LAGUNA BEACH, CA ??” Op Girls Learn To Ride (Op GLTR), the original series of girls-only action sports clinics in North America, will host a record number of snowboarding clinics for young women at mountain resorts throughout the U.S. and Canada, including four Northeast ski areas, during the 2004-2005 winter season.

Op GLTR snowboarding clinics and camps, taught by top certified instructors, provide hands-on training with an emphasis on safety and skill development, enabling participants to learn all of the basic skills necessary to ride responsibly and enjoy the sport. Op GLTR, which will enter its sixth year in 2005, has expanded its snowboarding program to meet the growing demand from past participants and mountain resort partners. Last year, U.S. participation in snowboarding climbed to 6.3 million, with approximately 35 percent of that audience being female (source: National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association).

“Op Girls Learn To Ride began six years ago with one snowboarding clinic in California and it is amazing to see the growth of the series in this sport,” says Mark Sperling, founder and event director. “We could not have expanded our snowboarding program to triple the size without the support and encouragement of our host resorts, instructors and the sponsors who believe in this program.”

“The growth and relevance of female participation in action sports makes programs like GLTR vital for the health and growth of the industry,” says Dick Baker, president of Op. “The nature of the program, its track record and where it’s going, nationally and abroad, make it a very obvious and natural fit for our brand.”

The complete list of 2004-2005 Op GLTR snowboarding clinics is as follows:

Brian Head, Utah: Jan. 8, Feb. 12
Copper Mountain, CO: Feb. 5*
Crystal Mountain, MI: Jan. 23, Feb. 26*, Mar.19
Jiminy Peak, MA: Jan. 22, Feb.12, Mar. 20
Killington, VT: Mar.12*
Liberty Mountain, PA: Jan. 7, Jan. 30, Feb.12*
Mammoth Mountain, CA: Dec.11, Jan. 8, April 9, May 7
Mountain Creek, NJ: Jan.15, Feb. 19*, Mar. 6
Mountain High, CA: Dec.18, Jan.15, Feb. 27*
Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA: Dec. 19, Jan. 22, Feb.13, Mar. 19*
Park City, UT: Jan. 29, Feb. 12
Snowbird, UT: Jan. 9, Feb.13, Mar.20
Nakiska, AB: Dec. 27-28**
Panorama, BC: Dec. 30-31**
Whistler-Blackcomb, BC: Jan. 8-9**
Grouse Mountain, BC: Feb. 5-6**
Lake Louise, AB: April 2-3**
Blackcomb Glacier, BC: July-TBD**

*Indicates a coinciding B4BC Board-A-Thon Event.
**Indicates MGT Snowboard Camps for more advanced riders.

Op GLTR will also partner with Boarding For Breast Cancer’s annual Board-A-Thon series at select mountains. Boarding For Breast Cancer, a youth-focused education, awareness and fundraising non-profit organization, is designed to educate young women about the importance of early breast cancer detection and the value of a healthy lifestyle. The Board-A-Thons are events that are individually styled for each host resort and include activities such as product raffles, snowboarding contests, free riding with professional athletes and live music.

This year, Op GLTR has partnered for the second year with top professional riders from MGT Snowboard Camp for Girls, an organization overseeing six snowboard camps in Western Canada. Past MTG Snowboard Camp celebrity guest coaches have included national team riders, Olympians and X Games, Vans Triple Crown, US Open and FIS World Cup podium finishers.

For detailed information and updates about Op Girls Learn To Ride and its partners, visit www.opgirlslearntoride.com, www.b4bc.org and www.mgtsnowboardcamp.com.