January 30, 2013 (Montebello, QC) – Fast and Female is inviting female cross country ski enthusiasts ages 7 to 19 to attend an afternoon activity of inspiration on February 9 led by 2010 Olympian Madeleine Williams as part of the Canadian Ski Marathon.

Williams, an accomplished cross country skier and runner as well as a current Law student at McGill university will join the girls for an inspirational presentation followed by a personal development exercise on attitude as well as fun dance and yoga sessions. The event will take place at Château Montebello – one of the largest log-built hotels in the world – from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm on Saturday, February 9.

“I’m very excited to be leading the Fast and Female event at the Canadian Ski Marathon because this event is one of our country’s premiere ski events,” said Williams. “This is a great opportunity to reach an audience of racers and recreational skiers alike. Inspiring girls to stay in sport is important to me because sport teaches so many vital life lessons and encourages lifelong health,” concluded the retired World Cup cross country racer who still competes in cross country running.

As a two-day event, the CSM features 160 kilometres of skiing divided into 5 sections each day, with an average of 16 km per section. Skiers of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate and can do so safely. There are checkpoints at the end of each section providing food, first, aid an other services, as well as shuttle buses that run between accommodation and checkpoints throughout each day. The CSM alternates its direction each year, from East to West one year and then West to East the next – between Gatineau and Lachute.

Unlike most ski events, there are no winners or losers in the Canadian Ski Marathon. Each skier can select his/her own level of challenge and try to achieve it. One can ski as little as 12 km or up to the maximum of 160 km over the weekend.

“Chandra Crawford, Madeline Williams and the Fast and Female team have brought an inspiring energy to the 2013 Canadian Ski Marathon,” said Bill Syrros, CSM President “We recognize and respect the level of empowerment and encouragement they’re offering to CSM youth; to ski and to be the best that they can be.”

Fast and Female is a non-profit organization launched in seven years ago by Chandra Crawford – 2006 Olympic gold medalist and honorary president for this year’s edition of the Canadian Ski Marathon. The organization’s mission is to support, encourage and motivate girls to stay in sports. It is believed that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys by the time they reach 14 years old.

“I’m super pumped that we are able to bring the Fast and Female message of joy for sport to the girls taking part in the Canadian Ski Marathon,” said Crawford who is in Europe for the remainder of the World Cup season. “The CSM is a tremendous event for participants of all ages and abilities to push their limits in a fun and supportive environment. This is extremely in line with Fast and Female’s values of inspiring all girls to follow their passions for sport and continuously challenge themselves to improve as athletes and as human beings. I’m sure all the girls attending the Fast and Female activity will learn a lot from Madeleine’s presence and her lessons on perseverance and determination.”

The February 9 Fast and Female activity in Montebello is open to female youth Canadian Ski Marathon participants as well as non participants from the area.

The cost for the events is $25 for youth and includes a Fast & Female t-shirt, a healthy snack, a magazine subscription (Pedal or SkiTrax) and an autographed poster. Online registration is open until February 8 at lunch time HERE or at www.fastandfemale.com.

As a complement to the event, Fast and Female and the Canadian Ski Marathon are also partnering to run a Marathon Girl Contest. As part of the contest, girls ages 7 to 19 registered in the Canadian Ski Marathon are invited to submit a short paragraph on what makes them exemplary Fast and Female Marathon Girls. Ten young women will be selected as part of this contest and will be rewarded with a free Fast and Female Buff. Entries in the contest can be sent to info@fastandfemale.com.

For more information about the Canadian Ski Marathon and to register, click HERE.

December 27, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Want to make a difference in the lives of girls in sports? Fast and Female is seeking an Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the efficient and effective management and oversight of the organization’s global operations, including finances, budgeting, programming, marketing, communications, merchandising, fundraising, and staffing. The Executive Director shall ensure that all operations are consistent with the standards set by the Board.

ABOUT FAST AND FEMALE
Fast and Female is a not-for-profit society started in 2005 by Chandra Crawford, 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing. The organization’s mission is to ensure that girls remain supported, motivated, inspired, empowered to stick to sports and the healthy lifestyle. Fast and Female fulfills its mission of “Empowerment Through Sport” by hosting fun-filled, non-competitive initiatives all across North-America aimed at exposing young female athletes to inspiring female Olympians and elite level athletes. The young girls who attend Fast and Female events today will lead in the future, may it be as athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents, and community leaders. For more information about Fast and Female, visit www.fastandfemale.com

ROLE
Executive Director (reports to President and Chairman of the Board)

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy/High level planning
– Oversee the short and longer term planning of Fast and Female programming (events, web-based programming, target groups ¡V youth, coaches, parents, ambassadors).
– Interfaces with Fast and Female Founder and Board to map out a short-term and long term strategies.
–  Plans out strategic initiatives and ensures optimal alignment with the interests of all Fast and Female stakeholders (participants, sponsors, donors).
– Develops strategic relations with key NSOs for the development and execution of programming.

Governance
– Plan out annual calendar of meetings.
– Prepare board meeting agendas and compile minutes.
– Prepare board meeting documents (management review, financials).

