Belfast Victoria Park Road Relays 2024

COMPETITION RULES

1. Only teams and runners registered online can participate. However, final legs running order may be decided up to 30 minutes before each race on the pre-race team declaration form.
2. Each relay team must consist of FOUR DISTINCT running athletes. Runners may only run one leg per race. If a team includes a runner who has already run a leg of the race, that team will be disqualified.
3. All runners on a team must be registered with the same club.
4. Runners 16 and over can participate in the senior races and in the mixed race.
5. Runners aged 35 and over can participate in Masters races.
6. Runners aged 35 and over may run in the senior and masters races on the same day.
7. Each mixed team shall consists of 4 runners made of 2 Female (of which at least one must be a Master) + 2 Male (of which at least one must be a Master)
8. All competing athletes must follow instructions from all race officials and marshals.
9. Club officials are required to ensure that information provided by the organisers, including Race Rules and Declaration Forms, are circulated to their runners in advance of the race day.
10. Club officials, supporters and non-competing athletes must not obstruct the course during competition.
11. A cut-off time of one hour (Note: only 45 minutes for the Mixed Relay race) to complete each race will be enforced. For safety reasons, runners/teams still on the course after the cut of time will be requested to clear the course by the marshals in order to make way for the next race.
12. Club vests must be worn.
13. Headphones are not permitted. Deviations shall result in straight disqualification.
14. Race numbers must be worn on the front of running vests.
    Each team registered online will receive four numbers, i.e., 157A, 157B, 157C and 157D. Letter A is for the athlete running the leg 1; letter B is for leg 2 and so on…Runners are responsible for ensuring that the correct race number / letter is worn for each leg of the race.
15. Start and finish pens will be in operation and runners will be called to the start pen in advance of each changeover and be called onto the course beside the starting judge. It is the responsibility of each runner to ensure they are in place, in good time, to be released by the starting judge.
16. Athletes must not warm up on the racing course. The park’s outer and inner trails will be available for warming up.
17. Team Declaration Forms are required to validate runners’ entries into each race. Team captains or their nominees are responsible for ensuring that their team Declaration Form is completed and returned to the on-site registration officials within the deadline of half an hour prior to each race.
18. Team order permutations and substitutions are only permitted from within the list of runners and reserves for that team as registered at the time of the online registration deadline.
19. Final athlete running orders (i.e. final decision as to what athlete runs leg A, leg B and so on) can be decided on race day and confirmed on the declaration form. Once submitted, the team make up including its running order shall not be changed. Failure to comply will result in the team being disqualified.
20. All athletes will be issued with a timing chip. It is the responsibility of each runner to ensure timing mats are crossed during race laps.
21. Times for each team and leg will be published after the event.
22. First aid cover will be provided by Ambutran. Anyone witnessing an incident potentially requiring medical attention or any individual requiring assistance should alert the nearest marshal or official who will in turn contact Ambutran.
23. The event is being held in a public park which will remain open to the public throughout the event. Club officials, supporters and runners must respect all other users of the park. Athletes’ inappropriate behaviour towards members of the public may result in disqualification.
24. The park is well stocked with public bins and additional large bins will be provided for the event at the start/finish area as well as at the race packs collection area. Any athlete or club member/official caught littering may result in disqualification.

RACES

Five races will be held throughout the day as follows:

11:15 am – Mixed Relays (2 Female + 2 Male; Each team shall include at least one Master Male and one Master Female; 1 lap/1,690m per runner; Open event only)

12:00 pm - Master Women (4 Runners; 2 laps/3,380m per runner; Open event only)

1:30 pm – Master Men (4 Runners; 2 laps/3,380m per runner; Open event Only)

2:30 pm - Senior Women (4 Runners; 2 laps/3,380m per runner; Open and NI & Ulster Championship event combined)

3:30 pm - Senior Men (4 Runners; 2 laps/3,380m per runner; Open and NI & Ulster Championship event combined)

All races are Open to clubs outside Northern Ireland and Ulster. However, only teams/clubs affiliated with Athletics Northern Ireland (ANI) are eligible for the NI & Ulster championships.

