Barbie partners with pro golfer Brittany Lincicome to inspire girls

Even as a young girl, Barbie was never my go-to doll.  Though not a huge Barbie  fan, I’ve admired some of the marketing moves Mattel has made over the years in an effort to keep the old girl relevant. Tattoo Barbie may have been my favorite.

As part of Mattel’s latest campaign comes this piece of press:

For more than five decades, Barbie has been a perfect reflection of fashion and culture and has served as an inspiration to girls of all ages. This year, as part of the Barbie brand’s I Can Be… campaign, Barbie is empowering girls to dream it all, try it all and live it all. As part of this commitment, Barbie has partnered with 10 women who continue to serve as ambassadors of dreams and role models for girls. Named earlier this year as one of Barbie’s 10 Women to Watch in 2010, Barbie has forged a partnership with LPGA player Brittany Lincicome, the defending champion of the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship (KNC), to excite girls about the sport of golf and encourage them to live an active lifestyle.

Other women on Barbie’s 10 Women to Watch in 2010 list include snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler,  race car driver Danica Patrick and author J.K. Rowling.

So with the announcment of Brittany Lincicome as a Barbie partner, here’s what you have to look forward to: Throughout the year Brittany and Barbie will be hosting several clinics to further girl’s education and involvement with the sport of golf. This summer, Barbie is also introducing a new line of branded golf clubs with Accu-length and additional golf accessories bringing Barbie’s signature pink style to the course in a fun way. Barbie branded Accu-length clubs will be available online timed to the KNC. Together, Brittany and Barbie are paving the way for future generations of girls to tee up.

Can’t wait to see Barbie demonstrate the perfect backswing.

This is not the first time Barbie has tried to inspire girls to take to the tee.  They licensed the name for a line of kid-sized  Barbie  golf clubs replete with “girl-favorite features and detailing including lots of pink, flowers, hearts and butterfly graphics.”

We can’t really argue with Barbie’s choice of Lincicome as a role model or their effort to inspire girls to live an active lifestyle by encouraging them to get out on the course.  The Pepto-Bismal pink? That’s another story.

And the latest “Mad Men” Barbie collection? Don’t get me started.

About Brittany Lincicome
A golfer since she was nine-years-old, Brittany Lincicome is a professional golfer playing on the LPGA tour. Prior to going pro in October 2004, Brittany was a five time Rolex Junior All- American, winner of 3 AJGA titles and a two time PING Junior Solheim Cup Team member. As a professional, she is a 3-time winner. Her wins include the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship in 2006, the Ginn Open in 2007 and her first major victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship last year.. Brittany has represented the United States in 2 Solheim Cups and is the only player to have finished in the top 3 in driving distance each year for the past 5 years. Later this month, Brittany will be defending her title at the 2010 KNC being held in Palm Springs, Calif.

Run Like a Girl: Endurance Racing

Endurance racing can be intimidating but once you make the leap, the amount of support and encouragement that comes from the community is infectious. Not surprisingly, many of the races for women benefit a female-targeted charity or cause. Here are some great events to check out:

26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
The annual Jacksonville Beach, Florida race, founded by news anchor Donna Deegan, benefits Breast Cancer research.

Danskin SheROX Triathlon
Series of 10 all-women’s triathlons that  inspire and motivate participants, volunteers and spectators alike.

Iron Girl
This nationwide series offers 10 events in terrific locations; destination races throughout the USA, and likely in your region. Join the women who are participating, celebrating and taking the challenge.

Rocketchix Racing
Rocketchix wants to give women of all ages and abilities the chance to discover their inner athlete.

Racing for a Good Cause
More and more active women are going beyond getting fit for themselves and crossing finish lines for the greater good. Charity races are booming, with more events and causes to fight for than ever.

Barb’s Race: 70.3 Miles of Wine Country
If Barb can beat cancer–twice–you can finish a half Ironman-distance triathlon. And Sonoma’s wine country is a great place to swim, bike and run 70.3 miles.