Finances
– Develops and maintains annual organizational budget as well as event-based budgets.
– Tracks and monitors all income and expenses on a daily basis.
– Issue cheques for invoices due.
– Interfaces with accountant to produce quarterly financial statements for internal purposes with the Board.
– Maintain appropriate relations with third party financial services (Moneris, PayPal, Eventbrite) for the collection of funds.

Programming
– Manage annual programming calendar.
– Establishes key contacts with local event hosting stakeholders.
– Effectively lead the planning, execution and debrief of Fast and Female events.
– Oversee the work of contractors involved in event planning, execution and debrief in other jurisdictions. (USA, Australia, Eastern Canada…) to ensure programming quality and consistency.

www.fastandfemale.com
– Develop, deliver and maintain web-based programming (Fast and Female TV, Fast and Female Facebook page, Fast and Female Power Hour, Fast and Female e-Newsletter, Fast and Female Amazing Tips Seminars for Parents and Coaches, Fast and Female Ambassador program).
– Track programming impact assessment (survey monkey, testimonials…).

Communications, Marketing and Media Relations
– Maintain communications and marketing strategy for the organization as a whole and for the specific programming components (events, Fast and Female TV, Fast and Female Facebook page, Fast and Female Power Hour, Fast and Female e-Newsletter, Fast and Female Amazing Tips Seminars for Parents and Coaches, Fast and Female Ambassador program).
– Manage and optimize communications channels (website, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube Channel).
– Ensure consistent usage of the Fast and Female brand guidelines.
– Develop and produce all marketing collateral (posters, logos, cards…).
– Develop and broadcast press releases relating to the organization and its programming.
– Develop and execute a strategy to ensure optimal media exposure for the organization and its supporters.

Fundraising
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the retail merchandise program (online and event sales, inventory management, product replenishing, supplier relations, pricing strategies…).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the sponsor-raising and sponsor-retention program (maintain and update sponsor pitch documents, lead pitching initiatives, maintain relations with sponsors, identify prospective sponsors, ensure all contractual agreements with sponsors are fulfilled).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the donor-raising and donor-retention program (maintain and update donor pitch documents, lead pitching initiatives, maintain relations with donors, identify prospective donors, produce reporting documents to meet donors¡¦ needs and expectations).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of in-king supplier contributors.
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of event-based fundraising initiatives (Sports Day in Canada, VIP cocktails, silent auctions…).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful application on grants.

Office and Operations
– Interface with third party to secure office space.
– Oversee resource management for contractors when necessary (computers…).
– Interface with key stakeholders for ensuring that the organization maintains appropriate insurance for events, retail program, and other.
– Ensures appropriate insurance coverage is in place for the organization’s activities.
– Keeps abreast of legal and other liability issues that concern the organization.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
– 3-5 years of progressive management experience
– Academic background in sports management/ communications/marketing/business/special events
– Strong events planning and hosting experience
– Strong sport background (either as an athlete, coach, or as an event planner)
– Strong comprehension of the sports system
– Strong computer skills (Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, website content management, social media platforms)
– Strong interpersonal/people skills
– Strong communication skills (ability to speak in public in front of large crowds)
– Knowledge of legal and liability issues as they relate to event and brand management
– Basic accounting
– French/English bilingualism a strong asset
– Must be willing to travel
– Must be will to work on weekends and week nights

DESIRED WORK STYLE
– Extremely passionate about girls and sports
– Strong ability to work independently
– Self-directed
– Team Player
– Attention to details
– Can-do attitude
– Flexible mindset
– Highly flexible time commitment
– Honest
– Dependable
– Visionary
– Positive attitude
– Engaging leader

COMPENSATION
– Contract position
– 4 days of work per week (32 hours per week)
– 2 weeks paid vacation
– Salary $40,000 per year (paid out on the 15th and last day of each month = $3,333 per month / $1,666 paid out every second week)

WORK LOCATION
Ideally Canmore, Alberta but open to other locations.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Please submit your resume and cover letter in complete confidence to board@fastandfemale.com prior to January 7, 2012 at midnight.

Salary Range: 40,000 per year

Full job description HERE (PDF).

December 20, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – The Board of Directors of Fast and Female announces the departure of Marie-Hélène (M&H) Thibeault following more than four years of dedication to the program as Executive Director.

M&H, alumni of the Canadian alpine ski team, started with the organization in 2009. At that time, Fast and Female’s program consisted of a single event in cross country skiing reaching 150 young women.

“It is with mixed emotions that I’m stepping down from my role of Executive Director,” said M&H. “The last four years have been extremely enriching for me and definitively surpassed all my expectations with regards to where this fantastic program could go! Much of this awesomeness was achieved thanks to the amazing ambassadors, colleagues, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and supporters who have all contributed in different ways to helping us empower girls through inspiring programming. I’m extremely proud of where the program is presently and I know it’s in a fantastic position to continue growing and reaching more young women.”

