Coaches and Guests

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

In our 2010 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.
• Caralyn Bennett: Ultra-enthusiastic cross-country, freeride, and downhill rider, savvy business entrepreneur, petroleum engineer, and co-founder of the volunteer network Women Making a Difference.
• Tracey Billett: Freeride and downhill mountain bike dedicate, 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, USASA snowboard competitor, and reality show contestant too.
• Lorraine Blancher: 2008 WomensWorx Gala Champion, 2006 Masters World Downhill Champion, Former Canadian Downhill Champion and National Team member.
• Cassandra Boon: Multiple-time provincial and national series Downhill Champion, former US pro team rider, undergrad in athletic therapy, Doctorate in Chiropractic.
• Denise Britton: Former Masters Downhill World Champion, multi-time BC Downhill Champion, 24-hour racer, event organizer, and trail builder.
• Casey Brown: 2008 BC Junior Downhill Champion, 2008 WomensWorx Gala Bronze Medalist, 2009 BC Junior Freestyle Ski Champion, based in Revelstoke, BC.
• 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 III 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. Teacher 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 PhD student 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 XC and DH racer, longtime bike park administrator, programmer, and coach. Certified instructor in skiing, snowboard, and freestyle. Red Mountain Snow Sports School Director.
• Julie Gamache: Downhill, cross-country, and slopestyle competitor. Professional ski instructor, ski patroller and landscaper. Former professional rodeo competitor and equestrian coach.
• Emily Johnston: Pro downhill, 4X and dirt jump competitor, featured mountain bike video and demo personality, and one of the very few girls who can do a back flip to dirt.
• Jill Kintner: Three-time 4X World Champion, BMX Olympic Bronze Medalist, pro-elite NORBA DH racer, and Red Bull team athlete from Seattle, WA.
• April Lawyer: Longtime Maxxis athlete, former US Downhill Team Member and professional snowboard competitor. Founder and owner of Vanilla, the hippest 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, CX competitor, and year round bike commuter; ACMG rock climbing instructor, Kinesiology graduate, and aircraft maintenance engineer in Calgary, AB.
• Courtney Nash: Recreational XC and DH racer, incessant freerider, three-year Team LUNA Chix ambassador, trail builder, freelance writer, web producer living in Bellingham, WA.
• Kathy Pruitt: 2009 Downhill World Championship Bronze Medalist, ten-time US National Team member, former Junior World Champion and pro women’s motocross racer, living in Santa Cruz, CA.
• Pam Reid: Year-round road, cross-country, and downhill rider, with her very own set of stunts set up in her backyard. Major League soccer player, and bronze medalist at the 2005 World Masters Track and Field Championships.
• 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: Former US National Downhill Champion, three time NCAA All-American lacrosse player, ice hockey addict, and professional graphic designer living in Vancouver, BC.

And, for co-ed camps ...

• Andreas Hestler: Multi-time Trans Rockies Champion, Canadian National XC Champion, 1996 Olympian, PR and marketing professional.
• Paul Howard: Dedicated year-round leader in instructor development, PMBI, IDP and CASI examiner, owner and director of ZEP Techniques.
• Wade Simmons: Freeride pioneer, Red Bull Rampage winner, 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.