Maui Channel Swim Challenge
Billed as the only Masters inter-island relay race in the world, this event takes place over Labor Day weekend.

Susan G. Komen Race  for the Cure
By participating in a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure,  you will experience an event that has changed the way the world views breast cancer.

Nike 26.2  Marathon and Half-Marathon for Women
The Nike 26.2 Marathon and Half-Marathon for Women benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is open to runners and walkers, including men. It’s a celebration of women running, but men are welcome.

Thanks to Active.com for much of this info.

Running a football pool

Now we’re not suggesting that you actually bet on the Superbowl game, but football pools can make watching the game a lot more fun. There are a variety of ways to set up the pool and to pick winners but we’ll tell you how the simplest and most common game is played.

Square Football Pool – Create a 10 x 10 grid with a place for numbers along both the top and left sides of the page. The top row of numbers will represent one team and the side row will represent the other team. The numbers are not actually placed on the top and side, however, until the grid has been filled with the contestants’ names or initials.

You can sell the squares for any amount you wish. If the price is $1.00 per square this puts $100 in the pool. You can also wager pieces of candy, gum, or other novelty prizes.

Once all the squares have been selected, randomly pick numbers from 0-9 and assign them to one team’s rows. Now do the same for the other team. These numbers represent the last number in the score of each team. In other words, if the score at the end of the game (or quarter if you’re breaking it up) is Saints 17 – Colts 14, then the winning square is the one with a Saints number of 7 and a Colts number of 4. Since no one knows what numbers each square will represent, the odds are the same for everyone.  You can divide the winnings and award funds at the end of each quarter, at the half or just at the end of the game. So good luck and enjoy.

There are plenty of websites that offer software or online versions of football pools but it’s just as easy to do it the old fashioned way and draw it on on a piece of paper. If you need a template, click here.

FYI: Most states in the U.S. regard this as a form of entertainment as long as 100 percent of the funds in the pool are paid back out to the contestants though (this is the fine print)we strongly suggest you check your local laws before participating.

Sonja Henie – First ice skating celebrity

Norwegian Sonja Henie is a figure skating legend who is also considered the first ice skating celebrity. She dared to try the same jumps as the men and won gold at three different Olympics. She also became one of the most popular movie stars in Hollywood.

At the age of fourteen, Henie won the first of an unprecedented ten World Figure Skating Championships in 1927, and her first Olympic gold medal the following year. She went on to become a three-time Olympic Champion (1928, 1932, 1936), a ten-time World Champion (1927-1936) and a six-time European Champion (1931-1936).

Henie is credited with being the first figure skater to adopt the short skirt costume in figure skating, and make use of dance choreography. Her innovative skating techniques and glamour transformed the sport permanently and confirmed its acceptance as a legitimate sport in the Winter Olympics.

This video shows one of Sonja Henie’s ice show performances.

Related Posts:
Figure Skating A-Z
Winter Olympics 101: Skating

Black History Month – Honoring Female Athletes

Over the years, there have been many great black athletes. This month, to celebrate Black History Month, we’d like to honor some of the women who have contributed to the soul of sports.

Pioneers
Althea Gibson was a pioneer in both amateur tennis and professional golf. In 1942, Althea entered and won her first tennis tournament. In 1947, Althea won the first of ten straight ATA National Championships. In 1956, she won the French Championships and, in 1957, won the All-England Championships at Wimbledon and U.S. National Tennis Championships at Forest Hills. Althea retired from amateur tennis in 1958 after she had won Wimbledon. In 1964, Gibson launched her golf career, joining the LPGA. She retired in 1971.

Another pioneer, Zina Garrison, became the first black woman to reach a Grand Slam Final (1990). She began playing tennis at the age of ten and held 20 major doubles championships before the end of her career.