In 2012, Fast and Female hosted more than 25 events in Canada, the US and Australia in a broad variety of sports and impacted more than 1,500 young women and their families. In addition to expanding its signature events for young women ages 9 to 19, Fast and Female’s programming has also grown to feature online content such as Fast and Female TV on You Tube and the Fast and Female Facebook page – all of which are intended to support the retention of young women in sports. A new programming element was recently launched called the Fast and Female Power Hour, which hopes to encourage local clubs to host their own small Fast and Female activities to help support the athletic and personal development of their young female members.

“M&H’s work has been impressive on all fronts, but Kikkan and I feel that her rock-solid prioritization of making a difference in the lives of our participants has been amazing,” said Fast and Female President and Founder, Chandra Crawford. “Her passion for empowering young women through sport has brought our programming to thousands of young women. She brought so many great ambassadors and sponsors on board and grew our community. Her deep caring has always kept us in line with the values that matter most,” added the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross country ski racing who launched Fast and Female in 2005 out of a need to see more girls stick to sports.

As an MBA graduate, M&H hopes to return to the corporate world in the Calgary region to apply her skills in marketing, communications, brand and culture development, as well as program management. She also hopes to take advantage of the next months to spend time with her family which includes two young children – Thomas (age 4) and Zoe (age 1).

The Fast and Female Board has launched a global search for a new Executive Director and hopes to have a new person in position by mid to late January.

“As the Board of Directors looks ahead, we are looking to bring on board a new Executive Director who can harness Fast and Female’s inspiring message and empower another generation of girls committed to the healthy lifestyle,” said Ted Kalil, Fast and Female Board member and lead on the recruitment process.

The complete job description can be found HERE. The deadline to submit a résumé and cover letter is January 7, 2013.

“While M&H leaves some highly energetic, well-qualified boots to fill, we are excited about the hiring phase and have a lot of support from our Board of Directors as we search for a new force to keep blazing the Fast and Female trail,” concluded Chandra.

M&H will remain in part-time position until a new Executive Director is in place in January.

November 01, 2012 (Anchorage, AK) – Since getting back from Park City Camp, Anchorage has yet to get any snow. Of course, when every skier is looking for moisture, the sun finally decides to show in AK. With no snow, the temperatures haven’t hesitated to resemble the typical Alaskan weather at this time of year.

As temps dropped down into the single digits, rollerskiing gets less fun! Pounding freezing cold pavement isn’t exactly the nicest thing for your joints. But, with a little extra clothes, and a longer than usual warm up- we made it happen.

One day we were rollerskiing at a local park, where all the ducks have decided to reside around a half frozen pond. They also have chosen to poop all over the trail. So, aside from the trail being half frozen, our skis were also being stopped and tripped up by frozen pooo. It provided for some laughing, a little swearing, and fortunately only one fall that didn’t end up too bad.

Last weekend was also the annual APU ski swap, where all the elite athletes pass down our great equipment to the younger generation of skiers. This is one of the neatest qualities about this elite/junior/devo team. A great pair of skis never leaves the team as someone grows out of them, it just keeps living down the chain. The ski swap is also a time that Kikkan takes the opportunity to clear out her closet and raffle off all her stuff to the young kids.

This is one of the most exciting things I have ever watched. Kikkan manages to accumulate some pretty awesome gear, so the kids get called out by number, have 10 seconds to pick something on the table, and then the next person goes. It’s a pretty awesome thing Kikkan does- and I am sure that 90% of those kids mark the day on the calendar, it’s that exciting!!

On that same day we had one of the young devo team boys and Rob Whitney put on a fundraiser run for Mary Robicheaux, a young devo on our team that got hit by a car while she was biking. Mary has been in the hospitals for the past two months as she is learning to walk again. She suffered a fractured skull, many broken bones in both legs, a broken spine, and a tough road to recovery. She has been amazing though as she has continued to improve from day to day with a whole lot of heart.

Anyways, one of her friends, Luke Jager headed up a running race for the community. He set up a little 5k course that weaved over logs, through trees, around in circles… you name it. It was pretty fun. It was amazing to see the community come together, with around 300 participants, who managed to raise $14,000 for Mary’s recovery.

So, this leads to last weekend. On Wednesday last week, I headed up to Fairbanks for a little on-snow time. Since Fairbanks has about 3 inches of snow, our team was off to find it. This weekend is also the First Tracks Camp, where all the skiers of Alaska group together for the first “on-snow” camp of the season.

It is pretty awesome, they all get to chase all the elite skiers around during training, and then there are a bunch of talks set up from Nutritionists, Health Specialists, NCAA skiers and coaches, and the World Cup Team. With everyone in the same place, everyone gets to take advantage of the others around them. This is the first time I have attended one of these First Tracks Camp, but it is pretty amazing. Thanks Matt Hajdukavich and Challenge Life Alaska for an awesome time!

The final day, we celebrated Halloween and dressed up in costumes for our ski. I was doing intervals this day, so it meant throwing down pretty hard in a pink onesie suit with a white cotton t-shirt on top. It provided for some entertainment though for sure.

