USATF Pacific MUT Grand Prix Rules
Updated December 16, 2019
1. MEMBERSHIP
All conditions of eligibility are governed by the PA/USATF LDR Guide, Section 4 (“Eligibility and Representation”) addresses basic requirements. Paragraph 4.6, in particular, affects mountain, trail, and ultra runners who compete in other PA Grand Prix events.
2. COMPETITION: DIVISIONS
Divisions for individuals scored in the Grand Prix are as follows (for men and women separately):
| DIVISION | AGE |
|---|---|
| OPEN | 16-29 |
| SENIOR OPEN | 30-39 |
| MASTERS | 40-49 |
| SENIORS | 50-59 |
| SUPER SENIORS | 60-69 |
| VETERANS | 70-79 |
| SUPER VETERANS | 80+ |
Note: race directors of individual Grand Prix events may utilize different divisions for their event’s award structure.
Divisions for teams scored in the Grand Prix are as follows, irrespective of the age of team members:
- MEN
- WOMEN
- MIXED
3. COMPETITION: SCORING INDIVIDUALS
Runners will be scored for every event in which they earn points, but their Grand Prix total will be based on their top seven (2021 adjustment: five) races that meet the criteria below.
- At least one scored race must be a race designated as Trail or Mountain. (Note: Races on the MUT schedule are designated as Mountain, Ultra, or Traill.) (2021 adjustment: dropping this requirement)
- No more than four scores may be from races with scoring factors greater than 1.0 and no more than one may be in a race with a scoring factor of 2.0.
- The basic individual scoring (points per place) for each Grand Prix event is shown in the table below:
| Place in Division | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 40 |
| 2 | 31 |
| 3 | 24 |
| 4 | 19 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 14 |
| 7 | 12 |
| 8 | 11 |
| 9 | 10 |
| 10 | 9 |
| 11 | 8 |
| 12 | 7 |
| 13 | 6 |
| 14 | 5 |
| 15 | 4 |
| 16 | 3 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 1 |
4. COMPETITION: SCORING TEAMS
- Teams will compete on the same basis as individuals, including the same limitations on the number of races scored, race types, and distance factors.
- Finishing places will be determined by ranking the cumulative times of each team’s top three finishers in each team division.
- The basic team scoring (points per place) for each race is on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for places 1 through 10.
5. SCORING: DISTANCE FACTOR
- The total score credited to both individuals and teams is a product of the placement points (see Rule 3) multiplied by the distance factor.
-
Distance <75 km 75 km to 125 km >125 km Factors 1.0 1.5 2.0 Examples 50 km, 6-hour (min. 42.5 km), all trail and mountain races <50 km 50 mile, 100 km, 12-hour (min 75 km) 100 mile, 24-hour (min. 125 km)
- For duration races, see Rule 7.
6. SCORING: PRIZE MONEY
- An event may enhance its scoring potential for competitors by offering prize money.
- For every $1,000 offered in a Grand Prix race, the event’s “distance factor” multiplier will be increased by 0.5, up to a limit of 1.5 (for a $3,000 purse).
- There is no restriction on the amount of prize money that a Grand Prix race may offer.
- Scoring enhancement applies only in cases where a prize purse is sequestered for PA competition exclusively. A Grand Prix race may offer its prize purse as it pleases (including to USATF members from other regions and/or to all-comers), but the scoring enhancement factor would not apply in cases where non-PA athletes are eligible to receive cash awards from the purse.
7. DURATION RACES
- Individual scoring for a duration race:
- All runners participating in a duration race will be ranked according to the distance covered in the race.
- All runners completing a distance corresponding to the minima specified in the distance table will be credited with a score equal to the placement points multiplied by the corresponding distance factor.
- Team scoring for a duration race:
- Team scoring is similar to individual scoring. Teams are ranked according to the total distance covered by the top three members in each division.
- If all three scoring members cover a distance greater than the event minima specified in the distance factor table, the team will be credited with placement points multiplied by the corresponding distance factor.
8. SCORING IN LOWER AGE GROUP
- Athletes may not score points in a younger division, and will be scored only in that division corresponding with their race-day age.
- Exception: athletes graduating to an older division during a GP season.
- Such athletes may petition in writing to continue to be scored in the division in which they began the season (for the remainder of that season only).
- Such petition shall be submitted to the designated Grand Prix scorer (see below)–or other designated individual–and must be postmarked prior to their first Grand Prix race after their graduating birthday.
9. SEASON (GRAND PRIX) PRIZE MONEY
- A minimum of $2,000 in total prize money will be awarded to top divisional scorers at the end of the Grand Prix season.
- The specific prize breakdown is reevaluated annually by the MUT Subcommittee in light of the relative participation levels in each age group.
- The only constant factor is the equal split of the total purse between men and women. Beyond that, the “number of scoring runners” and the “number of scored finishes” per age group will determine the split among each gender’s divisions.
Prize money is distributed to individuals only, not teams. - In order to be eligible to receive Grand Prix prize money, individuals must score in at least three events. This requirement does not apply to “hardware” awards (e.g., plaques), but may apply to “merchandise” awards.
10. SEASON (GRAND PRIX) ENTRY DISCOUNT
- Each age-group Ultra Grand Prix season champion will receive a 50% discount on entries into the following season’s Grand Prix races, provided that the entrant submits his/her application by the pre-race entry deadline (i.e., the date after which a standard entry becomes a late entry with a surcharge).
- As with Grand Prix prize money (Rule 9), an age-group champion must score in at least three races in order to receive this consideration. If the age group winner does not meet the three race minimum requirement, then the discount rolls down the division. If no one in the division meets the requirement, then the discount will go to the 2nd place runner in the division (within the same gender) that has the highest participation (based on total races run).
11. GRAND PRIX SCORING PROCEDURES
- Individuals: It is the responsibility of each event’s race director (not the Grand Prix scorer) to issue accurate results. Runners questioning the race results should contact the RD to seek clarification or rectify an error. The RD (not the runner) must report any amendment of the results to the GP scorer.
- Teams: In order to be scored, teams must submit the names and times of their scoring members to the Grand Prix scorer (see below) within five (5) days of the date the official results are made available. Team (club) membership number must be included.
12. EARLY STARTERS
- At their own discretion, race directors may permit runners to start their race prior to the official start if such runners might legitimately have difficulty meeting the event’s stipulated cut-off times en route (if they were to start at the official time).
- Such early starters will be eligible to be scored for their finish provided that the early start occurs at a singular “official” time and that all early starters’ names are recorded and so notated in the results.
- In fairness to the intra-race integrity of age-group competition, any runners who elect the option of an early start shall be timed and placed (in the official results) after runners who started at the official hour, regardless of their actual elapsed time on the course.
MUT Grand Prix Scorers: Kendra Hershey & Jean Pommier
MUT Chair: Jean Pommier