First candidates to receive European MTB guide-instructor license

Coming into the final stage of the European MTB guide-instructor project, last weekend the first group of candidates took their European exams. During three days, 7 guides-instructors from the Netherlands and Belgium were tested and evaluated in a wide range of skills & competencies. From individual skills to tour planning & guiding, group dynamics, skills instruction, emergency management and  map orientating / navigation. A group of international assessors, representing organisations such as Moniteur Cycliste Francais, the Association of British Mountainbike Guides, Swiss Cycling, Slovenian Cycling and NTFU, were responsible for setting the standards and evaluate the first group of candidates.After thee strenuous days, 2 candidates, Barry Samuels and Edzard van Ewijk, passed all 8 exams and became the first two official European MTB instructor-guides from the Netherlands. The other 5 candidates received aspirant instructor-guide status and will have some extra time to go for a re-exam and tick the last few boxes. Once done, they’re ready to go and receive their European license as well. Being the first group of candidates going through this new training program and exams is not easy and requires courage, dedication and a professional attitude. Therefore, all candidates deserve a hugh compliment for what they have achieved during their training and contributed to improve all aspects of this project.[[{“fid”:”1191″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“1”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:907,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”1″}}]][[{“fid”:”1197″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“6”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:640,”width”:636,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”6″}}]]That said, the train-the-trainer programs for new countries / training providers, European exams and further development of the EU standard will continue. Based on the evaluations between all project partners, candidates and assessors, the set-up of the exams, assesment criteria and training program will need some finetuning here and there. This taks will be finished within the official project period of this Erasmus plus project, anticipated in December 2018. From then on, EO-MTBing will be responsible for future development, quality assurance and further implementation of the standard at the EU level. Larger numbers of MTB guides-instructors from various European countries are expected to enroll the scheme in 2019.  [[{“fid”:”1193″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“2”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:1209,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”2″}}]][[{“fid”:”1194″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“3”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:383,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”3″}}]][[{“fid”:”1195″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“4”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:585,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”4″}}]][[{“fid”:”1196″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“5”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:510,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”5″}}]][[{“fid”:”1198″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“7”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:640,”width”:640,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”7″}}]][[{“fid”:”1200″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“8”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:510,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”8″}}]]The CAPS-MTB project (Create a European Professional Standard for MTB instructor-guides) is a project initiated by Moniteur Cycliste Francais, IMBA Europe, Swiss Cycling, NTFU, POMBA and the Slovenian Cycling Federation. Other partners include the Assocation of British Mountainbike Guides, SBF (Norway) and the Danish Cycling Union. The CAPS-MTB project is cofunded by the Erasmus + Programme Sport – small collaborative partnerships- of the European Union.[[{“fid”:”1201″,”view_mode”:”media_responsive”,”fields”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false},”link_text”:null,”type”:”media”,”field_deltas”:{“9”:{“format”:”media_responsive”,”alignment”:””,”field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]”:false,”field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]”:false}},”attributes”:{“height”:194,”width”:680,”class”:”media-element file-media-responsive”,”data-delta”:”9″}}]]