Kikkan and Holly also organized a “world-cup field” for the final day where they brought all their race suits from other countries they have accumulated, and then raffled off who got to wear them the final day. The kids also got to wear world cup bibs on top, so it was pretty hilarious to watch the “foreigners” skiing around.

So after four days of sweet skiing, we had to head home for some good “home time” before leaving for the winter. This is also the hardest part. Trying to get your life truly organized before being gone from your home for potentially five months!! Yikes. In the mean time, if you see me on the side of the road dancing… I am just doing the snow dance!! C’mon snow.

October 09, 2012 – Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone! Ok, now the blog post can begin. The Fast and Female event in Park City was officially AWESOME. As per my usual, I got to lead the dancing/endurance station, where we keep moving the entire time and each girl gets to add a dance move of her own to the group dance. The dance gets longer and longer and by the last group of the day I’m always working so hard to try and remember which move comes next! But it’s so much fun. Anne Hart was my dance station partner and we had a blast although by the end we both had jelly legs and were wiped out.

For me the coolest thing is seeing each girls face light up as the entire group does the dance move SHE got to add. It’s fun to make each girl be the star for 10 seconds!

And now… the National Nordic Foundation’s Drive for 25.

I realize that there are a ton of fundraisers going on this fall. And my personal fundraiser, the Chilkoot Cafe dinner in Stillwater, is going on this fall as well, on November 10th. But, I’m putting this up because the National Nordic Foundation directly helps me as well as many other junior, senior and U23 athletes looking to take the next step in international racing. NNF lowers trip costs for World Juniors/U23′s, and help pay for World Cup expenses. NNF also helped the US Women’s team travel to Sweden to train with some of the best in the world and improve.

So!

If you cannot come to Stillwater, MN on November 10th but are a friend of mine and/or Nordic Skiing and want to help out, this fundraiser is the best way to do it. I’ve linked my fundraising page below, and my goal is to get 20 people to donate $25. All the fundraiser information is on the link – even if you do not want to donate, please check out the NNF and their mission – the stories, pictures and race blogs are well worth looking at. Thanks for your time!

Jessie’s Drive for 25 page HERE.

February 28, 2012 (Mont-Ste-Anne, QC) – Fast and Female will be traveling East for its second Cross-Country Ski event of the season as it hosts an activity on March 18, 2012 as part of the 2012 Haywood Ski Nationals at Mont-Ste-Anne in Quebec.

Fast and Female, a program launched seven years ago by 2006 Olympic gold medallist Chandra Crawford – is inviting 125 girls ages 9 to 19 for an afternoon of skiing, dancing and inspiration running from 11:30am to 3:30pm at the Château Mont-Ste-Anne.

All activities will be led by National Team member Perianne Jones as well as Former Olympian Madeleine Williams. Jones and Williams will be joined by a group of inspiring women from the XC ski community including racers Julie Boisvert, Caroline Drolet, Stéphanie Drolet, Sara Hewitt, Kendra Hicks, Camille Pepin, Alexia Pichard-Jolicoeur and Heidi Widmer plus coach Pavlina Sudrich.

Feeling a bit run-down as she comes off of racing in Europe, Jones is getting excited about the energy that this event will bring her. “Hopefully it’ll carry me through the rest of the week,” said Jones. “I hope to inspire, but also be inspired,” added Jones who stepped on the podium for the first time of her young career this winter with teammate Crawford as they claimed the bronze in a World Cup cross-country skiing team sprint race in Milano, Italy.

Williams has been with Fast and Female since its inception and has never grown tired of seeing the bright faces of young girls enjoying sport and the positive empowering environment Fast and Female creates. “This event will be a fun-filled day to inspire and motivate every girl to live life to the fullest,” said Williams who retired from competitive racing after participating in the 2010 Olympics and is now a full-time Law student at McGill University.

In addition to the March 18 activity for girls, Fast and Female will be offering free educational sessions for parents to increase awareness of how to support their female athletes. Parent seminar speakers will include Stéphane Barrette, Director of Coaching and Athlete Development for Cross-Country Canada and professor Guylaine Demers, PhD, from the Department of Physical Education of Laval University. Demers was named one of Canada’s most influential women in sport in 2010 and will address the differences between coaching girls versus boys.

Earlier this season, Fast and Female hosted 95 girls for a XC Ski event held in Canmore, AB in conjunction with the Canadian Western Championships. That activity was led by ambassador and Olympic medalist Sara Renner. All Fast and Female events are intended to inspire and motivate girls to stick to sport.

Happening around this afternoon of Fast and Female fun are the Haywood Ski Nationals, a week-long championship taking place from the 17th to the 24th in la belle province. There will also be athletes racing for titles in the Cross Country University Championships (CCUNC) as well as race categories for Athletes with a Disability. These races will draw talent from around the country to compete against each other in what is sure to be fierce competition.

There is a $20 registration fee for the Fast and Female youth activities that includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, Buff and a healthy lunch. The parent seminar is free but requires online registration. Participants can secure a spot by signing up online before March 16 HERE.

