February 16, 2008 (Whistler B.C.) – Two years from now Chandra Crawford will be in Whistler B.C., competing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Next month, she will be on those same trails, working to inspire the next generation of young female athletes. Fresh of her first World Cup Victory, Crawford is ready to kick off Fast and Female 2008, a national program designed to empower young girls to stay healthy through sport. Together with the women’s national cross-country ski and biathlon teams, Crawford will host the 3rd annual Fast and Female Ski Day for young Canadian girls at the Callaghan Valley’s Whistler Olympic Park on March. 24th.

In conjunction with Cross Country Canada and the Hollyburn Ski Club, Crawford and her teammates will spend the day with 200 girls, ages 13-19, from across the country. The goal of the event is to inspire girls to stay confident and healthy through sport and an active lifestyle. Participants will hit the trails for some cross-country skiing instruction, take part in a yoga session, do a little hip-hop dancing and hear an inspirational speech from Crawford herself.

“The instructors at Fast and Female this year are goal-driven lovers of the active lifestyle and incredible role models for the next generation. The participants will be exposed to a way of life that sees no separation between healthy living and having fun. We’re striving to have girls feel comfortable in their own skin. Being active feels good. When your cheeks are flushed from skiing or dancing or yoga, whatever…you just feel great. That feeling counteracts all those negative feelings you might have throughout the rest of the day about your self-image,” said Crawford.

“I absolutely love this event because it allows me the opportunity to work with and hopefully inspire young girls to stay active. I want them to walk away thinking, wow, it is cool to be involved in sport and just feeling great about themselves in general.” said Zina Kocher, World Cup Medalist and National Team Biathlete.

Crawford, with the help of her teammates, launched Fast and Female in 2005 with an inaugural event at Silver Star Ski Resort in BC. The long-term goal of the organization is to grow into a national wellness-through-sport program with the objective of empowering girls to build confidence through sport.

Who: Chandra Crawford, Olympic Gold Medallist
– Women’s National Cross-Country Ski Team
– Women’s National Biathlon Team
– 200 Girls aged 13-19

What: Fast and Female 2008 Ski Day

Where: Callaghan Valley’s Whistler Olympic Park, BC

When: March.24th, 2008

Schedule
11 a.m. Registration
12 p.m. Skiing Instruction
2 p.m. Chandra Crawford inspirational speech
3 p.m. Dance
4 p.m. Yoga
5 p.m. Autograph Signing and departure