ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
Dirt Maidens is a mountain bike coaching and events company that aims to empower women and girls to experience the outdoors through mountain biking.
At Dirt Maidens we aim to create opportunities that allow women and girls to build confidence, skills and community.
We offer mtb coaching via a range of skills clinics, as well as opportunities for women to ride together, consolidate skills and experience the outdoors such as retreats, adventure rides and our regular Ride Club.
Dirt Maidens was inspired by a women’s mountain bike race in Canada. The idea came to life through the hard work of a group of girl riders in Jindabyne, NSW, who believed that women shouldn’t miss out on the fun- they should have the opportunity to experience a mountain bike race. A fun, beginner-friendly race, with an element of challenge, completely encompassed by a friendly and supportive environment.
The team was made up of local riders, club members, volunteers, plus a few friends from out of town who wanted to help make it happen.
The Dirt Maidens Challenge ran from 2013-2016.
Our Dirt Maidens Women’s Mountain Bike Festival is in the planning stages and is set for early 2026!
Meet your coaches
Claire McDonnell
Claire is the founder of Dirt Maidens and an experienced mountain bike rider and coach. Claire grew up on a farm, riding bikes, and learning about bikes from her brother who raced at an elite level on the road and track.
Claire is a registered nurse, who also spent many years teaching outdoor education, where her love of mountain biking came to the fore. Claire has raced cross country and instructed mountain biking with school groups since 2009. In 2012, Claire spent a summer riding in Canada where she saw how many girl riders there were and could see the potential back home in Jindabyne. On her return, Claire began teaching women’s clinics and is passionate about helping women and girls get into the outdoors and stay involved the sport for life.
Claire now lives in Canberra with her family and loves to watch her kids learn to ride, taking them on cycling adventures whenever possible. Claire holds an Auscycling Development Instructor qualification and is a PMBI Level 1 coach. Claire holds a Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation, a Cert IV in Training and Assessment and is a Registered Nurse. Claire also holds a current Wilderness First Aid certificate and WWVP card.
Kat Jenkins
Kat first got into riding as a teenager through outdoor ed—back when Stromlo had just been built and there was nothing like Dirt Maidens around.
Kat has worked as a Park Ranger in Australia and New Zealand and now works with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service. She’s spent time living and riding in Canada and NZ, with Whistler being her all-time favourite spot to ride.
Kat’s big on creating a fun, supportive space for women to learn, push themselves, and feel proud of what they can do. She’s a mum of one and loves sharing the joy of riding with her little one.
Kat holds a PMBIA Level 1 certificate, Remote Area First Aid, and a WWVP card.
Rachel Brennan
Rach is a passionate mountain biker of all disciplines chasing trails across Australia. She has racing experience in Enduro and XC with recent success at the Thredbo Cannonball festival as well as the ACT Enduro races. She also loves multi day bikepacking adventures in the wilderness, hits up pump tracks with her kids and sends jumps at bike parks. Mountain bike coaching is a culmination of a lifetime of outdoor pursuits for her, including mountaineering, rock climbing and snowsports. As an ex Army Officer, she has a natural tendency to get the best out of students and teams in outdoor environments. When she is not on a bike, she is at her kids soccer games or managing construction projects.
Rach holds a PMBIA Level 1 certificate, Remote Area First Aid, and a WWVP card.
Annie Arnott
Annie got into mountain biking in 2018 as a way to spend time with her then-boyfriend. Riding with him was awesome but once she connected with other female riders, Annie hasn’t looked back. She has raced downhill and enduro at the local and national levels and is a two-time downhill masters national champion (#gottabeinittowinit).
Since then, Annie has run a local downhill series which included girls’ trail days to get more females into gravity riding.
A lawyer by day, Annie is also a passionate advocate for more gals on the trails and becoming a mountain bike coach with Dirt Maidens has been a dream come true as it means she can help women of all ages and from all backgrounds become comfortable and confident to tackle the trail.
Annie married that boy and they have just welcomed into the world their daughter. So while currently taking time off the bike to adjust to life as a parent, she can’t wait to hit the trails with the newest and most mini Dirt Maiden!
Annie holds PMBIA Level 1 certificate, first aid, and WWVP card and is also a certified yapper.
Jody Bruce
Jody has always had bikes in her life from BMX riding as a kid, a period as a roadie but in her 40s discovered the wonderful world of mountain bikes. Starting later in life into the rough and tumble of mountain biking has made Jody receptive to the angsts of those looking to push themselves into a new area of riding. She loves riding with those starting out in mountain biking and building their confidence to get out on the trails, so becoming a coach with Dirt Maidens has been a joy. Jody likes riding the technical, more cross-country style tracks and her favourite place to ride is Derby in Tas. By day, Jody works in net zero research, looking at how to reduce emissions in regions while delivering other societal benefits.
Jody holds PMBIA Level 1 certificate, first aid and WWVP card.
Nicole Kemp
Nicole is only relatively new to the mountain biking world with a Beginners Clinic with Dirt Maidens in 2022 being the starting point of her love for mountain biking. She loved the supportive and encouraging environment of Dirt Maidens and the new friends that she made and was stoked when she was asked to be an assistant coach with Claire and the team.
Nicole is a police officer and mum of 4 kids so loves the freedom that mountain biking gives her as well as the massive health, fitness and social benefits. This is what she aims to encourage in other women who have found mountain biking later in life and who lead busy lives. Her favourite place to ride so far has been Tasmania and her love of travel keeps her looking ahead for new places to ride.
A rocky, technical descent is what makes Nicole happy on the trails.
Nicole holds an Auscycling Foundation Instructor qualification and her next goal is to be accredited as a Level 1 PMBIA coach. Nicole also holds a first aid certificate and WWVP card.
Cath Spratley
Bio coming soon!
Paula Sutton
Bio coming soon!
Amelie Burrell
Bio coming soon!