An incredibly high standard on the latest GSMBC Advanced FLOW course - we’re proud to have two of our own coaches in there!
Two of our coaches, Katy Winton and Josh Jones, have just passed their GSMBC Level 2 Advanced FLOW coaching certification. It's a significant step for both of them, and it moves our whole coaching team to a qualification standard we believe is unmatched by any other mountain bike coaching business in New Zealand.
What the GSMBC Level 2 Advanced FLOW Course Involves
The Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches (GSMBC) runs the most comprehensive coach education pathway in the sport, and Level 2 Advanced FLOW builds directly on a coach's Level 1 certification. It's a four day course, and coaches need the riding and teaching background to back up their place on it.
Candidates need to be comfortable riding at speed across green, blue, and black terrain, and GSMBC recommends at least a couple of seasons of coaching experience before attempting it. Over the four days, coaches are tested on advanced flow based riding, how to read and break down terrain for clients of different abilities, and how to coach the riding skills to a depth that separates a good rider from a great one. It's hands on, trail based, and genuinely difficult to pass.
Meet Katy Winton
Katy has ridden bikes for as long as she can remember, and her riding has taken her all over the world. These days she's based in Queenstown. Before coaching, she spent more than ten years racing at World Cup level across multiple disciplines, with multiple podium finishes at Enduro World Series (EWS) events to her name. She’s pretty awesome!
Katy is early in her formal coaching pathway, and she's built her approach around fundamentals and a supportive, fun experience for riders from beginner to advanced. Alongside GSMBC Level 2 Advanced FLOW, she holds a two day outdoor first aid certification and coaches both private and group sessions.
Meet Josh Jones
Josh grew up racing motocross and cross country mountain biking across Australia. He found he enjoyed downhill far more than uphill, which is what pulled him into gravity riding. These days he rides across every discipline, from race laps to technical trails and jumps.
Josh has five years of riding experience across multiple disciplines and has been building his coaching with us this season. Alongside GSMBC Level 2 Advanced FLOW, he holds a two day outdoor first aid certification and coaches private and group sessions across all our locations.
Where This Leaves Our Coaching Team
With Katy and Josh now holding GSMBC Level 2 Advanced FLOW, every coach on the Onward MTB team is GSMBC certified to Level 2 or above. Founder and head coach Rory Bingham holds GSMBC Level 4, the top of the pathway, and serves as GSMBC's New Zealand program coordinator for instructor training.
When you're trusting someone to coach you or your kids on real trails, the qualifications behind that coach matter. We think customers deserve to know what they're booking, and right now we believe our team's qualifications set the bar in New Zealand.
Why We Invest in Our Coaches
Training to be an advanced coach to this level takes real time and money. We set the standards because we believe in the people on our team, and because GSMBC's pathway produces coaches who can read a rider and adapt on the fly. It's what keeps Onward MTB coaching at the standard we want to be known for, and it's a big part of why we're proud of what Katy and Josh have just achieved.
If you're after a GSMBC certified MTB coach in Queenstown, or you're a coach elsewhere in New Zealand considering the GSMBC pathway yourself, get in touch.
This post is not legal or professional advice and is intended for informational purposes only. It reflects our own experience and understanding of good practice at Onward MTB.
