USATF PACIFIC Long Distance Running Guidelines and Rules
(Updated 1/3/2019)
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Overview
2.0 LDR Chairs
3.0 LDR Committee
4.0 Eligibility and Representation
5.0 Effective Date of PA/USATF Membership
6.0 Non-Local Membership Application by PA/USATF Athletes
7.0 Eligibility/Affiliation: National Clubs vs. Pacific Association Clubs
8.0 LDR Club Rosters
9.0 Selection of LDR Grand Prix Events
10.0 Divisional Structure for Competition
11.0 Scoring/Indiviuals
12.0 Scoring/Teams
13.0 Grand Prix/Championship Event Scoring Value
14.0 Prize Money Distribution/Championship Events – Road Grand Prix
15.0 Season-End Prize Money/Individuals
16.0 Complimentary Entries
17.0 Season-End Prize Money/Grand Prix Teams
18.0 Championship Team
Scoring Procedures
19.0 Stepping Down for Team Scoring
20.0 Displacement in Team Scoring
21.0 Team Uniforms/Identification
22.0 Amendments
23.0 Saving Clause, Other
INDEX OF GUIDELINES ALSO PERTAINING TO CROSS COUNTRY AND ULTRA RUNNING
Guidelines Also Applicable to PA/USATF XC:
- Sections (in their entirety): 1.0- 8.0, 11.0-13.0, 19.0, 20.0, 21.0, 22.0
- Subsections: 9.1, 9.3, 9.4, 10.1, 15.3. 18.1, 18.2, 18.4
- XC Rules
Guidelines Also Applicable to PA/USATF Ultra Running:
- Sections (in their entirety): 1.0-8.0, 11.0-13.0, 20.0, 21.0, 22.0
- Subsections: 9.1, 9.3, 9.4, 10.1, 15.3, 18.1, 18.4
- Ultra Rules
INTRODUCTION
This LDR Guide is a summary of key Pacific Association/USATF LDR rules, policies, and operating procedures. Although its focus is on the association’s LDR Road Grand Prix, many of the points are also applicable to the cross country and MUT running Grand Prix. An index of sections that also apply to cross country and Ultra running is provided at the end of this document.This Guide is provided as a service by Pacific Association LDR to all LDR clubs in the Pacific Association. Clubs should take responsibility for making this Guide available to all people in the club that may benefit from its use: club officers, the club USATF contact, club LDR Committee representatives, and club LDR team captains, at a minimum.Please note that the Pacific Association may alternatively be referred to as Pacific Association/USATF or simply PA/USATF throughout this Guide. This Guide is meant to serve in conjunction with the following USATF and Pacific Association documents:Available free from the National USATF office (or from www.usatf.org):
USATF (National) Competition Rules
USATF (National) Bylaws and Operating Regulations
Available free from the PA/USATF office (or from www.pausatf.org):
PA/USATF Bylaws
PA/USATF LDR Operating Procedures
PA/USATF Cross Country Grand Prix Rules
PA/USATF MUT running Grand Prix Rules
Comments pertaining to this Guide should be forwarded in writing to the
The LDR Committee Chairs,
To contact the USATF National Office:
USA Track and Field
P.O. Box 120
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-0120
Directory/Contacts
Tel:: 317-261-0500
Fax: 317-261-0481
1.0 OVERVIEW
| 1.1 |
The Pacific Association USA Track and Field (PA/USATF) conducts three annual Grand Prix circuits in Long Distance Running (LDR). Each Grand Prix series has been organized to encourage continuing development of post-collegiate distance running athletes and to provide competitive opportunities to these athletes and club teams within the Pacific Association boundaries. Individuals and teams can accumulate points in each Grand Prix, which are tallied on an ongoing basis throughout the season. |
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(a) Road Grand Prix:Comprises an annual series of championship road races conducted for PA/USATF athletes and club teams at distances ranging from one mile to the marathon (26.2 miles). Each event of the series is designated as the PA/USATF annual road championship at that distance. More than one championship at a given distance may be selected at the discretion of the Long Distance Running Committee. Road Grand Prix events run throughout the calendar year. |
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(b) Cross Country Grand Prix:Comprises an annual series of cross country events that culminate with the Pacific Association Cross Country Championships. Some events may take place in conjunction with collegiate invitational competition. The Cross Country Grand Prix season typically runs from early September through late November. See the Cross Country Guide for details and for rules specific to cross country. |
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(c) MUT Grand Prix: Comprises an annual series of road, trail, and track MUT running events ranging in distance from 50K to 100 miles. The MUT running Grand Prix season runs throughout the calendar year. |
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| 1.2 |
Developmental funds (prize money) are distributed to top individuals and teams at each Road Grand Prix championship. MUT running and Cross Country Grand Prix events may offer prize money as well. In addition, PA/USATF distributes season-end prize purses in all three Grand Prix to top individuals and teams in various age divisions, totaling more than $20,000. |
2.0 LDR CHAIRS
| 2.1 |
Three committee chairs lead Pacific Association LDR activities: Open Men’s LDR Committee Chair, Open Women’s LDR Committee Chair, and Masters LDR Committee Chair. These chairs are elected by the LDR Committee and serve for two-year terms with no term limits. Typically, one of these chairs is selected to oversee all LDR activities as a whole and is appointed by committee proclamation as the LDR Chair. |
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| 2.2 |
LDR subcommittee chairs typically coordinate specific activities within LDR, such as cross country and MUT running. These subcommittee chairs are subordinate to the committee chairs proper described above. |
3.0 LDR COMMITTEE
| 3.1 |
The LDR Grand Prix are organized and administered by the Pacific Association LDR committee composed of PA/USATF club athletes, unattached athletes, and representatives from sponsoring organizations. Members of this group define operating procedures for the LDR Grand Prix competition and ensure that all appropriate USATF Rules of Competition are carried out and enforced. |
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| 3.2 |
