2027 Label Regs out now + info session + other key info – World Athletics Global Running Conference – Alessio Punzi

Dear running community: Just a short note to inform you that registrations for the World Athletics Global Running Conference close tomorrow, Tuesday 1 September (6pm CEST).

The response has exceeded our expectations; we were able to change the venue layout so we can now accommodate more people than initially anticipated (we are currently at 235, from 54 countries)

Full programme >> https://conferencemanager.events/globalrunningconference2026/programme (Note that Thursday workshops are sold out)
Sign up (Federations and Label Race organisers should choose “WA Family” for complimentary passes) >> https://conferencemanager.events/globalrunningconference2026/signup

All other info in the email below (we no longer have a room block, of course).

• For planning reasons, we won’t be able to accept new entries after September 2.Thanks for reading!
• Alessio

Dear race organisers, ARs, dear Member Federations and global running family: This email contains important information about next year’s Label Road Races programme.

It also includes other news and requests that – if you have a role in the sport/industry – will be very relevant to you.

LABEL ROAD RACE REGULATIONS 2027 NOW AVAILABLE

After a robust consultation process, the World Athletics Council approved last week the Label Road Races regulations for next year. We’re a few weeks earlier than usual, which hopefully should help you a bit as you plan/budget for next year. The first application window for Platinum/Gold will run 1-30 September, but this year we’re introducing another one at the end of the year. The Regs are attached – together with a little deck that highlights the main changes and the rationale for them. Note that the regulations formally come into force on 3 August – but that’s a technicality you can ignore; 2026 races should simply look at complying with the 2026 criteria (here)

ASK-US-ANYTHING SESSIONS NEXT WEEK

OK, not really “anything”. Mainly Labels. We’ve scheduled 2 Microsoft Teams calls for next Thursday 6 August, at 9:30am (URL here) and at 5pm (URL here) CEST (Monaco time). I will quickly present the deck here attached, and answer live to any questions you may have. Calendar placeholders with the Teams access URLs are also enclosed for your convenience.

GLOBAL RUNNING CONFERENCE COPENHAGEN

165 people already signed up and we’re getting excited about welcoming so many of you. Typically, National Federations’ personnel and media sign up much closer to event date, so we’re expecting a nice crowd of maybe 210-250 attendees. You can still register (note that the Thursday’s workshops are sold out) here if you are a Label Road Race organiser, or here if you’re not entitled free access. Our room block at the official hotel has closed but we have a few spare ones under our name, contact Benjamin Roux at benjamin.roux@worldathletics.org if you’re interested, or for any questions around the conference.

MASS RACES COPENHAGEN WRRC

Yes, you’ll get complimentary bibs for these sold-out races if you attend the conference.

CLARIFICATIONS ON RESULTS

The results of your elite races are always ingested into our databases, feed Rankings and top lists. We (and the athletes) need your help to make sure it’s a smooth and accurate process. Our Head Statistician asked me to tell you to take note of the following:

• Whenever possible, email your elite races’ results (gun time!) to statistics@worldathletics.org. We have automated system that find an event’s elite competition results, but the accuracy of something you have verified directly is higher.
• If you can’t do that, when posting results on your website, try to clarify whether they are gun time or net-time (aka “chip time” or “real time”). We only process gun-time results (rule 19.25, page 34 here).
• Most of you have mass-start races: ideally, we’d need to know who your designated elite athletes are, to avoid to consider as “WA-valid” performances for which we can’t be sure that the Rules of the Sport are respected (case in point: the shoes). Take this good example: the men’s race at the TCS New York City Marathon. There were tens of thousands of male runners, but the “elite division” was identified and clearly communicated to us.
• Assuming the point above is respected, don’t share just the top-20s. Our database goes deeper than that (e.g. in the marathon 2:37/3:05, in the Half 1:12/1:27. Note that some performances on the upper side of these forks may well be National Records).
• If you have women-only starts (such as in the marathons in London, Chicago, NYC, etc.), make sure that is clearly communicated/reported. Note that for 5KM and 10KM road races, standards for 5,000m and 10,000m races in major competitions can only be achieved in women-only races.

WEBINAR ON 9 SEPTEMBER

Save the date for our next Road Race Webinar, at 2pm CEST on Wednesday 9 September, with lessons from emerging running markets and a trail deep dive (a lot to learn from the UTMB Mont Blanc for sure, which will have finished just a few days prior). You’ll get invites in due course.

ALESSIO PUNZI

 Head of Running
Competitions & Events Department