Fast and Female would like to thank sponsors Cross-Country Canada, Best Buy Canada, 2012 Haywood Ski Nationals, Chateau Mont-Sainte-Anne, Buff Canada, Clarins Canada, Cold-FX, Sportchek, and Globo Shoes as well as Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars, LIT Glitter, SAUCE Headwear, and Champion System for making this event possible.

Note: Chandra Crawford and the rest of her teammates from the National Team will be back from Europe later in the week to compete at Nationals. The group will be welcoming female athletes for a Q&A session set for March 23 and hosted by Cross Country Canada’s Women’s Committee. For more information on this event, click HERE.

January 24, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – At the age of 12, Canmore’s Sara Renner attended the 1988 Olympics as a spectator. That moment changed her life and prompted her to aim for Olympic dreams of her own.

With a career that was highlighted by an Olympic silver medal claimed at the 2006 Games in Torino with Beckie Scott in the team event, retired cross-country ski star Renner now inspires others to reach for the skies. This Sunday, she did just that as 80 aspiring female champions between the ages 9 to 19 joined the Fast and Female XC Ski event for an afternoon of motivation.

“When I was your age, I was exactly like you,” told Renner to the captive group of skiers coming from all corners of Alberta and even British Columbia. “I loved cross-country skiing, and one day I qualified for the Alberta Winter Games. That was such a thrill and really the beginning of my desire to train and work hard.”

“With experience, I learned that what made a big difference for me to reach the next level of performance was to focus on that 10 percent of the race that hurts the most,” explained Renner as her Olympic medal circulated amongst the girls in the crowd. “I knew that if I gave it all in that segment of the race, then I would do my best. That’s how I began to judge all my races – asking myself how much I had pushed myself in that 10 percent of the race when you just want to give up,” added the 2005 bronze medalist in the individual sprint at the World Ski Championships.

Held in conjunction with the first-ever FIS (Federation International de Ski) World Snow Day, the Fast and Female XC Ski event featured team building activities, one hour of on-snow ski drills, healthy snacks, Zumba dancing and Renner’s inspirational presentation. In keeping with Fast and Female’s mission, all activities were aimed at motivate girls to stick to sports and the healthy lifestyle. It is believed that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

On this special occasion, Renner was joined by a dynamic group of tremendous female role-models including current and past national team athletes, World Cup Academy racers, and provincial team competitors such as Alysson Marshall, Emily Nishikawa, Janelle Greer, Annika Hicks, Kendra Hicks, Marlis Kromm, Rebecca Reid, Heidi Widmer, Kate Brennan, Natalie Hull, Brooke Gosling, and Karen Messenger. Many of these ladies were onsite to take part in the Haywood Western Championships and volunteered valuable time to join the Fast and Female event.

Founded by Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing and active World Cup racer, Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female strives to counter this phenomenon by hosting fun, non-competitive sporting events with inspiring female athletic role models all over North America. The organization is currently involved in sports such as alpine skiing, biathlon, ski cross, snowboard, cycling, and running. A key ingredient to Fast and Female’s success in impacting the lives of girls lies in the quality and wisdom of its ambassadors.

“When I qualified for my first World Cup, it wasn’t at all what I expected,” shared Renner. “You could have flipped the results page around and found my name all the way at the bottom. Over time, I was very lucky to have awesome teammates. We really demanded a lot of each other and that’s why we were able to turn things around and achieve such successes.”

In closing, Renner told the girls: “As an athlete, you’re always being judged for your performance, your body fat composition and so on. Ultimately, that doesn’t define who you are. What you have to know is that people around you will love you no matter what,” concluded the mother to two young girls.

This unique event was made possible thanks to the financial support of Fast and Female’s national financial and in-kind sponsors – including exclusive platinum sponsor Best Buy as well as Buff Multifunctional Headwear, CLARINS, Cold-FX, Cross-Country Canada, Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars and LIT Glitter. The Canmore Nordic Centre also provided free access to the venue and trails. We would also like to thank all volunteers who helped at the event. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

The next Fast and Female event will take place on February 4, 2012 at Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario with members of Canada’s national Ski Cross team. The off-snow activity will feature an afternoon of inspiration for girls involved in Alpine skiing and Ski Cross. The online registration page can be found HERE.

Fast and Female Event Video

More photos HERE.

November 01, 2011 (Fairbanks, AK) – As a young girl, Fairbanks’ Becca Rorabaugh had the opportunity to cross paths with Beckie Scott – the first Canadian and first North American woman to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing with gold at the Salt Lake City games and silver at the 2006 Games in the team sprint with Sara Renner.

“North American elite skiers once did early season training in Fairbanks, and when I was about 10 years old I was lucky enough to meet Becky Scott,” explained Rorabaugh. “Basically the only words we exchanged were “Hi! My name is Becca too!”, but the inspiration of meeting her steered me to aim for the Olympics,” recalled the enthusiastic athlete.

Twelve years later, Rorabaugh, who is now 22 and an aspiring Olympian in cross-country skiing, took it upon herself to host a Fast and Female event in the hope of recreating this same magic for the next generation of Fairbanks racers.

