What began six years ago as an international education and training programme organised by Indoor Cycling Worldwide (ICWW) has now become a firmly established tradition: for the sixth consecutive year, the International Coach Training Course, combined with a training camp, took place – for the second time at the STB Campus Bartholomä.
The event is a prime example of one of ICWW’s key objectives: to further develop indoor cycling internationally, make knowledge accessible across national borders, and in particular support countries and coaches in building and continuously developing their structures. Since 2021, the International Coach Training Course has been an integral part of ICWW’s activities.
Year after year, the camp brings together athletes and coaches from different countries, creating a unique environment for sporting development, knowledge transfer and international exchange. The aim is not simply to pass on existing knowledge. Different experiences, training cultures and approaches are brought together so that everyone involved can learn from one another and take new ideas and impulses back to their clubs and countries.
From the very beginning, the focus has been on a common goal: developing both athletes and coaches. While artistic cycling athletes work intensively on technique, precision, new elements and mental challenges, coaches receive practical input on training organisation, methodological training design, movement analysis and targeted support techniques. Theory and practice are closely connected, allowing ICWW not only to support individual athletes but also to build sustainable knowledge and expertise among coaches.
Under the leadership of Kathrin Igel (Germany) and Daniela Keller (Switzerland), a course format has developed over the past six years that goes far beyond training alone. Different experiences and perspectives are brought together, discussed and immediately put into practice in the gym. This open exchange reflects the international spirit of ICWW: knowledge should not stop at national or club borders, but should be shared and continuously developed together.
The STB Campus Bartholomä provides the ideal setting for this. The spacious sports hall allows for focused and intensive training sessions, while on-site accommodation, catering and the support of the Campus team create ideal conditions for several days of joint learning and training. This provides opportunities not only during the training sessions but also beyond them for conversations, new connections and international exchange.
The sixth edition once again demonstrated how vibrant this network has become: around 40 athletes and coaches from six nations came together to train, learn from one another and take new ideas and inspiration back into their future sporting work. With each edition, not only the experience within the course grows, but also the international network surrounding ICWW. Encounters create connections, joint training generates new ideas, and an annually recurring course is developing into a living tradition.
“Being able to organise this international camp for the sixth time already demonstrates the importance that joint learning and exchange have gained. That is exactly what ICWW stands for: connecting people and nations in indoor cycling, sharing knowledge and enabling development together. Every year, it is once again special to see how athletes and coaches from different countries work together, benefit from one another and take new impulses back home,” emphasise course directors Daniela Keller and Kathrin Igel.
The International Coach Training Course therefore represents far more than a few intensive days of training. It embodies what Indoor Cycling Worldwide aims to achieve through its work: promoting education, sharing knowledge, strengthening international networks and developing indoor cycling together across national borders. After six editions, it has long since become more than just a single camp – it is now an established part of ICWW’s international activities and a tradition that continues to grow year after year.