December 14, 2005 – Readers of Quebec City’s most prominent daily, Le Soleil, have bestowed two titles of note on mountain biking’s Marie-Hélène Prémont. The Château-Richer resident was recently named International Female Athlete of the Year as well as Athlete of the Year in the poll. The results were released in this morning’s Le Soleil.

“It’s a great honour, and it proves once again that the Quebec region is an excellent training ground for athletes. Just to be nominated is an honour; to win is really a wonderful way to close the season. I’d like to congratulate the other finalists, they too merit accolades for their achievements,” said Prémont.

Its been a fantastic season for Prémont, who won two of the eight UCI Mountain Bike World Cups and is currently ranked third in the UCI MTB Rankings. With her strong performances in 2005, combined with her impressive silver medal at the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 2004, Prémont had an inkling that she might be the lucky recipient.

“I was kind of thinking I might win, but its difficult to compare yourself with the other athletes, and you never know how the voting will go. I liked the fact that the categories were split up into male and female winners — it gives everyone a chance to be considered and rewarded,” she commented.

Prémont also recently received a grant of $700 from the Fondation Nordiques for athletes studying full-time at University. Completing her Bachelor of Pharmacology at Quebec’s Université Laval, she added, “˜It’s difficult to combine studies and athleticism – to have support is very important.”

More details are available in Le Soleil du Québec.

To vote for Marie-Hélène Prémont in the La Presse Athlete of the Year
Poll, see visit the site: www.lapresse.com