DORC conducts mountain bike skills courses that are suitable for all riders from beginner to advanced. Our instructors have you covered. We have the training and ability to enhance your riding skills from green trails to black and beyond.
People who complete our courses feel safer, smoother, faster, and more in control and confident on their bike. This leads to an enhanced enjoyment of riding your bike on the trails. It’s also a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and find trail-riding buddies of similar interests and skills. Some of our feedback from previous courses includes:
“Thank you so much, an invaluable experience and I have gained so much more confidence on the bike. Thank you!!”
“Great course and a lot of fun to do. Very friendly people and very easy to listen to. Awesome job”
“The courses run by DORC in Darwin are exceptionally good value – the Instructors obviously enjoy their roles & they are able to individualise their instructions so that everyone on the course, regardless of their skill level, gets a boost to their abilities.”
DORC skills courses are run from March/April through to October (depending on the weather). All money raised from these courses goes back into your club to assist with the running of the skills courses. All of the courses are announced on the webpage www.dorc.com.au and on our Facebook page.
DORC instructors are accredited via the AusCycling Instructor Pathway and our training team co-ordinator holds the internationally recognised Profesional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) qualifications. All of our instructors are volunteers and are committed to enabling MTB skills development in a safe and encouraging environment.
All instructors have a current Working With Children card and first aid qualifications.
If you would like more information about joining us and helping others enhance their riding skills and grow the mtb community then drop us a line skills@dorc.com.au
Meet the Training Team
Geoff Fox, Training Team Co-ordinator
I have been riding mountain bikes for approx 10 years and during that time I also spent a number of years racing BMX. I started instructing mountain biking in 2015 when the opportunity to do a MTBA Level 1 Coaching/Instructor course arose. Since that time I have gained the internationally recognised Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA) qualifications. I completed a Level 1 course at Thredbo in 2016 followed by a Level 2 Trail course at Mt Stromlo in 2018 and a Level 2 Air course at Mt Stromlo in 2021. I also obtained BMX foundation instructor qualifications along the way. I have been instructing courses for beginner to advanced riders for the last 7 years. I have also been a part of the DORC committee for the past 6 years running the training program, weekly social rides, community engagement events and filling other duties as part of the committee. This will be my fourth year as a DHaRCO ambassador and I look forward to seeing you on our courses or just out enjoying the trails.
Jo Fox
I have been riding mountain bikes for 8 years, after wanting a change from playing and coaching roller derby. I was thinking less injuries…..who knew 🙂 I have been an MTBA/AusCycling Level 0 Skills Instructor for 5 years and during this period I have volunteered my time to upskill riders in the Top End. I have a passion for ensuring that all riders have strong foundational skills and that they feel safe and confident on our local trails. I particularly love instructing women and helping them gain the confidence they need to get out on the dirt on a bike. I have instructed many fundamental skills courses, 1/2 day skills courses, womens’ and junior courses and continue to enjoy my role as an instructor. I have also spent 3 years as a member of the DORC Committee, 2 years as Vice President. I am a Shred Like A Girl ambassador and love promoting all things MTB.
Diane Cox
My name is Diane and my love affair with bikes really began in my childhood. Born and raised in Germany, riding your bike was a common mode of transport. Before getting into mountain biking I enjoyed a lot of road riding, mostly in Europe. I biked roughly 1000 km through the north of France and on another occasion I rode through southern Portugal. When my youngest son Ben started to show an interest in mountain biking about 18 months ago, I spent countless hours chauffeuring him to and from venues and often thought that I would like to give it a go! One day I went along to a local social ride with DORC and haven’t looked back – things have been moving fast since! It was in April 2021 when I took up mountain-biking and have been a keen student of MTB skills since. I completed a Fundamentals Course in June 2021 to hone my riding skills and add to what I knew about riding. In November 2021, I successfully obtained my accreditation as an AusCycling Foundation Instructor. I look forward to working with the amazing team of DORC instructors and giving back to my local community.
Bret Townsend
I started cycling with my Dad as a family hobby, progressing to racing as a teenager. I enjoyed mtb road and track racing all over Australia and beyond, I have been on some type of bike most of my life and I find I am better for it. What gets me going is the feeling of going fast on a bike. I’m not as fast as I used to be but I have never lost that passion. Now, I have my own young family and we are enjoying cycling as a family hobby. My experience in the cycling world has been great and I’ve met so many amazing, selfless people in the industry. I would like to bring cycling to more people in a similar manner to what I have experienced. I recently obtained the AusCycling Foundation Instructor qualification and look forward to running skills courses in the future.
Shirley Donnelly
I’m a latecomer to Mountain Bike riding with a little over two and half years riding under my belt. I enjoy the outdoor exercise and the camaraderie of the MTB community. I decided to obtain the AusCycling Foundation Instructor Certification in order to give back to DORC and the mtb community who have supported and enabled me to learn and enjoy this sport. I would like to share skills learnt, instil confidence and encourage all beginners – but feel my primary focus is on women, like myself, who may come, with little experience of a mountain bike and possibly only memories of riding a bike around the neighbourhood as a kid.
Lucas Hemsley
My name is Lucas and I have been riding mountain bikes since 2015 and BMX in my youth. I’ve picked up a few skills over the years that has enabled me to thoroughly enjoy and improve my riding experience. By being a part of the DORC training team, I hope to pass the skills and fun onto others! I’ve completed the Foundation Instructors course through Auscycling with others in the training team to make sure you have the best experience in learning this great sport. See you on the trails!
Dave Wigley
I first volunteered for the inaugural Tour De Timor MTB race in 2009. Then, I was asked to do the logistics for 2 of the 4 campsites for that year. I returned permanently in 2010 to work for the President, Jose Ramos-Horta as Logistics Coordinator for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 tours. In 2018 I returned as a commissaire in the leading vehicle for the race. After TL, I worked on school camps in Dubai and Australia conducting MTB riding for school camps. In 2020, I started as the Participation Officer with Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) in Darwin and in Nov 2020, transferred over to Auscycling as part of the National Participation Team. I have held training qualifications for over 20 years, have Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation including “Instruct Mountain Biking”, hold Level 0 Coaching for Mountain biking, Foundation Instructor for BMX, MTB Commissaire and BMX Club Official. I am also the Member Protection Information Officer with Play by The Rules, in the NT. I assist as first-aider at most Dorc races, and I am happy to help out the club any time I can and am working to get the new junior riding group up and going.