Tennis
Both Gibson and Garrison are sports legends who paved the way for athletes like Venus and Serena Williams. Both sisters turned professional at 14 and have since moved up in the ranks to become two of the top single and doubles players on the circuit. In 2008, Venus won Wimbledon in a match against Serena, sister against sister. Last month, Serena won the Australian Open for a record fifth time.

Track & Field
It’s inconceivable to discuss black, female athletes without mentioning Jackie Joyner Kersee, considered by many to be the greatest female athlete ever, who became the first participant to score more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon.

Gail Devers is also an inspiration, winning gold in the 100 meter dash in two consecutive Olympics as is three-time gold medal winner Valerie Brisco. And of course there’s Flo Jo (Florence Griffith Joyner) who set record after record as the World’s Fastest Woman. Following in the footsteps of these great track and field athletes are contemporary runners like Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards.

Basketball
On the basketball court it’s easy to think about Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. But how about Lisa Leslie, Chamique Holdsclaw, Swin Cash, Cheryl Miller, Sheryl Swoopes and Candace Parker? From Final Four appearances to representing the U.S. at the Olympic Games and playing in the WNBA, these basketball players, and many others, are role models for thousands of girls.

Softball
Softball also boasts some great players. Gold Medalist Natasha Whately broke the Olympic record for stolen bases with five in nine games and emerged in 2004 as one of the best players in the world.

Gymnastics
It’s easy to see why Dominique Dawes was called “Awesome Dawesome.” Dawes vaulted her way into the record books with a string of awards and titles. She came home with a bronze medal from the 1992 Olympics and two years later became the first gymnast since 1969 to make a clean sweep of everything gold at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championship.

Volleyball
Flo Hyman is remembered not only as a great athlete whose life and career were cut tragically short, but also as a woman of great character. At 6 feet 5 inches she played volleyball for the University of Houston and went on to win the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic games. In 1986 Flo collapsed and died during a volleyball match. Later than year, she was posthumously inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Winter Olympics
Who can forget 2002 when Vonetta Flowers made Olympic history, becoming the first African-American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics? Her fellow Olympians chose her to carry the U.S.A. flag in the closing ceremonies.

Swimming
Maritza Correia is part of a new generation of competitive African-American swimmers. In addition to competing at the Beijing Olympics, Correia hopes to provide young minority girls with a swimming role model and bring the sport to inner city communities.

Fencing
Black, female athletes are making moves in new arenas, some fairly obscure. Laura Flessel-Colovic has established herself as the top French fencer and one of the world’s best. Flessel-Colovic started her career at seven years old and worked her way up to winning three Olympic medals and three world championship titles.

For their contributions to female sports – from amateur and college competitions to the world stage of the Olympics and professional sports – black, female athletes have achieved parity with their white female counterparts and are celebrated around the world.

As we embark on a four-week-long celebration of African American History, let’s not forget these unforgettable athletes.

Kick in Iran: Female sports documentary premieres at Sundance

The Sundance Film Festival, beginning today in Park City, Utah,  is the 26th annual showcase of independent film.  While distributors are on the lookout for breakouts  like “Paranormal Activity”  and “Little Miss Sunshine”, we’ve got our eye on a powerful documentary called “Kick in Iran.”

Kick in Iran is a look at contemporary life in Iran. It is a portrait of a talented Muslim athlete, a young woman coming of age, a female friendship, and the big dream of Olympic Gold.

Filmmaker Fatima Geza Abdollahyan was born in Germany and raised by her Iranian parents speaking Persian, German, English and French. She studied Political Science and earned a Master’s in International Relations before deciding, in 2001, to study film at the University of Television and Film Munich.

While working at a German television station in Tehran in 2005, Fatima covered the Muslim Women’s Games, a female sporting event that took place every 4 years (but are no longer running). Organized by the Iranian government, Muslim women from every corner of the globe – including the US – would descend on Tehran to compete for a week in a variety of disciplines.

