Top Gun Summer School Holiday Kids MTB Skills Academy. Expert Coaching based from Sender Bike Park, Aviemore Scotland
“Smart Purposeful Practice drives Perfect Performances!”
Intensive, Progressive World Class Coaching for Young Riders during the Summer Holidays 2026.
NEW GIRLS PERFORMANCE ACADEMY – Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd July!
SCROLL DOWN FOR SKILL & ABILITY PREREQUISITES
Our Top Gun Rookies, Top Gun One and Top Gun Girls MTB Academy in Aviemore is a unique, super intensive 2 day mountain bike coaching programme for young riders who REALLY want to get serious about improving their skills, confidence, and performance. If your children have attended other MTB Academies such as Dirt School or Ridelines then Top Gun forms the next level due to the expert coaching input and facilities we use to target specific elements of MTB Progression.
**VERY LIMITED SPACES – ONLY 6 SPACES ON ALL COURSES**
Across Two Days (Tuesday–Wednesday), each day lasting six hours, riders will dive deep into the world of mountain bike performance, developing core bike-handling skills, jumping, drops, and cornering progressive coaching environment.
Unlike traditional coaching days that spend hours pedalling around looking for features, our purpose-built bike park in Aviemore allows us to maximise learning within a compact area packed with coaching tools. This means more time riding, practising, and progressing.
Our bike park includes a wide range of progressive features and coaching aids designed to help riders develop quickly, including three large MTB Airbags which allow kids to safely progress their jumping skills when they are ready to go bigger. We also travel away from the bike park to meet at some very specific local facilities and trail venues to augment learning and put skills back into context.
Other SUPERB Venues we use may include Cairngorm Mountain Trails (small fee) – High Burnside – Carrbridge Jumps – Grantown Jumps – Velosolutions Pump Track Boat of Garten – Laggan or Glenlivet.
To keep sessions fun, engaging, and performance-focused, we also use the latest FREELAP timing technology when relevant, allowing riders to measure improvements and challenge themselves in a motivating environment.
This truly is a kids MTB academy like no other in Scotland or the UK?
Professional Coaching & Small Groups
Our performance coaching ratio is 1:6, ensuring every rider receives meaningful coaching attention and feedback.
ONLY 6! Spaces are available on each Course this Easter!
Sessions are led directly by Scott Muir, one of the most experienced and highly qualified MTB coaches in the UK. Scott is also a fully qualified Physical Education teacher (BEd Hons) and has guided young riders (his own) through multiple racing pathways including Dirt Crits, SXC, Borders Mini DH, Scottish Cycling Downhill races, Highland Hardline events, SDA series, and National DH competitions.
Scott has also taken his kids to compete internationally at events such as Crankworx Kids and the IXS Rookies Cup in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, where they trained at the Kona Rookies Academy.
His own son Creag was selected for the Great Britain Junior Downhill Team at the UCI Fort William World Cup, giving Scott first-hand experience in developing young riders from beginner level all the way to international competition. Creag became the youngest ever BC MTBL Level 3 and first EVER BC Gravity Coach. At 19 yrs he left to work for Ride Theory in Fernie – Canada.
Why Our Kids MTB Academy Is Different
âś” Rider Pathway – Top Gun Rookie – TG One – TG Girls – TG Advanced
âś” Purpose-built Private MTB “coaching” bike park in Aviemore with AirBags
âś” Progressive, Intensive skills coaching system for jumps, drops and cornering
âś” Superb Local Facilities to augment learning
âś” Small coaching groups (1:6 ratio) based on Ability not Age
âś” FREELAP performance timing technology
✔ Coaching from one of the UK’s most Experienced and Qualified MTB coaches
Sender MTB Top Gun Kids Academy Pre Requisites!
All Riders must have reasonable cycling fitness and a good Full Suspension or Hardtail bike to sustain 2 full on days of riding. Your bike must be serviced, checked and maintained before attending the course. We will dive into bike set up, however we do not have time to lose repairing mechanicals mid session. Catastrophic failure may mean retiring from the course or hiring locally. This course is NOT age based, but skill based because there are some very good young riders! Younger Riders may need accompanied on trail sessions to maximise riding time and help with pedalling or pushing uphill.
Top Gun GIRLS Rider Ability Guidelines
Super Special MTB Academy for Female Riders!
To meet the ENTRY grade for TOP GUN GIRLS, riders must be able to ride RED Graded Trails and have experience on Red Naturals. In addition, riders must be able to confidently clear small table top jumps of 2 metres and small drops. Ideal for experienced and confident pilots with reasonable fitness. If applicants are smaller or younger and struggle to push their bike uphill several times then we advise that parents join us to help their child to get maximum practice time. Girls not quite at this standard can join Top Gun Rookies OR Jump into Top Gun ONE if the dates suits better!
Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd July 2026
Top Gun ROOKIE Rider Ability Guidelines
We welcome and support female riders!
To meet the grade for ROOKIE Academy riders MUST be able to ride BLUE Graded Trails confidently standing up out of the saddle and pedalling for long periods. Ideally, Riders have tried some Red Graded Bike Park and Natural Trails. Rookies must have started to try small jumps and drops with some success. Ideal for up and coming pilots! If applicants are smaller or younger and struggle to push their bike uphill several times then we advise that parents join us to help their child to get maximum practice time.
Tues 07th & Wed 08th + Tues 28th & Wed 29th July 2026
Top Gun ONE Rider Ability Guidelines
We welcome and support female riders!
To meet the ENTRY grade for TOP GUN ONE, riders must be able to ride RED Graded Trails and have experience on Red Naturals. In addition riders must be able to confidently clear small table top jumps of 2 metres and small drops. Ideal for experienced and confident pilots with reasonable fitness. If applicants are smaller or younger and struggle to push their bike uphill several times then we advise that parents join us to help their child to get maximum practice time.
Tues 14th & Wed 15th July + Tues 04th & Wed 05th Aug 2026
Top Gun Advanced Academy
Invite ONLY – On Request. The Riders on this Academy must have already attended Rookies, Top Gun One or Top Gun Girls. All are welcome to apply!
Sat 15th & Sun 16th Aug 2026
Final Important Notes
4 Riders are required for these courses to run. Be prepared to stay close to the Bike Park or Trail Venue / Location so you can help quickly in an Emergency. You may be required to pay a small uplift fee is we use Cairngorm Mountain.For Help please contact me: scott@performancemountainsports.com or Whats app 07719 309214.