UK Athletics sponsors Aqua Pura are supporting a 1500m steeplechase development race for Senior Women, Under 20s and Under 17s at the Norman Fowler Memorial Meeting at Tonbridge, Kent, on Easter Monday 9 April.

“It will be a great opportunity for newcomers to the event to try out,” says the race organiser Stella Bandu, who will accept emailed entries at stellaaac@aol.com and can be contacted on 07960 371958. “Entry is free and there are small prize for the first three.”

As part of the UK Athletics campaign, supported by Aqua Pura, to increase the number of women taking up the event, Bandu is also busy compiling a list of meetings this summer that will include steeplechase races. Meeting organisers are asked to email her with details of any steeplechase races they are scheduling for Seniors, Under 20s or Under 17s.

The need for more competitors to take up the event is evident from Power of 10 rankings. They reveal only 22 Women contested the 3000m steeplechase last summer, though 43 recorded times for the 2000m steeplechase. Of the 43, 10 were Under 20s, 6 Under 17s and the remainder Seniors (or Masters).

This summer, there will be opportunities for women’s steeplechasers in Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland teams at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan; European Under 23 Championships in Debrecen, Hungary; European Junior Championships in Hengelo, Netherlands; and IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

For the full current women’s steeplechase stats, please go to the Power Of 10 Website.