Bike shop owner backs young talent

Northern Illawarra mountains bikers were well-represented at the country’s largest downhill mountain bike event – the Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival at Thredbo in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains in February.

Among those racing were members of the Fornix Race Team, a group of developing mountain bikers from Helensburgh and surrounding suburbs who are being supported and mentored by Helensburgh’s Dan Irwin, the owner of Fornix Wheels bike shop who also runs the RideAus coaching business.

When Dan was a kid, he loved motocross. He has fond memories of his parents taking him to Yellow Rock on the NSW South Coast, where moto legends like Stephen Gall and Stephen Hunter would teach skills and encourage young riders like himself.

Dan went on to race across several disciplines including motorcycles, downhill and enduro mountain biking and triathlon. Now, he is considered one of Australia’s top coaches.

“I’m very grateful for the people who gave me the opportunity to race,” he said. 

“That’s why I started RideAus [a mountain bike coaching business]… and towards the end of 2024 we started the Fornix Race Team as an extension of RideAus in order to champion good, solid young people in the sport, those who are showing maturity, are good role models and are progressing with their skills and training.”

Team Fornix are: Tyrah Beckinsale, Kalea Krummer, Annie Martin, Connor Mielke, Charlie Mielke, Charlie Norton, Daniel Scobie, Jett Sullivan and Max Thraves. Liam Stewart is the Fornix Ambassador.

Most of Team Fornix are also members of Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club (HORCC) and have grown up riding the local Helensburgh and northern Illawarra trails.

Each of the team members competed in the 2026 Cannonball Mountain Bike festival, with a highlight occurring on day two of the four-day event, when 18-year-old Daniel Scobie from Helensburgh won the Flow Motion Cup in the Pro-Men’s category.

Other significant results included 13-year-old Charlie Norton from Helensburgh placing first in the under-15 men’s Oakley Pump Track Challenge; 16-year-old Tyrah Beckinsale from Austinmer placed second in her under-19 women’s category; and Connor Mielke placed third in Pro Woman.
In the Rock-Shock Australian Open Downhill race, 17-year-old Annie Martin from Helensburgh came second in the under-19 women’s category.

14-year-old Helensburgh local Kalea Krummer and Daniel Scobie took part in the invitation-only “Deity Whip Wars”, showcasing their freestyle riding and jump skills to a large crowd on the closing afternoon of the festival.

Dan said it’s been wonderful to watch the team of young people progress. 

“They are awesome to have on board to be able to help them, to champion and nurture them. And just hope that they stay on a good, safe path for their lives and keep enjoying riding their bikes!” 

(Fornix Wheels also sponsors some “not so young” riders – several parents of the team who also compete.)

Upcoming events for the team include the 2026 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships in Mount Buller, Victoria, where last year Kalea Krummer placed second.