New MTB Guiding Company Aims to Empower Nepalese Women

World Ride is a new non-profit guiding company that “organizes mountain bike trips that are led by female Nepali guides, [helping] to support the growth of women’s mountain biking in Nepal,” according to founder Julie Cornelius. In addition to guiding, World Ride helps support female mountain bikers in Nepal through recreation and competitive racing.

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For more information, check out the full press release:

World Ride Press Release

World Ride, a mountain bike adventure company, has launched to help support the growth of women’s mountain biking in Nepal. World Ride organizes mountain bike trips and retreats on epic trails in Nepal, and all proceeds from these trips go to the Ladies Mountain League, an organization that helps to empower Nepali women through the outdoors.

World Ride developed out of a project started by Julie Cornelius, a mountain bike guide and nutrition coach out of Moab, UT, to aid Nepal after the 2015 earthquakes. In March of 2017, Cornelius traveled with a team of ladies including Shonny Vanlandingham, Francesca Weikert, and Lindsey Richter (Ladies Allride) to Nepal to film the documentary Moksha, produced by AndShesDopeToo. The ladies worked with a team of Nepali ladies to tell their story through the film. They also taught a skills clinic to Nepali women, many of whom had never mountain biked before. In May of 2017, two of the Nepali ladies, Usha Khanal and Roja KC, became the first female Nepali AMGA certified mountain bike guides. These two ladies are now employed by World Ride partner Himalayan Singletrack. [They now work] guiding mountain bike tours throughout Nepal.

“It is difficult to summarize a Nepal experience… The warmth of the people, the amazing Himalayas–a perfect landscape–and the culture of the place. They all make traveling to Nepal an out-of-this-world experience. I am so lucky to have had this opportunity.” –Carmina, 2017 World Ride adventurer.

World Ride supports the growth of mountain biking in Nepal through three avenues: recreation, careers, and racing. The Ladies Mountain League hosts weekly rides for ladies and has a small fleet of bikes the women can use for free. World Ride will help to purchase more bikes to expand the weekly recreational rides. Proceeds will also go to continue training for women guides in Nepal. Mountain bike tourism is growing in the country, and mountain bike guiding is a sustainable career path for these ladies. Some women choose to race in cross country, downhill, and enduro disciplines. World Ride will help to support these ladies, with the future goal of sending a Nepali woman to the Olympic games.

World Ride trips are fully supported, guided trips through some of the highest mountains in the world. Currently, World Ride has two trips offerings–Annapurna Circuit and Jomsom Muktinath Enduro–and both trips have dates for ladies-only trips and for coed trips. The Annapurna Circuit ride tests a rider’s stamina and strength over the course of 14 days. while riding over the imposing Thorong La Pass (5416m, 17,769ft). The Jomsom Muktinath Enduro is a less strenuous trip that takes riders through the Mustang region of Nepal. Both rides combine rugged jeep roads and truly amazing singletrack for a trip of a lifetime!

Along with organizing mountain bike adventures, World Ride is collecting donations of gear and financial contributions for the Ladies Mountain League. Mountain biking is financially restrictive for women in Nepal, so the Ladies Mountain League and World Ride are working to make it possible for all women to join. New and gently-used items are currently being accepted, and all World Ride adventure participants are encouraged to bring over items to Nepal to donate.

Visit www.world-ride.com to find out more, book a trip, or to make a donation.