CRITERIA FOR A ROAD RACE
COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
21/01/05
SELECTION OF EVENTS:
The County Championships are to be run in conjunction with existing road races. The selection of events to host the County Championships will be determined at the Open Road & Cross Country meeting held each year.
DISTANCES:
The distances for the County Championships events are: 5miles; 10 kilometres; 10 miles; Half Marathon; Long Distance (Over ½ Marathon – Marathon) and Relays.
COURSE, PERMITS, & COURSE MEASUREMENT:
Ø Race organisers must ensure that the police and local authorities are fully briefed about the event and that their advice is sought in connection with the design of the course.
Ø UK:A Permits must be applied for at least 6 months before race day to allow for the Permit Number; Course Measurement Logo and the wording “Under UK:A Rules” to be included on the final version of the Entry Form and all associated paperwork.
Ø The police must be invited, if so required by the Course Measurer to be present whilst the course is being measured. The Course Measurer must be advised of the event in adequate time and be given full course information prior to the date of the course measurement.
Ø The agreed course must be accurately measured along the optimum running line using an IAAF approved method to obtain a certificate.
A copy of this certificate must be clearly and prominently displayed along with the road race permit and a full competitors’ list identifying those taking part in the championships. A copy of the risk assessment must be available for inspection.
TOILET AND CHANGING FACILITIES:
Ø The following MINIMUM provisions for toilets are required:
ü Male Seating – 1 per 100 entrants
ü Male Urinals – 15ft/5m per 1000 entrants
ü Female 1 toilet per 40 entrants
Ø There must be covered changing facilities.
Ø There must be a supervised system of kit baggage storage. Retrieval must be arranged within ½ mile of the finish.
Ø Competitors must be advised in writing that all kit bag storage is at the owner’s own risk and they should be reminded of this on the day of the event.
RACING SURFACE:
The racing surface must be predominantly composed of paved road, with other firm surfaces not exceeding 10% of the race distance up to 10km events, or events over 10km 5% of the race distance.
ROUTING AND MARSHALLING:
Ø All roads should be closed, however where roads are not closed measures must be taken to maintain one lane reasonably free of traffic to allow safe passage for the bulk of the field.
Ø All junctions, changes of direction and points with a risk of deviation from the course must be adequately marshalled and clearly signed.
Ø All obstructions in the direct line of running must be either guarded or clearly marked.
Ø All traffic lights and major crossing points must be marshalled by at least two experienced adults.
Ø A sweep vehicle must be provided to ensure that no competitors are left on the course.
Ø All marshals must be clearly identified by some form of tabard or brightly coloured jacket and must remain at their post until the entire field has passed as evidenced by the sweep vehicle.
Ø There must be an effective system of crowd control at the start, throughout the route and at the finish.
Ø Spectators must be actively discouraged from following the race by bicycle, car or any other form of transport.
DISTANCE MARKING:
Accurately located distance markers must be positioned at or above eye level and must be displayed every mile (or every kilometre in metric events).
COMMUNICATIONS:
There must be an efficient method of communication linking the medical team, ambulances, the organisers, marshals and the police around the whole course.
ENTRIES:
LATE ENTRIES ARE NOT ACCEPTED IN THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ø Entries to the County Championships must be made on a form approved by the County Championship Secretary. The normal race entry form is generally acceptable provided the wording given under the heading “ELIGIBILITY” (below) is included.
Ø A list of all competitors whom have entered, also identifying those who are participating in the County Championships to the event prior to the closing date must be sent to the County Secretary (Joe Mower), the Championship Secretary (Paul Felton) and to the assigned Race Referee as soon as possible after the event closing date.
Ø Entries for the County Championships must be accepted and printed in all pre-race reports and in the results sheets in the age categories as defined by the County Championship Committee:
· MALE SENIOR (15-39) VET 40 (40-44) VET 45 (45-49) VET 50 (50-54)
VET 55 (55-59) VET 60 (60-64) VET 65 (65-69) VET 70+ (70 & above)
· FEMALE SENIOR (15-39) VET 40 (40-44) VET 45 (45-49) VET 50 (50-54)
VET 55 (55-59) VET 60+ (60 & above)
depending on age limits / distances of the race. See RULE 207.
Ø The organising event will pay to the county the fee of £35.00 for every race it hosts in the championships. This money is to be sent to the Championship Secretary within 14 days of the event taking place.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Championship is a closed event and shall be restricted to individuals and teams who are able to meet the county eligibility criteria:
Ø Born in the county.
Ø By 9 months continuous residency in the county, prior to the event.
Ø By serving in the Armed Forces in the county for 9 months prior to the event.
This does not restrict non-eligible competitors from competing in the open race.