Typically LDR Committee meetings are combined meetings, including open men s, open women s, and masters LDR committees, as defined by the PA/USATF bylaws. |
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| 3.3 |
Each Pacific Association registered LDR club may have up to three votes on the LDR committee, depending on the number of Grand Prix divisions (open men, open women, and masters) in which the club competes in PA/USATF championship competition. To have a vote for a particular division, a club must have at least three registered members in the division who compete in PA/USATF sanctioned events. Competing in the Grand Prix/Championships is not a requirement for voting. |
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| 3.4 |
LDR Committee meetings are held quarterly at a minimum. All LDR meeting announcements, agendas, minutes (as well as other official LDR mailings such as championship results) are sent to one declared USATF contact for each club. This contact is the person specified when the club pays its annual PA/USATF dues. This contact may be changed only by written request sent to the Pacific Association office by the club president. |
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| 3.5 |
LDR subcommittees may operate as designated by the LDR Committee. These subcommittees oversee specific LDR programs such as cross country and MUT running. All subcommittee operations and decisions are subject to review and approval by the LDR Committee proper. |
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| 3.6 |
The LDR Committee has an Executive Committee composed of the following: |
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(a) The three PA/USATF LDR Chairs (open men, open women, masters). |
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(b) Subcommittee chairs as designated by the LDR Committee, including cross country and MUT chairs. |
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(c) Two PA/USATF athletes representing one each open and masters, who are selected by the PA/USATF Athlete’s Committee annually. In the event that the Athlete’s Committee does not select these representatives, the LDR Committee shall appoint them. |
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(d) Other appointees (temporary or permanent) designated by the LDR Committee, including the secretary, the road, cross country, and MUT scorers, the road grand prix bid coordinator, and other at large members. |
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| 3.7 |
The LDR Executive Committee examines and organizes current LDR issues and makes recommendations to the LDR Committee proper in order to make LDR meetings more productive and efficient. |
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| 3.8 |
The LDR Executive Committee shall also have the right to determine matters which would otherwise be determined by the LDR Committee but which arise between LDR Committee meetings and whose resolution in the judgment of the LDR chairs cannot await the next LDR Committee meeting. If in the determination of the LDR chairs such a matter is of too great an import to be adjudicated by the LDR Executive Committee, they may request that clubs vote by email. Such a vote, sent to all the official club contacts and to the LDR egroup, if existing at the time, and in which each club has the maximum number of votes to which it is entitled, has the same force and effect as if it were made at an LDR meeting. Clubs must have at least ten days to
respond to any such email vote. |
4.0 ELIGIBILITY AND REPRESENTATION
| 4.1 |
PA/USATF Grand Prix competition is open to individual athletes and clubs. However, to be eligible for scoring and awards, individual athletes and clubs must be current members in good standing of PA/USATF. In addition, individual athletes must reside within the Pacific Association boundaries, except as provided in section 4.2. The Pacific boundaries are the Oregon border on the north, northwestern Nevada to the east, San Luis Obispo on the south (San Luis Obispo is within the boundaries), and the Pacific Ocean to the west. |
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| 4.2 |
An exception to the residency requirement is allowed if the Pacific Association and another USATF association mutually agree to allow athletes of the other association to be members of PA/USATF and compete in PA/USATF championship/Grand Prix competition as members of a PA/USATF club or unattached. Under no circumstances will a club enrolled with a non-Pacific association be allowed to score in PA/USATF Grand Prix competition. In addition, effective 1/1/2007 national rules provide that, in Long Distance Running, an athlete who is a non-resident member of an Association is eligible to compete for a team in that Association only if the athlete: |
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(a) resides in an adjoining Association, or |
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(b) neither the Association of residence nor any Association adjoining the Association of residence provides team competition in the relevant category (e.g., age group, distance, discipline). |
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Note: An athlete with historical membership (at least three continuous USATF membership years) in a club is eligible to compete for that club. |
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| 4.3 |
Eligibility for both individuals and clubs will be renewed annually by submission of an application and dues to the PA/USATF office. The annual renewal can be submitted and be effective as early as November 1 of the preceding year. Athletes and club representatives are encouraged to complete the renewal as early as possible to avoid questions of eligibility at the beginning of the new calendar year of competition. |
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| 4.4 |
A PA/USATF athlete who is eligible for Grand Prix competition may compete unattached or as a representative of a PA/USATF club in good standing within the association. An athlete desiring to change representation, however, must wait 90 days from the date of last competition for the athlete’s former club in a PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship race or any other USATF-sanctioned race. The LDR chair or the PA/USATF office must be advised in writing of a change in representation prior to the date of the first race in which the athlete competes for a new club. The 90 day rule applies even if an athlete changes affiliation between Grand Prix seasons, or from one calendar year to the next. |
