League Details

Competition Rules

1. Minimum age for each race is as per England Athletics (EA) guidelines for that distance. Gender categories will follow the regulations set by EA.
2. Runner eligibility:
   • Individual runners must be affiliated with EA during all races they take part in.
   • To be eligible to score for the team, a runner has to be a first-claim runner of the member club, not second-claim, even if their first-claim club is not part of the League (unless their first-claim club is not affiliated to the UKA).
   • Runners transferring between clubs must go through the recognised transfer system and score only for their eligible official club at the time of the race.
   • Runners transferring clubs during the season will have their cumulative individual league score shown under their current club – i.e. individual points are transferred with them but team scores left as is.
3. Athletes must wear their club colours during the HRRL races. Runners found to be in non-compliance risk the exclusion of their results from the HRRL team & individual results for that race.
4. Team scoring consists of 4 athletes per team.
5. Positions are based on gun time.
6. Team and individual competition categories are
   • Men
   • Women
7. League structure.
   • Number of teams per club: Each club may field multiple teams in the League with no maximum limit. The number of teams a club enters must be decided for the season in advance, and the membership fee will vary accordingly.
   • A and B+ teams and leagues: The A team consists of the first 4 runners for that club over the line. The next 4 runners make up the B team, and so on. All A teams compete in the A-league. All B and subsequent teams compete in the B-league.
   • Divisions: The A-league has 3 divisions for each category. The B-league has 3 divisions. Each division comprises 10 teams, except for the bottom divisions (A3 and B3), which comprise all remaining teams.
8. Team scores are calculated as follows:
   • Team types: Teams are classed as either
     • Complete team: 4 runners
     • Incomplete team: 3 runners
     • No-show: 2 or less runners
   • Race points: The finishing positions (based on HRRL runners only; see rules for individual scores) of each team (e.g. for A team, first 4 athletes of the club) are added up. The team with lowest numeric score wins, and teams are ranked in ascending order. For incomplete teams, missing members will be assigned a score equivalent of that member being last overall (i.e. number of competing runners + 1). The race points for all no-show teams will be the highest points scored amongst the competing teams (including any incomplete teams) plus 10 points.
   • League score: Teams are awarded points according to their position in their division (e.g. the 1st team in the division scores 1 point, the 2nd team scores 2 points, etc). Complete teams are scored first. Next, incomplete teams score behind the last complete team. No-show teams score the maximum score, which is the total number of teams in their division plus one. For example, if there are 10 teams in the division, all no-show teams will score 11 points.
   • League winner: The league winner will be determined by adding up the best 9 of all 12 races for each club in their respective division. The club with the lowest league score wins. If there is a tie, the team with the lower overall race points wins. If there is still a tie, the winning team is the one with the most 1st places, then 2nd places, etc.
9. Division relegation and promotion.
   • Relegation: The 2 teams at the bottom of each league division will be relegated. If there is a tie, the positions will decided as described in for the league table scoring.
   • Promotion: The top 2 teams in each league division will be promoted.
   • There is no promotion or relegation between the A-league and B-league.
10. Individual scores are calculated as follows:
    • Finishing position: For each race, all HRRL club runners are considered regardless of whether they are part of the club team. All runners in the results table that are not affiliated to a HRRL club are ignored, and the HRRL positions are determined based on gun time.
    • Score: The score is calculated as percentage, with the first finisher scoring 100 and the last runner scoring 0.
    • Individual championship: Only runners that participated in at least 7 races are considered. The final individual league table is determined by the average of the best 7 scores of all 12 races. The runner with the highest average score wins.
11. Age group scores are calculated as follows:
    • Categories: the age categories within HRRL will be V40, V50, V60, V70, and V80. A runner’s age group is determined for the season by their age on the date of the first HRRL race of the season.
    • Finishing position: For each race, only HRRL club runners within each age category are considered and HRRL position are determined based on chip time.
    • Score: The score is calculated as a percentage, with the first finisher scoring 100 and the last runner scoring 0 within each age category.
    • Age group champions: Only runners that participated in at least 7 races are considered. The final age group league table is determined by the average of the best 7 scores of all races. The runner with the highest average score wins.
12. Should the league not be able to hold the full 12 races in one season, the number of qualifying races is as follows.