The following wording must be included on the host clubs’ entry forms:
Please enter me for the County Championships Please tick box
Qualification By birth in the county Please tick box
By 9 MONTHS’ continuous residence in the county Please tick box
For further details of qualification please refer to
UK: A RULES FOR COMPETITION (RULE 10).
OFFICIALS:
The Referee and Chief Timekeeper must be recognised as County Officials (reimbursement of Officials’ travelling expenses should be considered).
TIMING:
Ø The leading competitor must be timed to 1/10th of a second and all other competitors timed to the second.
Ø The race must be preceded by a lead vehicle / motorcycle / bicycle.
Ø In races of 10 miles or more, including the marathon distance, split times must be called or displayed at intervals not exceeding 5 miles (5km in metric events) and in the marathon at the half way point.
RACE NUMBERS:
All numbers must be waterproof and worn on the front of the competitor’s vest. Numbers that are folded, cut down in size or mutilated in any form from the original may render the wearer liable to disqualification. See Rule 18 (i)
THE START:
Ø The position of the start line must be clearly identified on the surface and in addition should be indicated by an overhead start banner, or a sign at least 3ft above eye level.
Ø If the event has more than 500 competitors then starting zones based on anticipated finishing times must be used.
DRINK / SPONGE STATIONS:
Ø When the race distance is of 10km or above, drink stations must be provided at intervals of at least 5km and at the finish. In races of less that 10km on course drinks may be provided by the organisers as well as at the finish.
Ø Additional drink stations must be provided if so requested by the race medical officer.
Ø All drink and sponge stations must have warning signs above eye level, at least 200m ahead of the station and on the same side of the road.
Ø All sponge stations must be separated from any drink station by at least 500m. If the event is a Half Marathon then there must be at least one sponge station. For events between a Half Marathon and a Marathon there must be at least two sponge stations, and for a Full Marathon there must be a minimum of three sponge stations.
MEDICAL SUPPORT:
v A qualified medical officer must be available at the finish.
v An emergency medical centre, able to cope with two emergencies per 1000 entrants must be located within 50m of the finish.
v If 50% or more of the competitors are expected to take more than one hour to complete the course, then groups of First Aid personnel must be located at points around the course.
v If the event is of Marathon distance, then First Aid stations must be located no more than 3 miles / 5 km apart.
v Where any treatment of a competitor by any first aid personnel or any reportable incident* occurs, a copy of THE ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT REPORT FORM (FORM-UKA/RF/1/2002) must be filled in and copies sent to the Health & Safety Department, UK Athletics, Athletics House, Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Park, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 8AJ; the Race Referee and the County Secretary within 7 days.
* A reportable accident / incident is one in which a person suffers an injury as a result of which that person requires or is likely to require medical treatment.
FINISH:
Ø The position of the finish must be located in a traffic free area
Ø The position of the finish line must be clearly identified on the surface and in addition should be indicated by an overhead finish banner, or a sign at least 3ft above eye level.
Ø The finish area must be designed to ensure the safety of all officials, competitors and spectators.
Ø There must be sufficient funnels, marshals and officials to cater for the size of the field subject to a minimum of two funnels and two sets of officials (two timekeepers, two timekeeper recorders, two position callers and two position recorders). It is good practice to have two funnel controllers and a spot timer to record both numbers and the times of competitors at regular intervals.
RESULTS:
Ø Preliminary results listing all the winners of all declared prize categories must be available on the day of the race (unless declared otherwise in the race information).
Ø Any runner eligible to compete in the same race in open competition and within an age category (e.g., under 21 or veteran) who finishes in a position that qualifies for more than one individual prize shall be allowed to select only one of these prizes, unless the Promoter has decreed otherwise on the race entry form or in other race literature sent to the runner.
Ø A complete set of results listing all places and times clearly identifying those in the County Championships must be sent to the County Secretary (Joe Mower)the Championship Secretary (Paul Felton) and the assigned Race Referee (if different) within 7 days of the event.
Ø The final result sheet must be incorporate details of all category and prize-winners and must be available to all entrants within 14 days of the event.
TROPHIES:
The County Championship trophies presentations for a given event will take place at the following County Championship event. This should alleviate the problem of working out the trophy winners on the day and the possibility of getting them wrong. The only exception is the last event of the year where the preceding event trophies and the current trophies will be presented together.
POST RACE:
Ø Within ONE CALENDAR MONTH of the date of the race the following must be returned to the SEAA:
ü A complete list of all race entries.
ü A copy of the full result sheet.
ü A cheque for the additional unattached entry fees levied.
Ø The PINK slip should be returned to the County secretary.
DECLARATION:
For any event failing to meet the above criteria, the County Championship held within the event will be declared to be null and void and the competitors who have participated in such an event will be informed on the county’s website as to the reasons that such a declaration was made.
P M Felton
Championship Secretary.