Sara Khoshjamal-Fekri

At the games Fatima met Sara Khoshjamal-Fekri, a Taekwondo expert who hailed from a lower middle class family in Southern Tehran.  In 2007 the twenty-year-old Sara became the first female Iranian athlete to qualify for the Olympics. The young athlete and her strong-willed coach, Maryam Azarmehr, had left such a strong impression on Fatima that she began documenting Sara’s journey over a nine-month period in the run-up to and the aftermath of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  After difficult negotiations with the governments of both Iran and China (neither receptive to open media and non-state-controlled cameras) nine months of filming, and another year and a half of editing “Kick In Iran” is finally complete.

The Story

The film follows Sara and Maryam as they navigate their way through an unappreciative society to the Olympics and back. The backbone of the film is the relationship between shagerd, pupil, and ostad, master, which extends beyond the realm of the gymnasium at which they train. The bond that has been built between the two is the result of the environment they operate in – a paternalistic one that’s not entirely receptive to their accomplishments, which are nothing short of history-making.

Throughout the film, Fatima shows how the cards are stacked against female athletes in Iran – and especially Sara. At one point, the Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran is heard stating his disgust at sending female athletes abroad to partake in competitions. Sara and Maryam, however, are not so easily deterred. While commentators and clerics debate the “Islamic legality” of female athletes in competition, the two women continue working towards their goal of being the best, and, in some ways, are sheltered from this by keeping to their routines.

In making the film, Fatima’s goal was to  deliver performances that allow the audience to identify, connect, and really comprehend the matter at hand, which can be a real challenge. Sara and Maryam are people – women – just like any other. They may wear roosarys, headscarves, but their identities go beyond this.

In a male dominated society based on a rigid interpretation of Islamic laws, a professional female athlete like Sara constantly stretches limits. Thanks to the film “Kick in Iran”  portraits of women like Sara and Maryam can emerge.

Here’s hoping this film finds a distributor and an audience.

Event Recap: Women in Sports Marketing

What do you want to be when you grow up?

No matter what your age, it’s always fun to think about what you want to do for a living. Whether it’s a first career, a new career or a career shift, you can look to a group of  remarkable women who are forging new paths and establishing themselves as role models in the sports world.

Wednesday night at the Red Bull headquarters in Santa Monica, a group of almost 250  women who are sports marketing professionals, athletes,  brand managers and students gathered for the Second Annual Women in Business event Business presented by Tadpole Marketing, in partnership with Stanton & Company.

Designed as a networking event to inspire individuals through the contributions of influential women in sports marketing, Women in Business featured a panel of some of the most highly regarded women in sports marketing, including Laura Gentile, VP of espnW for ESPN, Olympic softball player Jessica Mendoza, president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, Mary O’Connor, director of Olympic Marketing at The Marketing Arm, Carolyn Deighan Coyne, Tadpole Marketing founder,  Julie Solwold, VP of global sports marketing for Paul Mitchell, Amy Stanton, founder and CEO of Stanton & Company and Diane Thibert, director of global PR for Oakley. Additionally, Amy Swift Crosby of SMARTY moderated the event.

The evening kicked off with a networking hour featuring dinner by Chipotle (a personal fave) and Red Bull cocktails.  Vanguard Records recording artist, Daphne Willis treated the crowd to live acoustic performances which was a bonus for music lovers – especially fans of indie singer/songwriters.

When the formal session began, the audience got a chance to learn about the panelists, how they came to have their current jobs and what a typical work day is like for them. Not surprisingly, no two stories were the same.  Some of the women took the traditional route of college, grad school and internships while others fell into their jobs more serendipitously.  A chance meeting on an airplane or at a sports event helped launched the career of more than one  woman on the panel. Their days are jam-packed, often chaotic, filled with meetings, travel, strategic planning and sometimes juggling families and personal lives. Not surprisingly,  no two days are ever the same.

