This week it's all about previewing the biggest women's race of the year: The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Kate Veronneau,  director of women's strategy at Zwift, joins us to give a peak behind the curtain into what goes into the massive event, the kind of growth they've seen at TDFF, and who she thinks could win.

But first, it's our women's sports highlights from the week, including drama from the Euros soccer championship, gossip from the WNBA All-Star Weekend, and a deep dive into the doping sanction that was handed out to the marathon world record holder (and why it hurts more than just a couple of athletes).

From what women's sports we watched to what we want to watch, it's just another week of your favorite sports with your Feistiest friends!

Highlights:

• 0:00 - Welcome and What We Watched
• 13:00 - "Pay Us What You Owe Us"
• 21:57 - WNBA Insights and Gossip
• 25:02 - The Doping Downfall of Marathon World Record Holder, Ruth Chepngetich
• 34:43 - The Impact of Doping on Athletic Careers
• 43:20 - Kate Veronneau previews the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
• 01:11:10 - Our Feisty Picks of the Week, including American Ninja Warrior

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

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This week on The Feist, Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara dive into a jam-packed episode — starting with the major moments they watched in women’s sports from the past week:

• The historic all-women’s boxing card at Madison Square Garden (which made Sara cry)
• And why they couldn't find replay video of a controversy at the Giro d'Italia Women

Then, it's all about what women's sports to watch this upcoming week:

• Euros! Who are we rooting for now that Wales is out?
• The WNBA All-Star game and how voting went a little sideways this year + a quick primer on the economics of WNBA and how, yes, they are profitable
• And the NFL Flag Championships open up a debate about whether we're pro or con flag football

Before Sara & Kelly make their picks of the week, they dive deep into the explosion of new women’s sports leagues: multiple soccer leagues, two off-season basketball leagues, three volleyball leagues, rugby, softball, hockey, baseball. Is more always better? What does it mean to be a “professional” athlete? How do we build real, lasting fan bases? And what can we do to help women’s sports thrive? (PS. Always buy the merch.)

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

Previnex: Use code THEFEIST for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

On this episode of the Feist, Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara settle into a few new popular segments: The women's sports they watched, the women's sports you definitely want to watch, and their female athlete picks of the week.

First, they catch you up on all their favorite women's sports from the week:

• World records on the track: Can seeing your training partner do something make it seem possible?
• Attendance records at the Euros tournament: If Europe's always cared more about soccer than the U.S., why did it take so long for them to back women's soccer?
• And the surprisingly long history of the women's Giro d'Italia

Then, they look ahead to the can't miss event of the weekend: The first all-women's boxing card at Madison Square Garden. And Sara promises she's going to get into boxing just for this.

But before they both make their picks of the week, a special segment: In the Weeds with Kelly and Sara — where they go deep (deep!) on the new unequal qualification system for the Ironman World Championships.

Plus, it wouldn't be a Feisty podcast if we didn't mix some tough questions in with our sports and how we got here.

It's all packed in to another episode of The Feist!

Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://www.womensperformance.com/feistnews

Previnex: Use code THEFEIST for 15% off your first order at https://www.previnex.com/

What happens when you mix scorching temps, dirt trails, wild river crossings, and a 100-mile adventure in the mountains?

In this run-focused episode, Kelly and Sara "run" head first into the world of ultramarathons, with on-the-ground in-the-dirt coverage from the legendary Western States Endurance Run.

They're basically ultrarunners now — risking heat and fatigue to answer important questions like: Why is Western States so famous? What is the deal with the wild lottery system where it takes athletes 10 years to earn a spot on the start line? How do researchers study these runners in the middle of racing? And does Western States live up to the hype?

This includes interviews with:

• Ultra insider and Western States broadcast commentator, Corinne Malcolm, who breaks down the race’s history, grueling lottery system, and the spirit that makes Western States more than just a race.
• This year's oldest female runner, Diane Grim—also a first-time 100-mile-racer.
• Western States Medical Research Directors Dr. Megan Roche and Dr. Emily Kraus, who share the findings that come out of research conducted during the event: carbs, hydration, and GI distress.
• And the race winner, Abby Hall, in the moments after her surprising (but not surprising) win.

But first, on the other end of the running spectrum, let's talk about Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to become the first woman to run a sub-4-minute mile — and whether, even in failure, she succeeded?

Today is all about running: the people, the science, the breadth and depth of what it means to go the distance.

Welcome to The Feist — your favorite sports, with your feistiest friends.

Hosted by Sara Gross and Kelly O’Mara, Feisty's newest podcast is here to celebrate the unstoppable rise of women’s sports. Every week they'll cover what you need to know in women's sports: from running to basketball to everything in between. The Feist will bring you the untold stories of female athletes, interviews with those athletes and behind-the-scenes experts, and the feisty analysis you need to be a fan.

This is the women's sports podcast that covers the sports that don't always get covered from voices that don't always get heard.

In a special live launch episode, they kick off with a panel on what's next and where women's sports go from here. Joining us for the live event are:

• Scott Lake – Newly minted co-owner of the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA team, co-founder of Shopify, and an investor in girls' and women's sports.
• Hilary Stellingwerff – Two-time Canadian Olympian, multi-time national champion in the 1500m, and now head track & cross-country coach at the University of Victoria.
• Krista Thompson – Former national team field hockey player and award-winning coach with 20+ years of experience at the provincial, regional, national and international level.

Together, they dive into:

• The massive economic upside of investing in women’s sports
• Why female role models and maternity support matter more than ever
• The coaching and performance knowledge gaps rooted in outdated research
• The lessons they wish they’d known earlier
• And what’s exciting them most about the future

Whether you're a seasoned fan or want to know more, The Feist is your front-row seat to this women's sports revolution. Because women’s sports aren’t just having a moment—they’re building a movement. And they need fans like you.

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Welcome to The Feist, hosted by Feisty Media CEO, Sara Gross, and sports journalist Kelly O'Mara.

The Feist is a new women's sports podcast delivering the untold stories of female athletes with a feisty take. The sports YOU want to know about from the people YOU want to hear from: cycling, running, Crossfit, rugby, pickleball, and more.

The Feist drops weekly and includes interviews with athletes and behind-the-scenes experts, plus the latest news and fun from the world of women's sports.

It's like talking your favorite sports with your feistiest friends.