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| 4.5 |
Athletes who have not indicated a club on their USATF card application will be considered unattached (even if they have paid their dues to a club). (Please see section 8.0 LDR Club Rosters for exception.) Athletes wishing to change their affiliation from unattached to a specific club must do so in writing as explained above. |
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| 4.6 |
An athlete competing for a club on the Road Running and/or Cross Country Grand Prix may compete for another club on the MUT Grand Prix only under the following conditions: |
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(a) The club for which the athlete is competing does not in the current season field a team or teams in the MUT Grand Prix and has no intention of doing so. Note: Both clubs for which the athlete is competing must have mutually exclusive programs in respect to head-to-head competition. For example, Club A competes in road running only. Club B competes in road running and MUT running. Member of Club A cannot join Club B for only MUT running, but must join Club B for road running also. |
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(b) The President of the club files a written notice with the Pacific Association notifying them of the above and releasing their athletes to compete for another club in the MUT Grand Prix only. |
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(c) Athletes that wish to compete for another club in the MUT Grand Prix file written notice with the Pacific Association stating the club for which they want to compete in the MUT Grand Prix, prior to their first MUT race in which they desire to score for the club. |
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| 4.7 |
An athlete affiliated with a national club may compete in Pacific Association Grand Prix/Championship events under the conditions specified in section 7.0 Eligibility/Affiliation: National Clubs vs. Association Clubs. |
5.0 EFFECTIVE DATE OF PA/USATF MEMBERSHIP
| 5.1 |
An athlete must have a current USATF membership to compete for awards or team points in a PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship event and must meet the eligibility requirements specified in section 4.0 (Eligibility and Representation). |
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| 5.2 |
All athletes are highly encouraged to send in a membership application and appropriate dues well before the date of their first Grand Prix competition. Athletes who wait until the last minute (a day to a week) before sending in their USATF application prior to their first Grand Prix event risk forfeiting individual points and/or scoring for their club team. Keep in mind the card application processing varies, depending on the work load in the PA/USATF office. Applicants who do not appear in the database for timely scoring may risk losing scoring opportunities. PA/USATF does their best to have an LDR committee chair (open, master or women) at each championship event for pre-race member registration. However, it is the responsibility of the individual athlete to obtain their membership. The best action is submission of an application well before an event. |
6.0 NON-LOCAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION BY PA/USATF ATHLETES
| 6.1 |
Pacific Association resident athletes sometimes apply for membership non-locally. This typically happens in three instances: |
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(a) When the athlete is affiliated with a national club, in which case the membership application is processed by the national USATF office in Indianapolis, IN. |
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(b) Through another competitive event that occurs outside the association that requires a USATF card (such as some out-of-area marathons, etc.). |
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(c) Inadvertently, when the membership application used contains the address of the national office in Indianapolis or of one of the other USATF associations that exist regionally in the U.S. |
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| 6.2 |
Non-local membership applications typically require a longer processing time. Eventually, the PA/USATF office will be informed of the non-local application and the athlete will be recorded in the PA/USATF member database. However, during this period, PA/USATF will not be aware of the athlete’s membership, unless otherwise informed. Also, keep in mind that local association club affiliation is seldom transferred through the non-local application process and thus, the athlete is recorded as unattached (unless national club status has been indicated). For these reasons, PA/USATF athletes that are not registered with national clubs should plan well ahead of the event where the USATF registration is required and apply early at https://www.pausatf.org/joinrenew-now/. |
7.0 ELIGIBILITY/AFFILIATION: NATIONAL CLUBS VS. PACIFIC ASSOCIATION CLUBS
| 7.1 |
Athletes may be affiliated with nationally registered USATF clubs, Pacific Association registered USATF clubs (local PA/USATF clubs), local clubs in other USATF associations, or non-USATF clubs. Only PA/USATF clubs may compete in PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship competition for Grand Prix points and awards. |
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| 7.2 |
Pacific Association resident athletes who are attached to national clubs may compete in PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship competition for individual points and awards and their affiliation shall be listed as their national club in standings and race results. |
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| 7.3 |
