More than 20 women participate in free Cape to Cape MTB skills clinic at Dunsborough and Districts Country Club

21 women joined the free women's only mountain bike skills clinic held by Cape to Cape MTB and EventMatrix at Dunsborough and Districts Country Club, 7-8 June, 2025.

Participants came from across Western Australia for the clinic including riders from Perth, Dunsborough, Busselton, Margaret River, Denmark and Albany.

The two day clinic was run by experienced and internationally accredited mountain bike coach Andy van Kann with support from fellow PMBIA coach Graham Clark and several experienced Cape to Cape riders.

The group was taken through various skills covering riding position, breaking, cornering, safety and controlled riding on Saturday morning. Before progressing to longer riders on Saturday afternoon and Sunday allowing them to incorporate the skills into their rides.

Dunsborough and Districts Country Club provided the perfect location for the clinic with the trails offering varying degrees of difficulty allowing riders of different abilities to incorporate the skills into their riding. With a lot of the stage four of Cape to Cape MTB held on the trails through the Country Club, it allowed participants to experience a taste of the event.

Beyond activities on the bike the clinic covered sessions on preparing for the event, nutrition and recovery.

Cape to Cape MTB Event Director and co-owner Megan Grygorcewicz said, "Last year only 15% of the Cape to Cape MTB field was female and as the new owners of the event we wanted to do something to support more women taking part in Australia's most popular mountain bike stage race.

"The feedback we received was many women felt unsure about their skill level and competing across four days in a mixed field. Having run a skills clinic last year ahead of the event in October, we decided to run a women's only clinic as a key initiative to grow women's participation in 2025 and beyond."

"To have more than 20 women sign up was a proud feeling for EventMatrix and Cape to Cape MTB, and reaffirmed our confidence in the importance of the clinics to help riders prepare for MTB events and provide a wider benefit to the mountain bike community in Western Australia."

"I participated in the clinic myself, which was one of my first times on a mountain bike, and I now have a new appreciation for everyone who enters Cape to Cape."

"I was blown away by everyone who came to the clinic and I think we exceeded everyone's expectations, including our own. We hope the clinic gives riders confidence in their ability going forward and we'd love to see some of them at Cape to Cape MTB in October."

Clinic participant Donna Williamson said, "It was awesome. It was so much fun! I learned so many things. I've ridden a mountain bike before, but I have never done these kinds of trails, or I think 10 minutes one time, five-six years ago.

"It was so good, I can't recommend it enough. They give you so much confidence and there is no pressure to do something you're not comfortable with, but they just give you so much confidence and that skill where you feel like you can actually tackle it in a really safe environment. So, an awesome weekend!

Clinic participant Virginia Sergas said, "It was such a great weekend, it was amazing, super well organised, and the coaches were fantastic. There was definitely a lot of interesting and useful tips, especially for like cornering, and breaking and just getting a nice good flow on the bike.

"So, tilting the bike and cornering well was a big takeaway for me and definitely something I will try straight away in my training, and it will definitely help me in my next races."

"So glad I did it and it was an awesome experience!"

Two further clinics will be on held on 26-27 July and 30-31 August at Dunsborough and Districts Country Club. Participants can register for a clinic by emailing andy@eventmatrix.com.au.