Clair Coker becomes Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's first female president

Clair Coker is the first female president of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club. Photo / Andrew Warner

Clair Coker has made history as the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's first female president.

However, in her eyes, this is just the beginning.

"I came on board the club a year or so ago and I just saw that there was so much potential but people didn't have the time to put into it. Of course, we're all volunteers, everyone on the committee has families and fulltime jobs.

"I thought we could add so much value to the mountain biking community in Rotorua. I got a new job in October last year and had a lot more time up my sleeve. I thought, 'you know what, I know I could do a lot more'."

She spoke to the president at the time, Mat Hunt, who was ready to step down as he had less time available. Coker put her hand up for the role and the rest is history.

She is no stranger to the mountain bike community: an avid rider, she has also helped manage the volunteers at Crankworx for the past two years.

"That was what really got me into the community aspect of mountain biking. I've always loved it but in terms of the community aspect it wasn't until I joined Crankworx I realised just how amazing it was."

Coker said she was proud to be the first female president at the club.

"I'm really big on seeing girls excel and we have such an incredible female community - there are amazing chicks in the female mountain biking community. I'm really stoked to be in a position where I can help promote them a little bit more.

"We're really passionate about getting girls on bikes and we're really lucky to have people like Cati Pearson, Philly Angus and Ash Bond who are also extremely passionate about it, it's definitely a team effort."

Now that she is in the role of president, Coker has lofty ambitions, one core focus being to grow the club's membership. Currently sitting at just under 500 members, she has set a target of 1200 by this time next year.

"We actually have a really small membership because people don't always see the benefit of joining the club. I want to grow that and educate our mountain bike community about why they should join the club.

"The first [benefit] is funding the First Response Unit. It's such an incredibly valuable service and people don't understand that it's a club initiative and we're the ones responsible for getting the money.

"The other benefits are the rider development programmes, getting underprivileged kids on bikes through the Share the Ride programme and there are skills clinics to help our riders improve their skills and abilities in the forest."

New Rotorua Mountain Bike Club president Clair Coker says the club has a lot of potential. Photo / Andrew Warner

Coker said her other focus was to get started on building a pump track in Rotorua, which she was in talks with trail builders about.

Stalwart of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club and a member of the committee Barbara Jenks said Coker was ideally suited to the role of president.

"She's absolutely the most enthusiastic person, she is very much part of the mountain bike community, she has a very logical brain, thinks things through and is organised," Jenks said.

"She's just perfect for the role, she's a great leader and we're really excited for the future."

Jenks said just a few years ago she was the only woman on the committee so to have the first female president was exciting.

"I think it's more about who is available and best suited for the role but I think she'll definitely bring a new perspective to the role. She's already got heaps of ideas about the direction we should take. The club is in very good heart, we have lots going on and we're doing a lot for the community.

"It's a diverse committee and we all work really well together."