Not all the panelists were/are athletes but the majority played a sport in high school and college and credited that experience as beneficial in their current jobs.  Jess Mendoza,  a professional softball player who also works as a TV commentator and is President of the Women’s Sports Foundation, talked about batting averages and explained that hitting .300 (a good stat) means failing seven out of 10 tries.  Learning to deal with failure has helped her deal with the curve balls of life that are often thrown.  Her motto? Bring it on.

When asked about the State of the Union for women in business all the panelists agreed that’s it’s a good time to be a woman.  In different ways, they all said it’s important to create your own destiny, follow your passion, make a difference and represent. Don’t be afraid to make your voice heard was a common piece of advice.

Amy Stanton, a panelist as well as organizer of the event, stressed being innovative when searching for solutions to problems.  As one of the few professionals who focuses on helping market female athletes, Stanton practices what she preaches and points to clients like Gretchen Bleiler as well as Jess Mendoza as examples of athletes who have successfully leveraged their athletic careers via creative marketing.

So what’s hot? What’s on the horizon for 2010? All the panelists were encouraged by forecasts and believe this year will be a positive one.  Technology will remain hot and ESPN’s Laura Gentile believes mobile apps and wireless platforms will be growth sectors. Julie Solwold of Paul Mitchell, a company long known for innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, is keeping an eye on free-skiing and hip hop :-)  and Stanton believes customized products will gain popularity.

Following the panel, audience members had the  opportunity to break out into smaller groups with panelists and find out more about their brands, corporate plans and even their personal journeys. This was a great opportunity to gain more in depth knowledge about a panelist or company as well as meet some of the other attendees.

At the end of the evening  Stanton noted, “Women naturally want to support and help each other and this was an event created to make that possible. It was an inspiring evening and I feel fortunate to have been part of it.”

Ditto.

Weighing in on the New Year

So you’re a resolutionist. You’ve resolved to eat right this year and get regular exercise, right? Slimming down and getting healthier are common New Year’s resolutions, but following through on the commitment is an uncommon accomplishment.

There are many pieces in the weight management puzzle. Emotions, appetite, will-power, self-image, and confidence all play a part. The road towards healthier eating usually starts with some simple lifestyle changes. Make healthy eating and regular exercise part of your everyday life. Sound easy? It’s not. You have to work at it.

In terms of exercise, the most important thing is to choose activities that are fun and that you can do on a regular basis. Instead of watching TV after dinner, go out for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Recruit a friend or family member to keep you company.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Snow Fun!

Build a Snowman	285 calories burned per hour
Have a Snowball Fight	319 calories burned per hour
Make Snow Angels	214 calories burned per hour
Shovel the Driveway	428 calories burned per hour
Go Ice Skating	476 calories burned per hour

PT Tips that can help lead to a healthier New Year:

• Eat three meals a day that are low in saturated fat. Meals should include a variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, grains, cereals and low-fat  dairy products.
• It’s okay to snack if you snack smart. Include fruits and veggies with fun dipping sauces. Fruits and veggies are low in fat, packed with nutrients. Smart Snacks
• Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbs, protein and other nutrients.
• Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build. If you’re training, take into account the extra calories you’re burning.

Here’s to a healthy, happy 2010!

The history of volleyball

Surprisingly, one of the most well loved sports in the world is also relatively young. Despite the game’s youth, it has gone through a wide variety of changes and evolution as a part of its rich history.

To fully understand and appreciate how much the game has changed and how much work was put into to make it successful, you need to search back to the very origin of Volleyball, and study when and why changes were made.

Just over 100 years ago, in 1895, William G. Morgan developed the first game of Volleyball. At the time, Morgan dubbed the game “Mintonette”.

“Mintonette” was created for business men as a game that involved less physical contact at the chapter of the YMCA where he worked at in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Morgan borrowed aspects from several games to create his own game. The first aspect was from tennis, borrowing the net. Instead of the standard net, however, he raised it to be 6 foot 6 inches high, so it was just over the heads of average men.

