Merseyside Grand Prix

 

The Merseyside Grand Prix is promoted and financed jointly by Merseyside Athletics Forum and the Merseyside County Athletics Association.  Each of the participating clubs appoints up to 2 club contacts whose role is to liaise with the Co-ordinator over questions of eligibility, and to publicise races and results within their clubs.

The Grand Prix is open to members of affiliated clubs in Merseyside. It consists of a number of races within Merseyside, with the first 6 men and the first 4 women from each club to count in the team event in each race. There are trophies for the overall first 3 men and women (based on best 5 results), the first 3 Men’s and Women’s teams (based on best 6 results) and the winners in each of the Men’s and Women’s vet categories (based on best 5 results).

 

Merseyside County Grand Prix
Rules
1. The Merseyside County GP will comprise a number of open races within the county of Merseyside during the calendar year.

2. Where possible, the events chosen will be across a range of distances, and spread throughout the county, and the timeframe of the GP.

3. The GP will be administered by a Co-ordinator, whose decision in the event of any dispute will be final.

4. Any Merseyside-based club must indicate their willingness to take part in the GP by registering, and must appoint a club rep, who will deal with eligibility queries etc.

5. There is a £25 fee for each club wishing to register for the GP.

6. Clubs may, at the discretion of the Co-ordinator, be allowed to register at any time during the GP, but points will not be allocated retrospectively for races already completed.

7. For 2018, the GP will comprise of 10 events, with a club’s best 6 scores counting toward the team award.

8. There will also be an individual competition, with a runner’s best 5 scores to count.

9. Men and women are scored separately.

10. Any race chosen as part of the GP will either send a supply of race entry forms to the club rep of each registered club, or provide an internet address of the form.

11. The GP is open only to first-claim, EA-registered athletes.

12. If a runner moves from one GP-registered club to another once they have already taken part in a GP race that season, then their results so far will stand, but they will not be able to count for their new club for the remainder of the season, even if they have served any ‘ban’. They will though still be eligible to score individual points.

13. Once a club is registered, no special entry requirements apply. Runners just enter races as they would for any other open road race, and the GP Co-ordinator will identify eligible runners in the results supplied by the race organiser.

14. If, after entering a GP race, a runner is unable to compete, his/her number must not be given to a club colleague, or anyone else. As well as being against UKA rules, it will lead to disqualification from the GP for both runners concerned.

15. Scoring system: Points are awarded based on finishing position (as determined by gun times) within the GP on the following basis:-
(All ineligible and non-scoring runners are removed from the results first)
Men: 150-149-148-…..-3-2-1 with 6 to score for a team
Women: 150-149-148-…..-3-2-1 with 4 to score for a team

16. If a National GP Final is organised, then the leading men’s team and leading ladies’ team at that time will be invited to represent Merseyside in the Grand Prix Final.

17. There will be Awards for the overall GP series for the first 3 Men’s & Women’s Teams, and the first 3 Individual Men & Women.
There will also be Awards in the following veterans categories: M40, M45, M50, M55, M60, M65+, F35, F40, F45, F50, F55, F60+. The number of Awards for each veteran category will depend upon the number of runners in that category taking part in the GP races as determined by the GP Co-ordinator. An individual may only win 1 Award so that if a veteran finishes in the first 3 places overall he/she will take the overall Award and the veterans Award(s) will be given to the next-placed veteran(s).

In the event of more than one team or individual having the same number of points, then any Award shall be decided firstly on the number of head-to-head wins, secondly on the teams’ best 7th score and the individuals’ best 6th score, then the teams’ best 8th score and the individuals’ best 7th score and so on. If that does not resolve the situation then the Award shall be shared.

 

Results and current standings can be found HERE.

 

2019 race list

Race numberDateRace NameRace Link
110th March 2019St Helens 10KSt Helens
224th April 2019Seaside Runs 5KSeaside
35th May 2019Liverpool Spring 10kLiverpool Spring
414th May 2019Walton Park 5mWalton Park
5June ?Birkenhead Park 5m
6June ?Penny Lane 10kPenny Lane
730th June 2019Southport Half MarathonSouthport
8July ?Sefton Park 5mHalewood
97th Sept 2019Halewood 5k
1029th Sept 2019Knowsley Safari Park 10mKnowsley
St Helens Striders