Photo Story: School of Send in Moab, Utah & Sedona with the World Class Academy MTB
For the second quarter of the 2021-2022 school year, World Class Academy MTB headed to the US Southwest. Following a fantastic quarter in the PNW, the school hit the road to check out some iconic destinations.
Senior Lucio Vellutino from Peru plays around on the desert slick rock. Photo: Riley Gardner
This quarter started in the ultra-classic desert hub of Moab, Utah. The school rode Moab staples like Slickrock, Porcupine Rim, Jedi, Portal, and others. The school also spent a healthy amount of time at the Moab Dirt Jump Park, where they continued to round out all of their skills. The weather stayed mostly dry, slightly cold, and enabled two weeks of incredible riding.
Sophomore Finn Smith takes his BMX skills to the desert. Photo: Gardner
Junior Aidan Weld floats through a line at the Moab dirt jumps. The jumps were fun, but the community of riders at the park in Moab was a special thing to be a part of for two weeks.
Though the setting was different, the school routine stayed the same— school in the morning, riding in the afternoon. Weekends usually allowed for longer rides, especially ones that could not be done after school.
Jonah Pitchel and Max Jackson take a break to enjoy the view. Coen Goldstein rips down some slick rock. Photo: Gardner
While in Moab, the school took a field trip to Arches National Park. This was especially appropriate for the English 11 class that was reading Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire. The environmental science class utilized the Arches field trip to conduct a lab on human impacts on the natural world. Wherever the academy is in the world, the school curriculum strives to incorporate the current location into the course material. This allows the students to live what they are learning and provides a place-based education that few other schools can offer.
Literature of the Americas (Eng 11) completes a writing assignment at the site where their primary text for the quarter was written. Photo: Gardner
Arches made for one unique classroom. Photo: Gardner
While based in Moab, the school took a day trip to go freeriding in Green River. This would end up being one of everyone's favorite days of riding from the fall semester.
Environmental Science and Spanish teacher Gianna Ossello rips some freeride lines in Green River
Max Jackson goes big in Green River. Photo: Gardner
Sam Beatty executes a suicide-no-hander at a classic zone. Photo: Gardner
After Moab, the school packed up and headed down the road to Hurricane, Utah. The team spent three weeks there, where a huge variety of riding options awaited the team. Grafton Mesa, Gooseberry Mesa, and the Snake Hollow Bike Park were popular riding spots for the school.
The team in Hurricane. Photo: Erik Parker
Finn Smith at Snake Hollow. Photo: Parker
Sam Beatty and Riley Gardner flow through Snake Hollow. Photo: Parker
Sam Beatty, Snake Hollow. Photo: Parker
Max Jackson, steezy nac-nac. Photo: Parker
World Class Academy is not your typical high school in more ways than one. Small class sizes and bonds formed through riding bikes create a truly unique educational environment. Photos: Parker
The riding that took place at the freeride zones in Virgin created memories that will last a lifetime. Most bikers have seen photos of huge lines and gigantic jumps in Virgin, but what many do not realize is that Virgin also offers a wide variety of features that allow for tremendous progression. The rumors are true: the riding in Virgin is some of the best in the world.
Finn Smith flattening out in Virgin. Photo: Parker
Jonah Pitchel came to WCA as an XC-focused rider but has now progressed his freeriding skills immensely. Photo: Gardner
Program Director Riley Gardner whips at one of the thousands of jumps in Virgin. Photo: Parker
Lucio Vellutino whips his way down a line in Virgin. Photo: Parker
Aidan Weld and Max Jackson nac-nac and table, respectively. Photos: Parker
Lucio Vellutino whips during an unforgettable evening Virgin session. Photo: Parker
Every day the team went to Virgin, new jumps, lines, and drops were analyzed, discussed, and ridden. A poll completed for a Government class project showed that Virgin was the team’s favorite riding destination of the quarter. World Class Academy also hired up-and-coming freeride pros (and recent transplants to Utah), Ryan Mcnulty and Jacob Guthrie, as guest coaches to help show the team some freeride techniques and local knowledge.
Jacob Guthrie shows the students a thing or two about style. Photo: Parker
Ryan Mcnulty is no stranger to coaching or freeriding. Photo: Parker
Gianna Ossello and Lucio Vellutino find some air time in Virgin. Photo: Parker
Program Director and history teacher Riley Gardner lets a table dangle. Photo: Parker
After Hurricane, the team packed up again and headed down to Sedona, Arizona. The focus again shifted back to mostly technical, enduro-style riding, but many trips were made to the Sedona Bike Park for some air time. Final exams took place in Sedona, bringing an end to the semester.
Teacher/Coach Gianna Ossello wheelies through the Sedona landscape
While in Sedona, the team made a day trip to Flagstaff to ride the epic Private Reserve trail. This proved to be one of the most demanding (and fun) tech trails of the quarter. Here, Coen Goldstein rips his way down.
After Sedona, the team dispersed like seeds in the wind for winter break. Currently, the team has reconvened, and World Class Academy MTB is abroad for its first international quarter in Portugal. The school will be in Portugal for 7 weeks, exploring the riding and cultures in Sintra and Lousã. The fourth and final quarter of the school year will take place in Finale Ligure, Italy. The school has grown to 10 students, but is still the smallest of the schools at World Class Academy, for now...
The entire WCA MTB team in Arches National Park
Max Jackson is an upcoming racer and freerider to look out for. Photo: Riley Gardner
Applications are open for the 2022-2023 school year. Next year, the plan is to spend the first quarter in BC, the second quarter in Spain, the third quarter in New Zealand, and return to Portugal for the fourth quarter.
Lucio Vellutino specializes in racing downhill but gained some serious freeriding skills over the course of last semester
For more information about World Class Academy, check out our website here. Also, check out the school's Instagram for a sense of the day-to-day happenings at the school.
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Sometimes we have students attend for a semester and then return to their previous school. Other times they graduate from our school, it all just depends on the individual situations.