Athletes from other associations who are invited to compete in PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship competition (per item 4.2) may do so as unattached or as a member of a PA/USATF registered club. However, they may not score for a non-PA/USATF association club or national club in PA/USATF Grand Prix/Championship competition. |
8.0 LDR CLUB ROSTERS
| 8.1 |
All Pacific Association clubs are invited to submit club rosters, in writing, to the Pacific Association office, or a LDR Chair, no later than the day before the first event of the Grand Prix season. This roster shall serve as a supplementary reference for the entire Grand Prix season in respect to athlete affiliation. Additional athletes not shown on the roster may compete for the club as long as they meet eligibility requirements detailed in sections 4.0 Eligibility and Representation, and 5.0 Effective Date of Membership. |
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| 8.2 |
Club rosters will be referred to in cases where an athlete may have neglected to specify their club affiliation on their USATF membership application, or by subsequent written notification, and the affiliation comes into question. If the athlete is listed on the roster, he/she will be considered affiliated with the club as long as all other eligibility requirements are met. |
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| 8.3 |
In cases where an athlete disputes their listing on a club roster, and their affiliation has not otherwise been recorded with the PA/USATF office, the athlete’s wishes will supersede that of the listing club. |
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| 8.4 |
In addition to the submission of the club roster prior to the first Grand Prix event, it is suggested that clubs submit updated rosters for successive calendar quarters so they are received no later than April 1, July 1, and October 1 of the calendar year. Club rosters submitted during a calendar year are valid through December 31 of that year, after which a new club roster should be submitted. Again, club roster submission is purely voluntary. |
9.0 SELECTION OF LDR GRAND PRIX EVENTS
| 9.1 |
All LDR Grand Prix/Championship events are selected annually by a bidding process. All events in the association are invited to bid for championship status on an annual basis. |
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| 9.2 |
Road Grand Prix |
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(a) For the LDR Road Grand Prix, Grand Prix/Championship bids are reviewed, normally at a Fall LDR committee meeting, when the Grand Prix circuit for the following year is determined. |
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(b) The LDR Road Grand Prix may not exceed a total of fourteen races for individuals, and may include up to but not exceeding two relay races for a possible maximum of sixteen events in a calendar year |
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(c) The following calendar guidelines for the LDR Road Grand Prix are not requirements, but bids for races that meet them will be given preferences: |
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(1) No bid will be accepted for a race occurring before February 16or after December 17. |
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(2) No bid will be accepted for a race occurring after July 14 and before September 1. |
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(3) Short grand prix races shall be between February 16 and July 14. |
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| 9.3 |
Cross country and MUT running Grand Prix circuits are annually established by the cross country and MUT running subcommittees respectively; however, these circuits are subject to review and approval by the LDR Committee proper. The schedule for the Cross Country Grand Prix and MUT running Grand Prix seasons are determined and approved by the LDR Committee in the spring or early summer of each year. |
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| 9.4 |
All Grand Prix/Championship events are expected to conform to specific standards of conduct and organization, which are specified in a standardized written agreement between the event and the Pacific Association. |
10.0 DIVISIONAL STRUCTURE FOR COMPETITION
| 10.1 |
The divisions of competition for both men and women (individuals and club teams) are the same for the PA/USATF Road and Cross Country Grand Prix as follows: |
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OPEN (16 & older) |
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40+ (40 & older) |
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50+ (50 & older) |
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60+ (60 & older) |
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70+ (70 & older) |
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80+ (80 & older) |
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| 10.2 |
The divisions of competition for men and women individuals and for club teams in the PA/USATF MUT running Grand Prix as follows: |
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18-29 |
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30-39 |
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40-49 |
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50-59 |
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60-69 |
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70 & older |
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MUT running Grand Prix Team Competition shall be contested in three divisions:
MEN (16 and older); WOMEN (14 and older); MIXED (men 16 and older and women 14 and older) |
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| 10.3 |
In addition, at each Road Grand Prix/Championship event, separate individual awards for both men and women, master and older, will be given in five year brackets (i.e., 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, etc.). |
11.0 SCORING: INDIVIDUALS
| 11.1 |
The basic individual scoring at each Grand Prix/Championship event is as follows: |
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(a) Road Grand Prix: |
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Open Men, Open Women, 40+ Men, 40+ Women, 50+ Men |
50+ Women, 60+ Men |
60+ Women, 70+ Men, 70+ Women, 80+ Men, 80+ Women |
| 1 |
100 |
50 |
12 |
| 2 |
90 |
42 |
9 |
| 3 |
81 |
35 |
8 |
| 4 |
73 |
32 |
7 |
| 5 |
69 |
29 |
