Canmore, AB (June 20, 2011) - Fast and Female is partnering with the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA), members of its National Team, and the 2011 Canadian XC Mountain Bike Championships to host female athletes between the ages of 9 to 19 for an inspiring afternoon of mountain biking at the Canmore Nordic Centre on Sunday July 17, 2011.

The first-ever Fast and Female Mountain Bike Camp presented by Best Buy will start at 1 p.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. - time during which more than 50 young female participants will get first-hand cycling tips and attend an inspirational presentation by some of the world's leading female mountain bikers. The activity will end with a short yoga and dance session.

The event will be highlighted by the presence of Olympian Catharine Pendrel (Harvey Station, NB) along with her teammates Emily Batty (Toronto, ON), Catherine Vipond (Oshawa, ON), Mical Dyck (Victoria, BC), and Amanda Sin (Wolfville, NS). The five professional cyclists - who will already be on site to compete in the 2011 Canadian XC Mountain Bike Championships set for July 16 and 17 - will act as volunteer ambassadors for the Fast and Female afternoon.

"I'm really excited to take part in this Fast and Female event," said Pendrel who claimed the 2010 World Cup Overall title and finished 4th at the Beijing Olympic Games. "Sport has had such a hugely positive influence on my life and I look forward to sharing that energy and my sport with these young women."

As a non-profit and national program started in 2005 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. Fast and Female strives to counter this phenomenon by hosting fun and non-competitive events led by successful female role models who in turn inspire girls to stick to the active and healthy lifestyle. So far in 2011, Fast and Female has hosted a total of 9 events and reached 990 girls.

"I'm really pumped to see ambassadors from other sports join in this revolution of making sports cool for girls," said Chandra Crawford, founder of Fast and Female and winner of an Olympic gold in cross-country skiing at the 2006 Games. "Something magical happens when you bring inspiring female athletes with aspiring champions in a non-competitive and stimulating environment. I'm convinced that the Fast and Female Mountain Bike Camp will change lives and encourage girls to stay committed to their dreams in sports and life," concluded the full-time athlete who still assumes the role of President for the growing organization.

As a complement to the youth programming, parents of female athletes are also invited to join the event for a series of "Amazing Tips Seminars". While the girls will be taking part in the cycling stations, parents and coaches will short presentations on a variety of topics concerning the female athlete including a talk on Sport Psychology with Danelle Kabush. Kabush is a three-time XTerra World Championship medallist (2004, 2006 and 2008), the mother of two, and holds a PhD in Sports Psychology from the University of Ottawa.

Registration fee for the youth activity is $20 per participant and includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff, a healthy snack, and an autographed poster.

Parents can also secure a seat to the seminar by purchasing a ticket for $20.

All registrations are compiled online at: http://july17canmore.eventbrite.com/ 

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

The deadline to register online is July 15, 2011. On-site registrations will be at a rate of $25 per participant. This activity is made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as the Canadian Cycling Association, the 2011 Canadian XC Mountain Bike Championships, Cyclemeisters, the Canmore Nordic Centre, and Winsport Canada. Fast and Female's national sponsors - including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins, SportChek, 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 visit: http://www.fastandfemale.com/default.asp?lang=&mode=webpage&id=89. 

ABOUT FAST AND FEMALE
Fast and Female is a not-for-profit society started in 2005 by Chandra Crawford, the 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 it in the future, may it be as athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents, and community leaders. For more information about Fast and Female, visit /

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CYCLING ASSOCIATION
The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, the CCA aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship medal performances. With the vision to be a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased a participation and world class event hosting, the CCA manages the National teams, hosts national and international events, and administers community programs to promote Cycling in Canada. For more information, please visit: http://www.canadian-cycling.com/.

ABOUT THE 2011 CANADIAN XC MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2011 Canadian XC Mountain Bike Championships is Canada's top domestic mountain bike event. The event annually attracts some of the country's best cross country mountain bikers challenging for the Red and White Jersey awarded to the Canadian Champions. Organized by the Cyclemeisters Club in Calgary, AB, the event is governed by the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA), a member of the International Cycling Union (UCI). The event is made possible thanks to the close collaboration between the Canadian Cycling Association, the Alberta Bicycle Association and Cyclemeisters cycling club. The 2011 Canadian XC Mountain Bike Championships will be held on July 16-17 at the Canmore Nordic Centre in Canmore, AB, and showcases racing for all categories: Junior, U23, Elite and Masters. For more information, please visit http://www.2011mtbnationals.com/.