UK Athletics today unveiled major plans to pace endurance athletes to all of this summer’s major championships: the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan; the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand; the European Under 23s in Debrecen, Hungary; the European Junior Championships in Hengelo, Netherlands; Ithe AAF World Youth Champs in Ostrava, Czech Republic; and the European Youth Olympic Festival in Belgrade, Serbia.

The governing body’s Event Management Group for Endurance has set aside 8,000 Euros (around £5,500) to fly-in quality overseas pacemakers for 800m and 1500m races at the first two BMC Nike Grand Prix meetings of the season, at Manchester on 9 June and Watford on 30 June.

The Manchester meeting will be the last major domestic opportunity for athletes to impress the selectors before the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland teams are named for the European Cup.

The EMG has also budgeted £6,000 to provide pacemakers for its Endurance Initiative races at the BMC GPs. These include:

• The Men’s and Women’s 5000m races and 3000m steeplechases at both Manchester and Watford. The Women’s 5000m at Manchester will also incorporate the official trial for the European Junior Championships. The first two past the post with the qualifying time of 16:45.00 will earn automatic selection. Junior Women are advised that their 3000m trial will be run at the UK Championships for Under 23s and Under 20s at Bedford on 23-24 June.

• The Men’s and Women’s 10,000m races at Watford, which will incorporate the official trials for the World Championships in Osaka. The plan is to have pacemakers aiding the fastest UK male entrants and/or running the Men’s pace of 28:30.00 for the World University Games and the Women’s pace of 31:40.00 for the World Championships, while the requirements of European Under 23 contenders will also be taken into consideration.

• The Men’s and Women’s 2000m steeplechases and 3000m flat races at the St Mary’s University Relays meeting at Twickenham on 6 June. The steeplechases are seen as opportunities for athletes to seek the guidelines of 5:45.00 (Men) and 6:48.00 (Women) for the Under 18s’ World Youth Championships and European Youth Olympic Festival.

Of the remaining BMC Grands Prix, there will be Endurance Initiative races over 3000m (Men and Women) at Solihull on 21 July; a Men’s 10,000m and Men’s and Women’s 3000m races at Trafford on 11 August; and Men’s and Women’s 5000m races and 3000m steeplechases at the UK Challenge and BMC Final at Crystal Palace on 25 August.

GB international Steve Vernon is coordinating the provision of pacemakers for all the Endurance Initiative races. Anyone interested in being considered for pacing a 5000m, 10,000m or steeplechase can email him at vernon_steven@hotmail.com or contact the UKA Senior Coordinator for Endurance Spencer Barden at sbarden@ukathletics.org.uk

UKA has announced a performance-related prize structure for the Endurance Initiative races…