6 |
| 6 |
66 |
26 |
5 |
| 7 |
63 |
23 |
4 |
| 8 |
60 |
21 |
3 |
| 9 |
57 |
19 |
2 |
| 10 |
54 |
17 |
1 |
| 11 |
51 |
15 |
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| 12 |
48 |
14 |
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| 13 |
45 |
13 |
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| 14 |
43 |
12 |
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| 15 |
41 |
11 |
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| 16 |
39 |
10 |
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| 17 |
37 |
9 |
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| 18 |
35 |
8 |
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| 19 |
33 |
7 |
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| 20 |
31 |
6 |
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| 21 |
30 |
5 |
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| 22 |
29 |
4 |
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| 23 |
28 |
3 |
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| 24 |
27 |
2 |
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| 25 |
26 |
1 |
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| 26 |
25 |
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| 27 |
24 |
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| 28 |
23 |
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| 29 |
22 |
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| 30 |
21 |
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| 31 |
20 |
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| 32 |
19 |
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| 33 |
18 |
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| 34 |
17 |
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| 35 |
16 |
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| 36 |
15 |
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| 37 |
14 |
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| 38 |
13 |
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| 39 |
12 |
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| 40 |
11 |
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| 41 |
10 |
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| 42 |
9 |
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| 43 |
8 |
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| 44 |
7 |
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| 45 |
6 |
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| 46 |
5 |
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| 47 |
4 |
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| 48 |
3 |
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| 49 |
2 |
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| 50 |
1 |
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(b) Cross Country Grand Prix: |
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| Place |
Open/40+ Men
Open Women |
40+ Women
50+ Men |
50+ Women
60+ Men/Women
70+ Men/Women
80+ Men/Women |
| 1st |
30 points |
25 points |
12 points |
| 2nd |
24 |
19 |
9 |
| 3rd |
23 |
18 |
8 |
| 4th |
22 |
17 |
7 |
| 5th |
21 |
16 |
6 |
| 6th-10th |
20-16 |
15-11 |
5-1 |
| 11th-20th |
15-6 |
10-1 |
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| 21st-25th |
5-1 |
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(c) MUT running Grand Prix: |
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| Place |
16-29
60+ |
30-39
40+/50+ |
70+ |
| 1st |
20 points |
40 points |
15 points |
| 2nd |
17 |
31 |
12 |
| 3rd |
14 |
24 |
9 |
| 4th |
12 |
19 |
6 |
| 5th |
10 |
16 |
3 |
| 6th |
8 |
14 |
1 |
| 7th |
6 |
12 |
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| 8th |
4 |
11 |
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| 9th |
2 |
10 |
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| 10th |
1 |
9 |
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| 11th-18th |
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8-1 |
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| 11.2 |
Road grand prix individual standings shall be broken down into two sections, the Short Grand Prix and the Long Grand Prix. Points scored at races shorter than 10K shall be considered in the Short Grand Prix, while points scored in races longer than 10K shall be considered in the Long Grand Prix. For each 10K race, the LDR Committee shall determine the grand prix, Short or Long, to which it belongs. These two sections shall be applicable to all age divisions. |
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| 11.3 |
In both the Short Grand Prix and the Long Grand Prix, runners may only accumulate points in a maximum of six races (or fewer if the grand prix consists of fewer races). |
12.0 SCORING: TEAMS
| 12.1 |
The basic team scoring for each Grand Prix/Championship event is as follows for the Road, Cross Country, and MUT running Grand Prix:
1st 10 points
2nd 9
3rd 8
4th 7
5th 6
6th 5
7th 4
8th 3
9th 2
All Teams 10th place & beyond 1 point |
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| 12.2 |
Teams in each division may score. (See section 10 Divisional Structure for Competition.) |
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(a) Road Grand Prix:The cumulative time of the scoring runners for each team will determine the rank order and points awarded as above. For events longer than 25K, 3 scoring runners are required for each team, men and women, in each age division. For events 25K and shorter, the number of scoring runners for each team is as follows:
i.Open, Men’s 40+: 5 runners
ii.Men’s 50+: 4 runners per team. Note that senior teams with only 3 scoring runners will be scored, but will be ranked in order after all 4 person teams.
iii.All Other divisions: 3 runners per teamA second team (“B” team”) from one club may displace a team from another club for points (not prize money). (See section 20 Displacement in Team Scoring.) |
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(b) Cross Country Grand Prix: The cumulative point total of the top runners per team will determine the rank order and points awarded as above. Top runners are counted as follows: teams of open men and women, and masters men, first five finishers; senior men, first four finishers, except that three-person senior men teams are allowed to score after all four-person teams; all other teams, first three finishers.
