IMBA Italia is glad to announce for the third consecutive year a TBS Trail Building School course.

The first edition took place in 2015 in Porretta Terme in the Alta Valle del Reno (province of Bologna), and it was hosted by Happy Trail MTB. Happy Trail is a founding member of IMBA Europe and it opened IMBA Italia to carry out its vision and to organize all events and actions for mountain bike trail advocacy.

The second edition took place in Turin in 2016 in partnership with the Collina Po Park Authority as startup project for future collaborations such as the creation of a Mountain Bike panel with the leading role of IMBA Italia.

For 2017, IMBA Italia organizes in the region of Trentino in partnership with Val di Sole its Third Official IMBA Italia trail building school, with the support of the two main sponsors 4Guimp and Buff® and with the support of Vittoria, WD40 and Selle Italia.

The Tourism Agency of Val di Sole organizes thanks to its operational branch, Comitato Organizzatore Grandi Eventi, international events and races, and it is also designing an important and ambitious master plan around cycling.

Val di Sole (Trento) is working towards a network of new trails and linked services for the riders. That is the reason Val di Sole was glad and happy to host IMBA Italia to organize in a trail building school to educate and train staff and volunteers that will create and maintain the trails. The goal is to have more and better mtb trails.

It will be a great chance to gather and to discuss mtb trails in a world-renowned mtb destination.

4Guimp has once again confirmed its support to IMBA Italia with one of the brands that it imports: EVOC. Enrico Guala and Andrea Balli, 4Guimp co-owners, are well known in the mtb circuit. However, not everyone knows that 4Guimp was started 11 years ago to develop an early day Bike Resort. Enrico and Andrea have been passionate trails advocates since the beginning and that passion translated into the support to IMBA Italia.

NOV.ITA Srl is the Italian distributor of Buff® and it has confirmed its support again after 2016. Buff® and IMBA Italia share the same values: respect for the environment, the preservation of trails and facilities that allow to enjoy the outdoor, no matter the sport. Buff® belongs to EOCA (European Outdoor Conservation Association) and it promotes projects to protect nature and to safeguard life in general.

This mission is carried out in the production process, with promotional events, and in any other activities purposely consistent with that “green’ approach.

TBS’s are possible thanks to IMBA Trail Solutions, thanks to the support of IMBA Europe, and with the logistical help of Happy Trail MTB.

Participants will learn all of the basics of trail maintenance and construction according to IMBATrail Solutions curriculum (the international standard for over 30 years).

The Trail Building School (TBS) course will last one week-end. Instructors will be Mark McClure, professional trail builder with IMBA Trail Solutions, and Edoardo Melchiori, VP at IMBA Italia and IMBA Europe board member.

Mark McClure will lecture in English while Edoardo Melchiori will translate into Italian both the theory and the practice.

The format involves 4 hrs of theory, and 12 hrs of practical work on actual trails. Forty will be the participants from Italy and other European countries.

These are some of the things participants will learn:

Characteristics of a sustainable trail,
The importance of a good design,
How and where to use rocks,
How to design with the right gradient,
Criteria for multi-use trails,
Water shading and erosion,
Tools and safety,
How to deal with trails that are not sustainable.

Price of the course € 170.00. Reduced price for IMBA Italia members and supporters € 150.00.

All participants will receive handouts in electronic format (Italian or English). Upon completion, participants will receive a TBS IMBA Trail Solution Certificate.

All participants will receive the following welcome kit: