Athletics New Zealand – News – Updated Age Grades, Names and Eligibility for Championships

Athletics New Zealand is pleased to announce changes to the Competition By-Laws covering Grades, Names and Eligibility for Athletics New Zealand Championship events.

The changes have followed the standard process of proposal by a member, consideration by the Rules Committee, consultation with clubs, recommendations from the Rules Committee and confirmation by the Athletics NZ Board on 19 October and are effective 1 November 2012.

Key changes:

1. Athletics New Zealand will adopt the IAAF age-grade groupings and names for Athletics New Zealand Championships. The grades for the Track & Field, Cross Country and Road Championships will be
a. Senior
b. Junior / Under 20 (at 31 December in the year of competition). Replaces M/W 20 grade.
c. Youth / Under 18 (at 31 December in the year of competition).  Replaces M/W 17 grade.

2. A Championship Standards Committee will be formed to set and review the minimum standards for entry into the NZ Track and Field Championships. This committee will include Track and Field selectors and the Athletics NZ Statistician. The standards for the 2013 Track & Field and Combined Events championships will be set and published by 31 December 2012.

3. A new set of  minimum ages has been set for competitors in all Championship Grades including the Marathon, Half Marathon, Mountain Running), Road walk championships. The only NZ Championship event not affected by these changes is the Road Relay.

The change will bring Athletics New Zealand more in line with the IAAF and other countries (including those in the southern hemisphere). It will also simplify and clarify who is eligible for each grade in the various Athletics New Zealand Championships.

These By-Laws control the grades and eligibility for Athletics New Zealand Championships only and do not stipulate what competition grades must be used for competitions outside those championships (eg Centre Championships, league / interclub meetings and open events).

Centres and clubs are free to decide on the competition grades for their own competitions and championships, but to reduce possible confusion it is recommended that all event organisers (Centres, Clubs etc.) use the new names and their definitions as set out in the By-laws and the Athletics NZ Supplementary Rules to the IAAF Competition Rules.

[Athletics New Zealand records are not related to competition grades and will be unaffected by the changes].

The updated Competition By-Laws with detailed eligibility for Athletics New Zealand championships can be found  HERE 

As an explanation the birth year of competitors in the various grades at the 2013 NZ Championships is shown below.

NZ Track & Field and Combined Events Championships
Subject to the athlete achieving the required standard, to compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1998 or earlier.
• Junior grade an athlete must have been born in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 or 1998.
• Youth grade an athlete must have been born in 1996, 1997 or 1998.

NZ Cross Country and the NZ Road Championships
To compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1996 or earlier.
• Junior grade an athlete must have been born in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 or 1998.
• Youth grade an athlete must have been born in 1996, 1997 or 1998.
• B-U15 or G-U15 grade an athlete must have been born in 1999, 2000, 2001 or 2002.
• B-U13 or G-U13 grade an athlete must have been born in 2001 or 2002

NZ Road Relay Championships
To compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1996 or earlier.
• Junior grade an athlete must have been born in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 or 1999.

NZ Mountain Running Championships
To compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1995 or earlier.
• Junior grade an athlete must have been born in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 or 1998.

NZ Half-Marathon Championships and 20km Walk Championships
To compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1995 or earlier.

NZ Marathon Championships and 50km Walk Championships
To compete in the:
• Senior grade an athlete must be born in 1993 or earlier. Includes Men’s and Women’s Grades.

 

Brett Addison
Sport Manager – Athletics New Zealand
Mob: +64 21849099
brett@athletics.org.nz

 

Athletics New Zealand – News