A second team from one club may displace a team from another club for points (not prize money). (See section 20 Displacement in Team Scoring.) |
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(c) MUT Grand Prix: The cumulative time of the top 3 runners per team will determine the rank order and points awarded as above. |
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(d) Residency Requirement: At least 50% of the scorers for any team at a Grand Prix event, not including displacing runners, must consist of athletes who currently reside within the PA/USATF boundaries. When a second (“B”) team is scored, team members shall be assigned to the teams in such a way as to minimize the cumulative time (or, in cross country, place) of the first (“A”) team
Note: This rule 12.2(d) has been suspended by the Pacific Association Board of Directors until further notice. |
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(e) A team member in a relay event may only score one leg for the team, and may only score on one team. |
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| 12.3 |
Road grand prix teams score season-end points in a “best of” fashion; they may only accumulate points in a number of races one less than the total number of races in the grand prix. For instance, if there are eleven team races in the grand prix, teams score their top ten races. |
13.0 GRAND PRIX/CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT SCORING VALUE
| 13.1 |
Every LDR Grand Prix/Championship event is assigned a scoring value (or weight) at the time the Grand Prix schedule is approved for the following year. This value is multiplied by the basic individual and team points earned at championships, as detailed above, to determine the adjusted points earned at the event. |
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| 13.2 |
LDR Grand Prix/Championship event scoring value is determined as detailed below. The basic scoring value is 1.0. |
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| Road Grand Prix: |
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(a) Typically, longer Road Grand Prix/Championship events and events that offer substantially more prize money than the $2,600 minimum are awarded higher scoring values. However, for the Road Grand Prix, in no case may the scoring value of an event exceed a value of 4.0, and no race can be more than 1.0 point higher than the next highest race in that series (long or short). |
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(b) Generally, Road Grand Prix/Championship events up to 20K are assigned a basic scoring value of 1.0. Events 20K to 30K are assigned a scoring value of 1.5. Events 30K and over are awarded a scoring value of 2.0. Occasionally, these scoring values based on distance are adjusted by the LDR Committee in order to balance the scoring values of shorter and longer events on the Grand Prix to maximize opportunities for all athletes, regardless of distance specialty. |
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(c) Presently, Road Grand Prix/Championship events are automatically awarded a 1.5 scoring value if they offer a minimum prize purse of $3,900 to PA/USATF athletes and clubs and a 2.0 scoring value if they can offer $5,200 in prize money, which is double the minimum requirement. |
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(d)At the discretion of the LDR Committee and the race director, race point values above 1.0 may be allocated non-proportionally between individuals and teams. (e.g. a race with an overall scoring of 2.0 points may be allocated 1.0 individual and 3.0 team). |
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| Cross Country Grand Prix: |
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(e) The basic scoring value is 1.0. Other Cross Country Grand Prix events that offer more than $1000 in prize funds to PA/USATF individuals/teams will receive higher point value (for both individuals and teams) in the Grand Prix scoring, up to a maximum of $1500/ 1.5 points. The Pacific USATF Championship race will offer a minimum of $1500 in prize funds and receive a 1.5 point value. See the Cross Country Series Program for event value points. |
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(f) |
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| MUT Grand Prix: |
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(g) Each MUT Grand Prix event is assigned a difficulty rating, which is its scoring value. The difficulty rating ranges from 1.0 (easy) to 8.0 (extremely difficult). |
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(h) An MUT Grand Prix event may increase its difficulty rating/scoring value by offering prize money. For every $1,000 offered in the event that the championship is being contested, the rating/scoring value for the entire event will be increased by a factor of 1.0. A limit of $3,000 will be accepted to increase a race’s rating/scoring value. |
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14.0 PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTION/CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS – ROAD GRAND PRIX
| 14.1 |
Prize money is awarded to both top-placing individuals and teams at each Road/Grand Prix Championship event. |
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| 14.2 |
The prize purse for any LDR Road Grand Prix/Championship event is at least $3,000. Exceptions to this minimum may be made in very extraordinary circumstances (for example, for limited division championships) by the LDR Committee. |
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| 14.3 |
The following details the minimum/standard prize breakdown based on $3,000; (respective amounts to men and women). |
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| Individuals: |
Teams: |
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Open |
Master |
Senior |
Super Senior |
Veteran |
Open |
Master |
Senior |
Super Senior |
| 1st |
$250 |
$135 |
$50 |
$25 |
$25 |
$250 |
$135 |
$65 |
$35 |
| 2nd |
$135 |
$55 |
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$135 |
$55 |
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| 3rd |
$50 |
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$50 |
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Prize breakdowns for races offering total prizes other than $3,000 shall be pro-rated from the table above, unless otherwise approved by the LDR committee. |
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| 14.4 |
A championship may increase the amount of the purse and this will be considered in assigning a basic value for scoring. For example, a $3,900 purse could result in a basic value of 1.5 and a $5,200 purse in a basic value of 2.0. In no case will the basic value exceed 4.0 and the final decision on weighting will be made when the schedule for the following year is approved by the PA/USATF LDR committee. |