On the eve of Halloween, Rorabaugh fulfilled her vision. Teaming up with APU Nordic Ski Center teammates and Olympians Kikkan Randall and Holly Brooks, she hosted more than 50 young female skiers ages 9 to 19 for the first ever Fast and Female Fairbanks event.

On this special occasion, the Fairbanks Nordic Ski Club saw a sea of girls in pink take part in cross-country ski drills, yoga, motivational presentations and a poster signing session – all led by Rorabaugh, Randall, and Brooks.

“Many of the girls seemed to really enjoy and absorb some great technique pointers from our experienced Ambassadors,” specified Randall, lead Fast and Female ambassador in the US and double World Cup winner on the Cross-country circuit in 2011.

“Some of the highlights for me were watching the swirl of neon colors, and especially the pink, zing around the four ski stations and then watching everyone synchronized in the warrior II pose during the yoga session,” added Randall, a full-time World Cup athlete who has already hosted three Fast and Female events in her hometown of Anchorage over the past three years.

Rorabaugh knew she accomplished her goal as girls left the event with huge smiles on their faces and a renewed sense of commitment to their own Olympic dreams.

“Kaya, Zoe and I REALLY got a lot out of it,” confirmed mom and volunteer Kim Troxel in an email following the event. “We all feel energized to go for it with skiing and running! These types of opportunities make a huge difference in girls’ (and women’s) lives so THANK YOU,” she concluded.

This activity was made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as the presenting sponsor – SBS Retirement Consultants LLC, as well as the Fairbanks Nordic Ski Club, Bettisworth North, Lulu’s Bread & Bagels, Equinox Physical Therapy, Martha Hanlon Architects, Fairbanks Cancer Treatment Center, Beaver Sports, Challenge Life Racing and Goldstream Sports.

“I can only hope that today’s event might have a similar affect for the next generation of girls, and I am proud to have helped bring it to Fairbanks,” added Rorabaugh who will soon kick off a busy season of racing. “The community response was incredible and I am very thankful that so many businesses and volunteers were so generous. Fairbanks certainly embraced the Fast and Female mission with open arms,” she concluded.

Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, LUNA Bars, and LIT Glitter – also provided key resources to making this event possible.

The next Fast and Female youth event will be the December 3 Alpine day held in conjunction with Alberta Alpine’s Legends Club in Canmore and Lake Louise, Alberta. For more information about this event, visit: www.fastandfemale.com

May 16, 2011 (Montreal, QC / Canmore, AB) – La Belle Province will be getting its share of Fast and Female love on June 12, 2011 in Montreal when Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing and Fast and Female Founder – Chandra Crawford – sets to host a Fast and Female FitFest presented by Best Buy.

The event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. (check in at 3:30 p.m.) at the Mont Royal (Lac Aux Castors) and feature a series of inspirational and motivational activities for female athletes between the ages of 9 to 19. More specifically, girls will do a light run, dance and listen to a presentation by Crawford who will have her Olympic medal on site for pictures with the participants.

“I’m super pumped to be going to Montreal for a fun activity with the female athletes from this dynamic area,” said Crawford who took home a silver medal this season in a World CupTeam Sprint with teammate Daria Gaiazova held in Germany. “I look forward to meeting them and sharing with them my passion for sports and excellence,” added the full-time athlete who now has her sight on the 2014 Olympics.

As a non-profit and national program started in 2005 Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female is intensely focused on delivering effective programming to keep girls in sports. It is said that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

The registration fee for the youth activities is $15 per participant and includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff and access to the activities. The event is open to girls from all sports and will be held rain or shine.

Registration are being compiled online HERE.

The deadline to register online is June 10, 2011. On-site registrations will be at a rate of $20 per participant.

Please note that financial assistance is available for participants in need. Please contact info@fastandfemale.com to inquire.

This activity is made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as Ski de Fond Quebec and GLOBO Shoes. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins and Cold-FX – are also providing key resources to make this event possible.

For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

May 04, 2011 – Chandra Crawford has updated her blog documenting the flurry of spring activity during her off-season. She has been busy with Fast and Female events, fun cross-training activities, and a well-deserved luxury vacation in St. Lucia with Devon Kershaw. Also included in her May update are some great photos and a schedule of Crawford’s upcoming training camps and engagements. Read more at www.chandracrawford.ca. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/chandracrawford

April 05, 2011 (Ketchum, ID) – Fast and Female hosted its third and final X-Country SkiFest of the year on American snow this past Sunday in Ketchum, Idaho. Held under clear and sunny skies, the event was highlighted by the participation of 70 female ski enthusiasts between the ages of 7 to 19 years who had the opportunity to spend a morning of inspiration with 23 ambassadors – 7 of which are Olympians.

As part of the unique event, Fast and Female event participants kicked off their day with first-hand ski tips from some of the world’s best cross-country ski racers including Kikkan Randall, Liz Stephen, Holly Brooks, Caitlin Compton, Morgan Arritola, Chandra Crawford (Canada), and Biathlete Sara Studebaker. All ambassadors volunteered their time to the event and dressed the part to ensure a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

“It was super awesome,” said 17 year-old participant Emily Williams. “We had so much fun dancing, singing and learning new technique drills. It was amazing to spend the day with these great athletes.”

