April 05, 2012 (Craftsbury, Vermont) – One hundred and fifty girls between the ages 9 and19 joined 35 ambassadors including World Cup dominator Kikkan Randall and Fast and Female founder Chandra Crawford for a first-ever red hot event in Craftsbury, Vermont on Sunday April 1.

Excitement ran high for the cross country ski event despite disappearing snow. On-snow skiing happened thanks to the Craftsbury Outdoor Centre who created a loop out of stockpiled snow.

One of the fastest ski stations involved a speed radar where girls had the chance to get out of their comfort zone to measure themselves against the world’s best xc ski racers. As is the norm with Fast and Female, dancing was also a big hit as the girls followed Crawford and Randall’s moves in their dazzling pink tights.

Educational seminars were full as well with 50 parents taking part in learning about how to get more involved in a sport their daughters have such a passion for. The session titled “How to Support Your Children in Skiing: A Panel Discussion with Parents, Coaches, and Athletes” featured speakers Cami Thompson (Mother and Dartmouth Ski Team Coach), Dorrie Martell (Mother of three outdoor enthusiasts and physical therapist), Katrina Howe (MWSC Biathlon Athlete), Tracey Cote (mother and Colby Ski Team Head Coach), and Susan Stephen (mother of current World Cup racer Liz Stephen).

Abby Weissman, NENSA’s Youth and Introductory Programs Director, was delighted to have Fast and Female in Vermont.

“This event brings so much positive energy for our skiers in New England and it was a special treat to have both Chandra and Kikkan here to lead us in skiing and dancing and talk about their adventures on the World Cup and at the Olympics,” said Weissman. “I know that our girls are going to be talking about the athletes they met for a very long time.”

A question and answer period with Crawford and Randall was a highlight for the girls as most had only seen them racing on television. For many, seeing them in real life was described as “surreal.”

While Crawford focused her presentation on turning negatives into positives and passed around her 2006 Olympic gold medal, Randall regaled the crowd with tales of the World Cup and lessons on always working hard. As a testament of her journey and determination, Randall showed her brand new sprint globe for pictures with the girls at the end of the day.

Fast and Female would like to thank Craftsbury Outdoor Centre, Hannah Dreissigacker, NENSA, Best Buy, Ski Erg, Clarins, Buff Canada, GRP and Cold-FX as well as Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars, LIT Glitter, SAUCE Headwear, and Champion System for their support in helping make this event happen.