*Congratulations and good luck to the three Walton athletes who are
competing at Nottingham this weekend, **Rachel Pharaoh, Charlotte Vaughan &
Ben Marks. The club wish them all the very best.*

I am pleased to say that Surrey County Athletic Association have agreed award winners in the various age categories for the 2015 season and Sophie Mace and Sam Mace have won their respective age group’s Surrey County Championship best performance awards.

Well done Sophie and Sam.

Full list of winners:

Coinciding with the start of the new track and field season, the latest version of the UKA Rules for Competition 2016 are to be launched on April 1st and UKA have announced information on the updates that will be included.

These include important changes regarding compulsory athlete registration in competitions held under UKA Rules. It is important that athletes, team managers and others are aware of this and the associated guidance.

To help support those who are affected by different aspects of registration rules England Athletics have put together advice for:

• Athletes (& parents of young athletes) – please see www.englandathletics.org/athlete-registration
• Team Managers – please see www.englandathletics.org/team-managers-and-athlete-registration
• Membership Secretaries – please see www.englandathletics.org/secretary-registration
• Coaches – please see www.englandathletics.org/coaches-and-athlete-registration
• Event organisers – please see www.englandathletics.org/event-registration

While athlete registration has been a part of the rules of the sport for a number of years these changes mean it is essential that athletes are registered and aware of their registration details.

England Athletics recommend you make yourself familiar with the information that is relevant to you and, where appropriate, draw the attention of others to the information that is relevant to them.

You can read UKA’s announcement at www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/2016-news-page/february-2016/08-02-16-rule-book-update.

While road runners will still be able to compete unattached, athletes, who wish to represent their club (and claim the registered athlete discount on entry fees) in road running events, will need to be registered.

Checks on registration

The existing rule already stated that athletes “should” be registered and over the past few years England Athletics has worked with a number of major competition providers to carry out registration checks at point of entry and after events. The number of unregistered athletes has been low and decreasing. There are also competition organisers who have already been carrying out their own checks on athlete registration.

England Athletics have already spoken to a number of major competition providers and will continue to approach others over the coming weeks and months. Random checks will also be carried out.

Checks on an athlete’s registration status can be made at www.englandathletics.org/licencechecks. Competition providers can also upload spreadsheets of entrant/ competitor details for automated checks.