12. Results will be issued for all events, including individual and team placings, through the HRRL website.
13. Any team wishing to raise a protest (e.g. against a competitor not wearing club colours), must do so in writing to HRRL within 7 days of the race.

Constitution

Objectives

1. The League aims to promote the enjoyment of running and fellowship between members through friendly competitive running opportunities.
2. The League will be known as the Hampshire Road Race League (HRRL).
3. All participating clubs have duty of care obligations to all runners.

League organization – Committee

4. The League is managed by the Committee, which consists of four ‘officers’ and club representatives:
   • Chairman
   • Vice Chairman
   • Honorary Secretary
   • Honorary Treasurer
   • Club Representatives (1 member from each participating club)
5. The Committee will meet at least twice per year. At least two officers and 8 club representatives (or 50% of member clubs, whichever is lower) need to be present.
6. The Committee is elected annually from the club membership during the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The term time for each Committee member is 1 year. There is no term limit for re-elections.
7. The Committee has the power to fill committee vacancies, which may arise during the term, provided that a simple majority of the Committee members agree to the nomination. In case of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.
8. The Committee can make decisions regarding the organization (with the exception of the constitution) of the League provided that a simple majority of the Committee members agree to the decision. In case of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.
9. Any internal dispute within the League shall be brought before the Committee. The decision of the Committee on these matters will be final and binding.

League organization – General Meetings

10. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held before the end of June each year. An AGM requires the presence of at least two officers and 1/3 of member clubs.
11. Prior to the AGM, the date will be announced at least 28 days prior, and an agenda will be sent to all League members by the Secretary at least 7 days in advance. The agenda includes:
    • Nominations for Committee officers
    • Summary of accounts for the League year
    • Proposal for annual subscriptions and races for participating clubs
    • Nominations of the races for the coming season
    • Any other agenda items communicated to the Secretary prior to the AGM
12. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called at any time within 21 days of a request received in writing by at least three members, stating the purpose for which such meeting is required, to the Secretary. An EGM requires the presence of at least two officers and 1/3 of member clubs.
13. Any proposed alterations of, or additions to, the Constitution can only be approved during the AGM or an EGM called for this purpose, and by a 2/3^rd majority of those present and entitled to vote (one vote per member club). Any proposed amendment must be announced to the membership at least 14 days prior of the meeting.

League organization – Membership

14. Membership of the League is limited to amateur running and athletics clubs as defined by the UK Athletics rules for competition. All competing clubs must be England Athletics registered.
15. New clubs seeking membership must apply in writing to the Secretary and will be considered at the AGM.
16. Subscriptions must be paid by BACS transfer to the HRRL account latest 1 month after the first race. Subscriptions are not refundable. Clubs who have not paid their subscriptions 2 months after the first race are liable to suspension from the League.

League organization – Finances

17. A separate bank account for the League finances shall be held with two Committee signatories.
18. If upon the winding up of the League, there remain any funds after the settling of all outstanding debts, these will be returned equally to all member clubs, in proportion to their most recent annual fees. Any outstanding fees owed to HRRL will be deducted from the distribution.

League organization – Races

19. The League schedule consists of a series of 12 races within Hampshire borders (or close by).
20. Races can be nominated by members in writing to the Secretary. Nominations need to be made at least 14 days prior to the AGM.
21. Races must be organised by a member club, an EA affiliated club or other non-profit organization within Hampshire borders (or close by). Races organised by professional companies are not to be nominated.
22. A minimum of 10 races must be licensed through EA as road races. The ethos of the League is that the races are suitable for runners to wear road shoes rather than trail or cross-country shoes.
23. Race hosts are responsible for obtaining the license, including third party liability insurance, adequate risk assessments and medical cover. Race hosts must share the entry list (including club names) with the member clubs at least 7 days before the online entry closing date and after the online entry has closed.
24. The League schedule should to be composed of
    • 6 short races (10 k and less), and
    • 6 long races (10 miles and longer)
    • At least 1 race on the Isle of Wight
25. The final composition of the League schedule will be voted via ballot during the AGM. Each member club may select up to 12 of the nominated races. In the event that no Club Representative of a member club can attend the AGM, the ballot paper can be submitted to the Secretary up to 24 h prior to the meeting. Races will be ranked according to the total number of votes and the 12 top-ranked races selected.