• Wade Simmons: Freeride pioneer, Red Bull Rampage Utah winner, Rocky Mountain Team Member since 1995, and arguably the most fluid, gifted, and well respected rider of all time.
• Kevin Wood: Pro-elite level competitor in nearly every cycling discipline: cross-country, road, trials, BMX, downhill and four-cross.