GRAVITY SCHOOL RACING
The Gravity School international race team started it’s journey back in 2015, and over the years has had lots of success. This success has included World Cup top 20 results, a World Championship medal, National Series race and overall wins, and countless podiums across all categories. Head coach Jack Reading, world cup veteran of 14 years and still racing at elite level, leads our big race team. In 2024 and 2026 Jack won the Portugal Cup national series, and is excited to represent the team and our partner brands with the number 1 plate in 2027.
With riders racing across all the categories of U15, U17, U19 and elite, the team covers all bases from talent development to podium level and race winning athletes.
As the sport of downhill mountain biking has grown over the years and become much more professional, it has become increasingly more important to coach and develop riders from as young an age as possible, to best prepare them for international competitions, and help them to one day become professionals at the sport.
All of our team riders have ridden within the Gravity School coaching progression pathway for at least 1 season, and have shown incredible talent and progression following their coaching sessions.
The Gravity School coaching program is structured as a progression pathway:
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Stage 1 - Gravity School Race Coaching sessions available to everyone
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Stage 2 - Gravity School Athlete Affiliate Program selection based on performance
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Stage 3 - Gravity School Race Team selection with professional support
Riders can aim to move through the progression pathway as they improve as riders and racers, hoping to one day become a professional downhill athlete being paid to do the sport they love.
Introducing the 2026 team riders. Current race winners and future champions:
Elite – Jack Reading (coach)
World cup veteran of 14 years, Jack has a wealth of hard-earned experience to pass onto the Gravity School riders. Some of Jack’s career highlights are:
3rd Crankworx Whistler 2011
1st British National Rd 2016
18th World Cup Lenzerheide 2017
25th World Championships 2017
4th Megavalanche 2021
1st Portugal Cup overall 2024 & 2026
Marius is an exciting addition to the team in 2026. He is from Switzerland, and after attending a Portugal Coaching camp in 2025 where we saw his talent first hand, he went on to finish 12th place at the World Championships. Going into his first elite season in 2026, this guy has so much commitment for riding and racing, and the team is very excited to help him pursue his dreams. The sky is the limit for Marius!
Elite - Marius Krahenbuhl
Elite - Marcus Angelstar
New to the team in 2025 Marcus has experienced multiple races and camps with the team last year, and will be doing so again this year in team colours.
Elite – Oscar Hakes
Oscar is a talented rider who is hungry to show everyone how fast he is. Plagued with injuries from crashes in 2024, he’s having to be patient. But here at the Gravity School we know these things sometimes take time, and we’re ready to perform a full factory reset on Oscar this off season, and get him ready for his first season in the over 18 categories in 2025. Watch this space for some big results from this wildcard in 2025
Elite - Tom Westgate
The team joker, and also an incredibly fast, and focused racer, riding with effortless style. Tom joined the race team this season and has performed brilliantly at some of the events, especially Dirt Masters in Winterberg, where he won the junior category, and European Championships to achieve a top 20. Tom has another year in junior in 2025 and after a big winter, we’re excited to see what he can achieve.
U19 – Leo Ransom
Leo comes into the team after being coached on the Gravity School for 2 years. It started with skills sessions, then progressed onto our uplifted race specific coaching sessions, and finally into the scholarship program in 2024. Leo rides technical terrain with great composure and skills, testament to the local trails he shreds, and we’re really excited to have him join the team in 2025. This young rider lines up alongside Nui in our youth category and both are ready to push it this season. Leo has taken to his new RAAW Yalla with ease and he’s excited for the races.
This young man from Portugal came to the Racing Centre in September 2024 for some coaching. Having raced in Portugal for a few years, he was looking to take things up a notch. Jack wasn’t only impressed by his riding skills and raw pace, but Nui’s overall attitude. Nui comes into the team as an exciting prospect in the youth category. Older than his years, we see this young racer going far in the coming seasons, and we’re excited to help him with that process. Let’s GO Nui!
U19 - Nui Tai Trindade
U17 - Thomas Jenkins
Thomas was talent spotted on a coaching session at the end of 2025. This young rider has bags of talent, as well as an abundance of commitment for training and racing. We’re super excited to see how this young rider develops with our team in the coming years.
Ed or “Angry Badger” as he is known amongst his friends and team mates, is the team’s youngest signing at 12. Gravity School has been coaching Ed for 2 years and we’ve seen great progress in his riding skills during that time, as well as producing awesome results in the ripper category. In 2025 Ed will be a first-year juvenile and the skill, composure and speed he rides with makes you question his age. A future talent in the sport of downhill, and he’s ours, so back off!
U15 - Ed Jones
We hope everyone is excited to see who the new 2026 team riders will be!
Thanks to all of our amazing team sponsors for their amazing and highly valued support:
SR Suntour – Suspension & our partner brand
RAAW Mountain Bikes - Frames
Schwalbe - Tires
O'Neal – Riding gear and protection
Trailtools – Partners with Gravity School for all Portugal Racing Centre activities, as well as providing additional help and financial support for the race season
Hayes Brakes,Reynolds wheels
Works Components headsets and chain rings
Renthal
TY Bike Products cleaner, lube and tyre yogurt
Crankbrothers pedals
Shack Wrap frame and component protective wrapping
Shimano drivetrain
Love what we do and want to join the team as a sponsor? Email Jack to receive our 2025 Team Sponsorship Document.
2026 Race & Camp Calendar
J
January 25 – Feb 2nd Team Camp, Portugal
February 15 – 22nd Racing Centre Camp 1, Portugal
March 9 – 16th Portugal Cup Race Camp 1 Porto De Mos cat UCI 2
March 16 – 23rd Portugal Cup Race Camp 2 Padela cat UCI 1
April 6 – 13th IXS EDC Rd1 Race Camp Caramulo UCI cat 1
April 13 – 20th Portugal Cup Race Camp 3 Caramulo UCI cat 1
May 4 – 11th Portugal Cup Race Camp 4 Arcos de Valdevez UCI cat 1
May 14 – 17th IXS EDC Rd 2 & Continental Series Fort William UCI cat 1
June 1st - 8th IXS EDC Rd 3 & Continental Series La Molina Spain UCI cat 1
June 22 -29th Portugal Cup Race Camp 5 Almofala cat 2
July 8-13 IXS EDC Rd 4 Les Orres, France UCI cat 1
July 17 - 19th National Championships, Revolution Bike Park
July 24th – August 2nd IXS EDC Rd 5 Poland
September 7 - 14th IXS EDC Rd 6 Verbier, Switzerland, UCI cat 1
September 23-27th Whistler World Cup rd 8