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| 14.5 |
For Road and Cross Country Grand Prix Events, double dipping is allowed at the discretion of the race director. If the race director does not specify, double dipping is not allowed. Athletes will receive the higher amount of prize money for which they are eligible. |
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| 14.6 |
For Road and Cross Country Grand Prix Events, if there are not as many “A” teams in a division as there are team prize money places in that division, then “B” teams shall receive prize money in order of finish after all the “A” teams have been paid. |
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| 14.6 |
For Road Grand Prix Events, $50 per multiple of $1300 in PA/USATF money offered by the race shall be set aside for general LDR purposes. For example, at a race offering $3000 in PA/USATF money, $2900 is allotted for prize money and $100 goes for general LDR purposes. |
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15.0 SEASON-END PRIZE MONEY/ INDIVIDUALS
| 15.1 |
The purse distributed by PA/USATF as season-end Grand Prix prize money will be determined by the Pacific Association Board of Athletics, based partly on LDR committee request. |
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| 15.2 |
After the final event of the Road Grand Prix season, final cumulative scores of individual participants will be determined in each age division and serve as the basis for ranking and season-end prize awards. The following table, combined with the table in section 17.1, is based on a $20,000 year-end grand prix purse (individuals and teams). If the purse is a different amount, the awards in this table will be prorated accordingly. |
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| Place |
Open
(Long&Short) |
Master
(Long&Short) |
Senior
(Long&Short) |
Super Senior
(Long&Short) |
Veteran
(Long&Short) |
| 1st |
$750 |
$300 |
$125 |
$75 |
$25 |
| 2nd |
500 |
200 |
75 |
50 |
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| 3rd |
375 |
100 |
50 |
25 |
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| 4th |
250 |
62.50 |
37.50 |
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| 5th |
200 |
30 |
20 |
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| 6th |
150 |
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| 7th |
100 |
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| 8th |
75 |
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| 9th |
60 |
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| 10th |
40 |
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Click here to see actual breakdown |
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| 15.3 |
In distribution of season-end prize money to individual athletes, it is possible for an older runner to place and collect a cash award in more than one division. As an example, the winner of the master’s division ($600) might also place 8th in the open long course competition ($75). In this situation, the athlete would receive $675. |
16.0 COMPLIMENTARY ENTRIES
| 16.1 |
In addition to the cash awards for Grand Prix individual achievements described above, certain specific Road Grand Prix finishers, both men and women, will also be provided complimentary entries to each championship event in the following year’s championships as follows: |
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| Open |
Master |
Senior |
Super Senior |
Veteran |
Super Veteran |
| Top 15 |
Top 10 |
Top 5 |
Top 3 |
First |
First |
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| 16.2 |
For purposes of complimentary entries, runners first receive complimentary entries in their proper age category and may not be counted as receiving complimentary entries in more than one age category. For instance, a master runner might place 8th in the open category, and receive money because of it, but the athlete would not displace an open runner from receiving complimentary entries if that runner were already receiving complimentary entries in the masters age division. Thus, in this situation, the 16th place finisher in the open division of the Road Grand Prix would receive complimentary entries. |
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| 16.3 |
Comped athletes must pre-register by the latest pre-registration date published by the race or the entry must be postmarked 2 weeks prior to the race date. No race day comp entries. This rule also applies to discounted entries in grand prix races. |
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| 16.4 |
In the Road and Cross Country grand prix, in order to be eligible for comped entries, an athlete must have competed in at least 25% or a minimum of two (2) races, whichever is greater, of the races in the series on which the comps are based. If a runner is ineligible for failing to meet this requirement, the next eligible runner shall receive the comped entries. In addition, an athlete would would otherwise be comped may choose to decline the complimentary entries. In this case also the next eligible runner shall receive the comped entries. |
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| 16.5 |
| In relay events, there are no individual comps, but a team that won its age division in the prior year’s event shall receive one complimentary team entry for the same age division in which the team won at the same event. |
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17.0 SEASON-END PRIZE MONEY/GRAND PRIX TEAMS
| 17.1 |
LDR season-end Road Grand Prix series prize money will also be distributed to PA/USATF clubs for each men’s and women’s divisional team placing in the final standings. The following table, combined with the table in section 15.2, is based on a $20,000 year-end grand prix purse (individuals and teams). If the purse is a different amount, the awards in this table will be prorated accordingly. |
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Open |
Master |
Senior |
| 1st |
$750 |
$500 |
$250 |
| 2nd |
$500 |
$300 |
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| 3rd |
$250 |
$100 |
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Click here to see actual breakdown |
18.0 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM SCORING PROCEDURES
| 18.1 |
Championship scoring is the responsibility of the LDR committee and all committee decisions are final. |
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| 18.2 |
