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Canbury to publish indepth investigation into 'extraordinary' female endurance athletes
Canbury Press is set to publish an in-depth investigation into the "extraordinary" achievements of female endurance athletes by Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson. Martin Hickman, managing director of Canbury Press, the non-fiction specialist, acquired world rights directly from the authors for Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport. It is set to be published in May, in B-format paperback priced £16.99.
Freelance journalists and long-distance runners Canter and Wilkinson spoke to more than 70 elite athletes, historians and scientists during two years of research. In the book, they tell the largely unknown story of female endurance, tracking from hunter-gatherings to the Edwardian discipline of pedestrianism to a new generation of 21st-century swimmers, runners and cyclists.
The book includes the latest sporting science on fat stores, sleep deprivation and race preparation and pacing, as well as recounting the achievements of inspiring women, past and present, who have "battled alone along hazardous courses in unforgiving terrain, sometimes to the surprise of condescending or obstructive men".
Hickman said: "This action-packed book will hook both male and female readers as it follows extraordinary characters taking part in the world’s toughest, most epic races. Through interviews with scientists on the cutting edge of research and female athletes, it unpicks the key differences between men and women in sporting performance, as well as exposing the many barriers gritty and resourceful women still have to overcome to compete in a male-dominated world."
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The authors end the book with a "Manifesto for Increasing Female Participation in Ultra Endurance Sport", which is aimed at sports scientists, race directors and the makers of sports apparel.
Wilkinson said: “Our own experience as runners has taught us that women are adept at ultra distances. With high profile outright wins from athletes like Jasmin Paris, we wanted to dig into what is really happening across all endurance sports, including running, swimming, cycling, triathlon and adventure racing. What we found was fascinating. Female athletes are often told they are ‘less than’, or that their sporting achievements are secondary to [those of] men. We have been able to turn that narrative on its head."
Canter said: "Throughout history women have been the pioneers of many endurance feats – yet we rarely hear their stories. It has been extremely rewarding, and truly inspirational, to shine a light on these ultra women. We have also been alarmed by the barriers women continue to face and the sexism that exists in so many facets of ultra endurance sport today."