Although all races are Open, the Athletics Northern Ireland medals will only be awarded to the top three finishers clubs from Northern Ireland and Ulster participating in the senior races.

TROPHIES, MEDALS AND CASH PRIZES

The awards for each race will be as described in the table below.

APPEALS

A jury of appeal consisting of 3 independent members will consider any appeal relating to the result of any race. Rules of appeal are as follows:

1. Appeals must be made within 30 minutes of the official result being announced for the event. Note: on the day results are preliminary and will be ratified before being made official.
2. Appeals can be made verbally to the race referee by an authorised person representing the appealing club.
3. The race referee may decide on the appeal or may refer the matter to the jury of appeal. Clubs will have the right to appeal to the jury of appeal if they do not agree with the referee’s decision.
4. An appeal to the jury of appeal must be made in writing within 30 minutes of the race referee’s decision, signed by an official on behalf of the appealing club and shall be accompanied by with a deposit of £50 that will be forfeited if the original appeal decision is upheld.
5. The jury of appeal will meet within one week of the event to review the appeal and will inform the club in writing of the outcome.

GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION

Toilet facilities will be provided at the start area. There is also one public toilet at the entrance car park.

There are no changing facilities available; clubs are encouraged to bring their own gazebo. A designated area for club gazebos will be provided near the start and finish area.

Car parking in the park is extremely limited. There will be marshals monitoring car park places available throughout the day. When no space is available, access to the park by car will be denied and the marshals will re-direct to alternative car parking locations. No compliance with marshal instructions will be reported to the event organisers and may result in disqualification.

Race packs collection (race numbers, timing chips, etc…) and handover of completed Declaration Forms will take place under the marquee located just past the bowling pavilion.

Number collection and processing of the Declaration Forms will open at 9.30 am.

All numbers of any team are to be collected at the same time by the team captain or its nominee. If possible, we request that each club nominates one single person to collect all their race packs together for all their teams.

FAQs

Where does the event take place?

Victoria Park, East Belfast

How do I enter?

Registrations are online only

What is closing date?

3rd September 2024 at 12 noon.

How much does it cost?

£40 per team

How do I pay?

Online payment when you register

What are the distances?

Mixed Relays: 4 x 1690m
All other races: 4 x 3380m

What is the age cut off for the Senior races and the Mixed race?

All athletes aged 16 and over can participate in the Senior races and the Mixed race.

What are the age cut offs for the Masters Relay?

Athletes wishing to compete in the Masters Relay must be at least 35 on the day of the event.

Can teams be pre-registered before the runners and the reserves are known?

Yes. We advise you pre-register your team(s) at the earliest opportunity as the number of teams per race is limited. When you know the make up of your team(s), you go back to the online entry system and populate the blank fields with the names of your runners and reserves. You have until 3rd September 12 noon to modify and/or complete these fields.

The form asks me to enter 4 runners and 4 reserves, but I have less than 8 athletes available?

All you need on pre-registration closing date is a minimum 4 runners. If you do not have any athlete on the reserve list, that is fine. However, without reserves you will not be able to substitute a runner who may become injured or sick or simply unavailable between the pre-registration closing date and race day.
Note that a person can be named as a reserve for more than one team. However, that reserve can only race for one of those teams in one specific category (e.g. the reserve is not allowed to participate in leg 1 for Master team A and in leg 3 for Master team C).

What is the refund policy?

Once you pre-register a team, even without populating the fields for runners and reserves, your money is committed and cannot be refunded. Refunds cannot be given for failure to field a full team on the day. A team can participate as long there are a minimum of 4 athletes confirmed on the Declaration Form on race day and it can be made up of e.g. 1 runner and 3 reserves provided they are all registered online in that team.

One or more athletes in my team is not registered with an Athletics official body. Can I still enter the team?

No. All your athletes including the reserves must be registered with either Athletics Northern Ireland, Athletics Ireland, Scottish Athletics or England Athletics or a recognised athletic federation.