After the skiing, all girls enjoyed a healthy lunch, took part in an inspirational speech, and concluded the day with a fun yoga/dance session.

“The speeches were really inspirational and not just for cross country skiers,” admitted Kailey Wilt, age 14.

In keeping with Fast and Female’s vision, each event segment served a specific purpose to motivate girls to stay involved in sports as a tremendous vehicle for reaching one’s personal and athletic best.

“The looks we saw on our athletes’ faces today showed us what an important message Fast and Female sends to young women,” added Kelley Sinnott from the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. Sinnott played a key role in coordinating the event along with colleague Ashley McQueen.

Throughout the 2011 winter, Fast and Female hosted three events in the USA, reaching a total of 470 girls in Maine, Alaska and now Idaho. Historically, events are not only inspiring for the young participants but even ambassadors leave the day feeling energized.

“It’s always refreshing to be reminded of kids’ energy and enjoyment of whatever they are part of,” said World Cup racer Liz Stephen. “Fast and Female is a wicked program and the local community and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation did an awesome job with all the work!”

Parent volunteer, Gretchen Wagner, also commented on the impact of the day: “What an amazing group of women! It was great to see all of the girls inspired by these fast female heroes. Smiles from ear to ear!”

All event participants left with a Fast and Female t-shirt, Buff and autographed poster.

This activity was made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as the Works of Grace Foundation, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Cheatwood Photography, and many parent volunteers. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, lululemon athletica, and Cold-FX – are also providing resources to make this event possible. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

Fast and Female will be releasing more event information shortly. Until then, continue to visit www.fastandfemale.com.

March 30, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Last Friday, Fast and Female hosted its maiden biathlon day and its first ever event in Charlo, New Brunswick at the Club Les Aventuriers. Held in conjunction with the 2011 Kia Biathlon Canadian Championships, the Fast and Female Biathlon Day presented by Best Buy hosted more than 40 female athletes between the ages of 9 to 19 from across Canada for a sunny morning of inspiration on and off snow.

The young participants – some of whom were already on site to compete in the National Championship – had the opportunity to get first hand tips from National Biathlon stars Zina Kocher, Megan Imrie, Melanie Schultz, and Claude Godbout. They were joined by a handful of eager local girls involved in cross-country skiing programs and beginner biathlon racing from across the Maritimes.

The morning event featured an introductory presentation on the sport of biathlon, followed by on-snow ski drills, target shooting, Zumba dancing and an inspirational presentation by Zina Kocher who took part in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. In keeping with Fast and Female’s vision, the intent of the event was to inspire girls to stick the unique sport of Biathlon which combines cross-country skiing and target shooting.

“We had a GREAT day,” said Megan Imrie, a Fast and Female ambassador from Falcon Lake, Manitoba and a 2010 Olympian. “It was fabulous! We had plenty of wonderful feedback from both girls and parents. We even had some cross-country girls who now want to join biathlon. Needless to say that all ambassadors were very happy to hear that!”

According to Biathlon Canada officials, girls represent 45% of all biathletes in Canada.

“Girls competing at the local and provincial levels don’t often get the chance to ski besides Zina, Megan, Melanie and Claude because those girls are racing in Europe all winter,” explained Marie-Hélène Thibeault, Executive Director for Fast and Female. “Through the Fast and Female programming, we are able to bring everyone together in a non-competitive, fun and inspiring environment to allow for the optimal personal and athletic growth of the participants. We are very fortunate to be able to count on the volunteer time of such high quality ambassadors who have so much to give back.”

This activity was made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as Marion Heppel, the organizing committee for the Kia Biathlon Canadian Championships, Le Club Les Aventuriers, and Biathlon New Brunswick. The event also enjoyed the support of many caring volunteers. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Cold-FX, Clarins and Biathlon Canada – also providing key resources for the event. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

Watch a photo montage from the event:

To learn more about Fast and Female’s upcoming events, please visit www.fastandfemale.com.

Follow Fast and Female on Facebook HERE.

February 03, 2011 (Calgary, Alberta) – Fast and Female will be hosting its sixth Annual X-Country SkiFest in Canada on Sunday March 13, 2011 at the Canmore Nordic Centre in Alberta. The highly anticipated event will take place in conjunction with the 2011 National Cross-Country Ski Championships – set for March 11 to 19, also at the Canmore Nordic Centre.

The 2011 Fast and Female Annual X-Country SkiFest will host more than 150 female cross-country skiers and biathletes from all over Canada between the ages of 9 to 19 years old as well as their parents and coaches for a day of inspiration both on and off snow.

The youth segment of the Fast and Female 2011 Annual X-Country SkiFest will feature ski drills, yoga and dancing led by outstanding female Olympians, current members from the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team and other elite athletes.

Among the illustrious ambassadors present that day will be Sara Renner, who claimed a silver medal with Beckie Scott in the team sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Renner, who recently retired from competitive ski racing after taking part in the 2010 Winter Games, also won bronze at the 2005 World Championships in the individual sprint.

