EVEN at the start line, Ms Lynn Tan (main picture) was already an attention grabber.

No, she was not the hot favourite, but she was one of the few women participating in car racing, and competing in a largely male-dominated field.

That was 10 years ago. Recalled Ms Tan, 30, now an architect: "There were never more than a handful of female competitors, so perhaps the competition was less keen - or stiffer, depending on how you look at it.

"If there were sufficient female entries, we would get our own competition class. Because there were only a few of us, winning was always a bonus treat."

According to the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), close to half of the women here participate in sporting activities, an increase from 32 per cent in 2001.

The progress over the years is in line with the objective of the SSC's Women and Sport Group to promote sports to women in Singapore.

Formed in 1999, the group has launched a series of campaigns reaching out to women, including the annual Women's Day Out. Said Ms Tan: "It is not just about keeping fit, but also having opportunities to socialise and expand our social circles.

"It is as much about the lifestyle as it is about the sport."

With the growing number of females starting to make sports a part of their lifestyle, the sports scene has seen the arrival of more women-oriented sporting events, including the recently-concluded Shape Run.

However, some women have taken it one step further - by taking part in extreme sports.

Ms Jane Lee is one such woman, doing what no Singaporean woman has done before - scaling Mount Everest.

Said the leader of the Singapore Women's Everest Team: "The perceived barriers to entry are probably lower now, because more women are engaging in such sports."

The 24-year-old, who trains six days a week, has been approached by many women seeking advice on the sport.

She said: "With more taking up trekking and climbing, getting advice or support is definitely easier now."

Law student Melissa Wong, a wakeboarder with the National University of Singapore Wakeboarding Club, added: "More women are engaging in these sports just to show that they can excel just as well as men in that area.

"The fact that it is an extreme sport gives a woman that extra appeal due to its more dangerous nature."

The Institute Varsity Polytechnic wakeboarding champion made the switch from mainstream sports four years ago because of the adrenalin rush.

"The interest is definitely growing. I guess their campaigns are bearing fruit now," she said.

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