In order for a club team to be eligible for scoring at a championship, team score sheets must be submitted by email to the official scorer no later than the Wednesday following the race. Team leaders are strongly encouraged to use the scoresheet form available on the appropriate page (road or cross country) of the Pacific Association website, www.pausatf.org; this scoresheet automatically sends an email to the official scorer. The name of each team member, including non-scoring members, should be included on the scoresheets. Due to imperfections in the scoresheet system, a team not initially scored after the Wednesday deadline has two business days after the preliminary posting of results by the scorer in which to submit a team which was not scored. During this period only “automatic” drop-downs may be used, that is, a person in a given age division will be treated as belonging to the next younger age division if and only if (a) they did not run fast enough to score for their team in their own age division, (b) their team in their own age division did not have enough runners to score a full team, or (c) they were not listed on a timely-submitted scoresheet for their own age division. A runner dropping down a division will be treated as if they were of the age of the lower division for that race, and so may re-apply this rule and continue to drop down until they find a division in which they might score. Thus a super senior could score as an open runner under this automatic drop down rule if the person did not run fast enough to score on his or her super senior, senior, or masters team. |
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| 18.3 |
Detailed club team scores for each LDR Road Grand Prix/Championship race are posted on the PA/USATF web site. PA/USATF Clubs contacts will be mailed or emailed notification that results have been posted. Clubs have 10 days after this notification to reply to the Pacific Association LDR Chair and resolve any corrections, disputes, or other matters concerning the team scores. Team scores become official at the conclusion of the 10-day period. |
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| 18.4 |
Current LDR standings for individuals and teams will be posted at each event. In addition, current standings are available on world wide web sites on the Internet, and by e-mail by request. Requests to be placed on the e-mail list should be sent to the LDR chair, which will be forwarded to the LDR scorers. |
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| 18.5 |
An unofficial team score board will be posted at each LDR Road/Grand Prix event upon which competing clubs can unofficially record the finishing times for their teams on the day of the race. This is voluntary and is the responsibility of each club. This is merely to serve as an unofficial quick check of team results. Team results become official only through the process described above. |
19.0 STEPPING DOWN FOR TEAM SCORING
| 19.1 |
An athlete of an older age group may compete for a younger team in a Grand Prix championship event. This process, known as stepping down, applies only to team competition and will not affect an athlete’s ability to score in individual competition. In situations where there are separate races for the athlete’s proper age division and the younger age division, the athlete should race in the proper age division, but this shall not prevent her or him from scoring in the younger team competition. Prior notification for stepping down is not required. |
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| 19.2 |
Athletes may step down for the entire Grand Prix season or a single event. |
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| 19.3 |
Athletes may only score on one team in any Grand Prix event. An athlete of an older age group may compete for his or her own age group or a younger age group at an event, but may not score for more than one age group team at the event. |
20.0 DISPLACEMENT IN TEAM SCORING
| 20.1 |
A second team may be considered in Road and Cross Country Grand Prix scoring, as follows: If the second team is faster than other competing teams in the age division, it may not score points but it may deny points to a competing team by displacing it. For example, Club A enters two teams in divisional competition, placing first and second, while Club B finishes third. This action, known as displacing, would result in Club A being awarded 10 team points (for first) while Club B would receive only 8 team points (for third). A club’s “A” team must include its fastest finishers. In the cross country grand prix, the “B” team displacement can begin only after all displacing members (top 5 plus 2 in Open competition, for example) are counted. |
21.0 TEAM UNIFORMS/IDENTIFICATION
| 21.1 |
Each Grand Prix team member must have a clearly visible club affiliation on the racing uniform in a championship event. This requirement is satisfied by the wearing of a club’s official singlet. |
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| 21.2 |
Athletes not wearing a club singlet for a legitimate reason (such as those athletes required to wear a national sponsor’s uniform) must meet this requirement by wearing a clearly visible pinned-on club designation on the back of the racing singlet during PA/USATF championship competition. An athlete not meeting these requirements will be subject to disqualification from team scoring. Such disqualification is not automatic but may occur upon protest by another club or athlete. |
22.0 AMENDMENTS TO THIS GUIDE
| 22.1 |
Amendments to this Guide may be submitted at any meeting of the LDR Committee, either orally or in writing. The amendment shall thereafter be voted upon at the next meeting of the LDR Committee. Any proposed amendment should include an effective date clearly stated or implied. The complete proposed amendment should be included in posted minutes of the meeting before which it will be voted on. |
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| 22.2 |
Any rule change for the Road Grand Prix wherein the rule being changed is the same for the Cross Country Grand Prix and that does not conflict with cross country guidelines shall automatically apply to the Cross Country Grand Prix. |
23.0 SAVING CLAUSE, OTHER
| 23.1 |
Failure of literal or complete compliance with provisions of these by-laws in respect to dates, times of notice, or proposals which, in the judgment of the members in attendance at meetings of the LDR committee, do not cause substantial injury to the rights of members, shall not invalidate any of the actions of this committee. |
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| 23.2 |
If literal or complete compliance with a provision of these by-laws in a specific circumstance operates counter to the LDR committee goals of encouraging continuing development of post collegiate distance running athletes and providing competitive opportunities to these athletes and club teams within the Pacific Associatin boundaries, the committee may, with two-thirds majority vote, choose to make an exception to that provision in that circumstance. |
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