Other sports he borrowed from include basketball, baseball and handball. During one of the demonstration games of the sport, one of the spectators commented the game was more about volleying, and the games name was changed to Volleyball.

That was only the beginning.

In 1896, the first official game of Volleyball was played at Springfield College. This game signified the first real take-off of the sport, and led into further games being played at a variety of different Colleges. In the year 1900, Volleyball had taken off enough where a special ball was designed just for the game. Another feat also accomplished in 1900 was that the YMCA took the sport from America to Canada, the Orient and the southern hemisphere. Five years later, Volleyball also spread to Cuba. This spreading was what signified the start of the Volleyball era. Unlike most sports, Volleyball moved International in its early days, allowing for the game to evolve to meet the players needs world wide.

In 1907, Volleyball received its first recognition of being one of the most popular sports at the Playground of America convention. This was the first recognition the sport received, and helped to further its popularity. In the following ten years, the YMCA continued to spread the sport to Brazil, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. In 1913, the first official Volleyball competition was held in the Far Eastern Games.

1916 saw Volleyball have its first true evolution. In the Philippines, the set and spike offensive pass was introduced, and game play was altered to involve this new form. The Filipinos developed the “bomba”, which is the kill, and the named the hitter the “bomberino”. In this same year, the NCAA was invited by the YMCA to alter the rules of the game, and it was initiated into Colleges and other schools as a part of the standard physical education courses and intramural programs. A year later, the scoring system was also adjusted so that a game ended after 15 points instead of 21. This allowed more games to be played within the same span of time, in an attempt to make the sessions a little shorter for the players.

Three short years later, in 1919, the American Expeditionary Forces donated 16,000 Volleyballs to the troops, which provided a stimulus for growth in foreign countries. With this rise in growth of the sport, new rules began being developed. A year later, the three hits per side rule and the back row attack rules were put into place.

By 1928, players and fans of the sport realized that “official” tournament rules and regulations were required. The United States Volleyball Association was formed, and the first U.S. Open Volleyball tournament was held. The U.S. Open allowed for squads that were not YMCA sanctioned to participate, which was a breakthrough at the time. This evolution permitted lovers of the sport to fully enjoy the game without having to be tied to the organization that created it.After 1928, the game of Volleyball was forever changed. With the “official” rules set down, and a tournament that wasn’t private to the YMCA, the popularity of the sport was allowed to sky rocket. The Men’s U.S. Open was held every year thereafter, with the exception of three years. 1943, 1944 and 1989 did not have the yearly tournaments, due to wars and other obstacles.In 1934, Volleyball saw another extensive change through the recognition of official referees to oversee the games. This change in particular drastically altered the calls and the fairness of the game.The 1940’s held several special events for Volleyball. Not only was the forearm pass introduced into the game, the first world championship Volleyball game was held. It was during this time that the volleyball movement saw fruition, and squads from all over the world could find out who was the best. This became a yearly event, allowing for more publicity of the sport, which aided in its growth. Around this time, over 50 million people were playing world wide, in over 60 different countries.

By 1964, Volleyball had spread enough to warrant introduction into the Olympic games. The first games took place in Tokyo, where a rubber carcass with leather panels was used for the ball. This ball became the one that would be used in most modern competitions. As a part of the Olympic games, Volleyball was allowed to grow even further, until it secured a place for itself as the second most played game in the world.

Despite this high level of popularity, it wasn’t until 1986 that the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association, or the WPVA, was formed. With the growing rate of professional interest by both sexes, Volleyball was finally allowed to reach its full potential for popularity. Elementary, middle and high schools, as well as colleges all invested into the game by providing courses in Volleyball in their physical education, so that the sport was known in most households around the world.While still trailing behind Soccer for popularity, Volleyball has done extremely well for a game with roots so young.

About The Author  Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys taking care of her fish and educating people about volleyball.

Winter Fun – wanna try something new?

From backcountry snow camping to snowshoeing, there’s more to winter than skiing and ice skating.

