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 2008 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.
• Lorraine Blancher: 2006 Masters Downhill World Champion, Former Canadian Downhill Champion and five-time National Team member, heli-hiking guide 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.

• Kira Cailes: Ski and Mountain Bike Pro Patroller, North Shore Extreme featured rider, worldwide bike touring enthusiast.

• Penny Cameron: 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, former gymnastics competitor and coach, 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. Whistler resident, mountain sports enthusiast, schoolteacher and bike team coach at Pemberton Secondary.

• Penny Deck: Avid North Shore rider, 24-hour soloist and cross-country racer, university lecturer in Nutrition and Physiology.
• Julie Gamache: Downhill, dirt jump, and slopestyle competitor; former professional rodeo competitor, equestrian coach, trip leader, stable manager, and trainer; full-time ski patroller at Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
• 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.

• Anne Kennedy: Winter ski pro patroller, summer mountain bike shop manager, longtime ski and mountain bike instructor, and generally impressively fit outdoor enthusiast.
• 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 based out of Calgary, AB.
  

• Courtney Nash: Cross-country racer, incessant freerider, three-year Team LUNA Chix ambassador, trail builder, freelance writer, web producer living in Seattle, 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.

• Lasha Reid: Amateur cross-country and downhill competitor, bike park addict, North Shore enthusiast, trained Geologist, Quick Response Team Community Nurse in Victoria, BC.

• 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.

• Angela Shoniker: Cross-country and marathon mountain bike racer, former National Telemark Team Member, ultra-requested ski and bike guide, and worldwide touring enthusiast.

• Lisa Sher: 2002 US National Downhill Champion, three time NCAA All-American lacrosse player, Graphic Designer at Rocky Mountain Bicycles.

• Kelli Sherbinin: Former pro-elite downhill racer and Provincial 4X Champion, BMX and slopestyle competitor, certificate in digital multimedia.

• Katrina Strand: Three-time Canadian Downhill Team member, accomplished freerider and dirt jumper, featured video personality, university degree in Kinesiology.

• Marla Streb: Multi-time US National Downhill Champion, 2005 Single Speed World Champion, Luna Professional Team Ambassador, published author, molecular biologist, and mother of baby Nicoya.

• Alison Sydor: Three-time World Mountain Bike XC Champion, three-time Olympian, Trans Alp silver medalist, Rocky Mountain Pro Team Rider.
• Bree Thorlakson: Consummate Pemberton-based recreationalist, whether by bike, snowboard, or sled. Provincial level swimmer and water polo player, soccer coach, environmental engineering technician, and retail operations manager.

• Natasha Ward: Course Conductor for both national mountain bike certifications programs -- NCCP and CMIC. PE Degree in Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Professional Fire Fighter.

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.