The parent and coach segment of the Fast and Female day will feature three seminars in the morning on topics of particular importance to female athletes. More specifically, parents and coaches will have the opportunity to listen to informational presentations by sports psychologist Jan Derpak, nutritionist Samantha Perris from Nu-Roots and sports physiotherapist Erin Sturch from Active Motion Physiotherapy. In the afternoon, adult participants will have the opportunity to ski.

All youth and adult event participants will convene for lunch to attend a keynote presentation by Ellie Greenwood, winner of the 2010 Ultramarathon World Championships (100km). As a Banff resident, Greenwood will share her experiences in the ranks of the world’s best ultra long-distance runners. For more information concerning Ellie, please click HERE.

The registration fee for the youth event is $15 and includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff, a lunch, and access to all activities. The registration fee for the parent and coach activity is also $15 and includes the seminars, lunch and afternoon skiing. Financial assistance is available for participants in need. Please contact info@fastandfemale.com to inquire.

Registration for the highly anticipated event is now officially open and participants can secure a spot by clicking HERE.

Those interested in volunteering for the event can also offer their help by signing up to the event and selecting the volunteer ticket option.

The deadline to register is March 10, 2011. Athletes competing in the 2011 National Championships on that day may choose to join the Fast and Female event for the lunch and afternoon activities only for the same registration fee.

Fast and Female is able to host the 2011 Annual X-Country SkiFest thanks to the generous financial and in-kind contributions of sponsors including Best Buy Canada, Lululemon Athletica, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Cold-FX, Clarins Canada, Cross-Country Canada, Sport Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation, the In Motion Network (Go Girl program), and the Canmore Nordic Centre. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please visit www.fastandfemale.com.

February 01, 2011 (Chugiak, Alaska) – Three months ago, Alaska’s cross-country skiing superstar and Fast and Female ambassador – Kikkan Randall – put a pink star on her calendar for the day of Saturday January 29, 2011. No, that day didn’t stand for a special training session or a key race on the World Cup circuit. Instead, that day marked the hosting of the third annual Fast and Female X-Country SkiFest in Alaska, led by Randall and her US National teammate, Holly Brooks.

As planned, this past Saturday, 200 enthusiastic female skiers between the ages of 9 to 19 joined Randall and Brook at the Chugiak High School in Chugiak in Alaska for a unique afternoon of on-snow ski drills, inspirational presentations, dancing and yoga.

“Our ski stations were the most fun yet,” admitted Randall who is enjoying her best World Cup season ever with three podium finishes in skate sprint events including a gold medal. “We worked on all sorts of different skills and even threw in a little friendly competition to get the girls really fired up!”

Locally title sponsored by the Anchorage Women’s Clinic and supported by an additional 20 ambassadors with a broad range of x-country racing experience at the state, national and international levels, the 2011 Fast and Female X-Country SkiFest featured activities all aimed at motivating girls to stay hooked on sports and the healthy lifestyle.

“With this being our third annual Fast and Female event, I can really feel that the Fast and Female spirit is taking hold with these girls and we really are making a difference,” admitted Randall who donates hours each year to the planning and hosting of this big event.

For Randall, who is under a tight training schedule, being able to spend five hours with 200 emerging young female skiers from Alaska is a gift. Indeed, this Saturday, as she watched a field full of aspiring female x-country skiing champions, Randall rejoiced in being able to inspire and be inspired thanks to the contagious energy that emerges at all Fast and Female events.

“The smile power at Saturday’s event was unbelievable,” said Randall following the event. “I didn’t want the day to end! Being able to see the eyes of our participants light up when we talk about our experiences, and beginning to see their minds start to dream, is such an incredible and rewarding experience,” concluded the racer who is now setting her sights on competing at the 2011 World X-Country Ski Championships in Norway from February 23 to March 6.

Founded in 2005, Fast and Female is a non-profit organization based in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. The organization is intensely focused on delivering innovative non-competitive programming to increase the retention of girls in sports and offset the factors that make girls six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

Each year, the organization travels all over Canada and the US with Olympic and elite-level female athletes to offer sport-specific programming for female youth participants involved in Cross-Country Skiing, Biathlon, Alpine Skiing, Triathlon, and Cycling. Program scope and reach grows annually with the addition of new female ambassadors.

Fast and Female’s expansion into the US was made possible in 2009 thanks to the friendship and collaboration between Randall and Canada’s Chandra Crawford. Crawford is the organization’s original founder and won a gold medalist in cross-country skiing at the 2006 Olympics.

The 2011 Fast and Female X-Country SkiFest held in Chugiak was made possible thanks to the generous contribution of many valuable volunteers as well as the financial and in-kind contributions of the Anchorage Women’s Clinic, the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage, Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Subway, Cross-Country Alaska, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, and Cold-FX. For a complete list of Fast and Female supporters and donors, please visit click HERE.

All event participants went home with a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff, ski ties, and an autographed poster as souvenirs from their empowering day.

For more information concerning upcoming Fast and Female events, please visit www.fastandfemale.com

Check out photos HERE.