World first for a major event in the sport, United States Squash has announced that the prize purse for the 2013 Delaware Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships will provide equal prize money for both the women’s and men’s events.
Ahead of many other professional sports yet to achieve parity for both genders and leading the way in the industry, the prize money for the women will be raised to $115,000 to make it equal to the men’s fund.
From a previous 16 player women’s draw will also be increased to 32 players draw, now in line with the men’s draw, providing greater opportunity for female professional players to compete in the World Series event.
“It is a top priority for us to promote opportunities for girls and women to play squash,” said Kevin Klipstein, CEO of U.S. Squash. “Offering equal prize money is one way we are able to help more female squash players compete at the highest level and to their full potential.”
Klipstein added: “In the US we have the same number of girls playing as boys and a nearly equal number of women and men competing in college. The women’s tour has an incredible, dynamic and entertaining World Champion and recent U.S. Open Champion in Nicol David. The women’s tour is equally as significant and competitive as the men’s tour, and the opportunities for both genders should be equivalent.”
The United States Squash breakthrough is also hailed by the World Squash Federation: “This initiative for the US Open signals clearly how seriously we take the promotion of our top women athletes alongside their male counterparts,” said WSF President N Ramachandran. “Our United States federation deserves great congratulations.”
The 2013 Delaware Investments U.S. Open will be held at Drexel University in Philadelphia from 9-18 October.
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http://en.africatopsports.com/2013/02/08/squash-el-weleily-victory-over-nicol/