Cross Country Skiing With origins in Scandinavia 4000-4500 years ago, cross country skiing has come a long way from being the sole method of transportation for snow and ice-bound Northerners.

Today, cross country skiing (aka Nordic Skiing or XC Skiing) is, in the opinion of many, the world’s best aerobic fitness activity. The sport involves simultaneous use of arms and legs utilizing ski equipment including boots, poles, and skis. Because you can XC Ski just about anywhere with snow, you can match the terrain to suit your fitness level and interests.

Dog Sledding It’s that time of year, many distance mushers are focused on training for the Iditarod – the “Last Great Race”. Of the 71 mushers who have already signed up for this dog sled race, 56 are veterans, 15 are rookies, 15 are female and 56 are males. Mushers have until Dec 1st to sign up for the 2008 race.

Ice Sailing Ice sailing, or hard water sailing—is navigating a frozen surface in a sailboat outfitted with runners. The fundamentals of this exhilarating sport can be learned in just a day or two. The most proficient sailors can adapt to rapidly changing ice and wind conditions but novices often exceed their limits and get in trouble. For those who master the sport, ice sailing offers the best of summer and winter pleasures.

Skijoring Cross country skiing has gone to the dogs. A popular sport from Scandinavia called “skijoring” can be a great workout for you and your canine. Fido is outfitted with a special harness and leash so he can pull you, wearing your XC skis, along pristine trails. Once your and your pooch are proficient you can search out races and more.

Snow Kayaking Know of a pristinehillside covered with newfallen snow? If sledding or tobogganing seems old hat, grab the kayak from your garage and improvise. A kayak will work fine if the snow is really cold, so the kayak doesn’t stick. You can get some speed going and use the paddle to carve out snow and stick the paddle behind to use as a rudder. It’s not as accurate as a sled but about the same as a toboggan and a lot more fun.

Snow Kiting Fast growing and simple to learn, skiers and boarders across the world are discovering the fun of snow kiting. All you need is snow and a power kite and you can turn a cold winter’s day into a blistering, adrenaline-soaked experience. Speeds of over 60 mph have been recorded as snow kite riders blast themselves along with just the power of the wind.

Wind power is one of life’s few free rides and already snow kiting enthusiasts have achieved incredible things. From a ground breaking unsupported journey to the North Pole and back to huge kite-powered adventures through Alaska, the world of winter sports is embracing this fantastic new sport.

Snowshoeing
Try winter’s fastest growing adventure fitness craze – snowshoeing!

The sport has grown in popularity among female Americans since 1998. The participant  level has increased 163% to 2.1% of females 16 and older. Source: Outdoor Recreation Participation Study 2003

It’s easy to see why snowshoeing is the trendiest and friendliest on-snow winter activity considering anyone who can walk can snowshoe. Until the 1970’s, snowshoes were used primarily for survival rather than recreation. Today, enthusiasts who strap on a pair of snowshoes range from casual snowshoers who hike trails for pleasure, to those who trek through the backcountry, and competitors who race. One of the best things about snowshoeing is just about anywhere you hike or mountain bike in summer, you can snowshoe in winter.

In addition, snowshoeing can help enrich your health. Known to help maintain or improve cardiovascular fitness, the sport helps burn more than 600 calories per hour. Snowshoers can burn more than 45 percent more calories than walking or running at the same speed, according to Snowsports Industries America (SIA).

Telemark – Get off the groomed trails and experience backcountry skiing! For most, tele skiing is all about the stoke, the sensation, that feeling of excited exhilaration that comes from getting into the groove of the tele turn.

Norwegian Sondre Norheim, recognized today as the father of telemark skiing, popularized this new style of turn where one ski is advanced in front of the other and the heel is raised on the rear ski, with the skier in a very bent knee position . The telemark turn is ideally suited for the moderately steep mountains and the soft, deep snow found in the Telemark region of Norway.

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