County Event FAQ's

I can’t come to the Championships – do I need to tell anybody?

No – we will know who is going to compete because everybody must register on the day.

I can’t compete – can I have a refund please?

Sorry but we have a no-refunds policy.
 

What time is my event?

A draft timetable is already available. Please check for the final version in May because we may have to alter it to take into account the number of entries and/or heats and finals.

I am in two events which clash – can you change the timetable?

Unfortunately no. The number of events and the mathematical possibilities make it impossible to eliminate clashes completely. We do our best to avoid them but once we have published the timetable we have to stick to it.

I have my own javelin. Can anybody use it?

This is covered by UKA rules. Other athletes can only use your equipment if you allow them to. The same applies to all throwing equipment. Don’t forget to ask the Clerk of the course to weight and check your implements well in advance otherwise you will not be allowed to use them.

I am not happy about something – who do I complain to?

Always start with the track or field referee depending on which event is involved. See them as soon as possible – don’t hesitate. They are in charge of all aspects of competition. They will decide if the issue concerns them or if it should be handled by the meeting organisers in which case they will direct you.

I arrived but the organisers did not know I had entered.

It sometimes happens that entries get lost in the post which is why we have invested in an on line entry service which give immediate confirmation that you are in the meeting. However the onus is on you to make sure that your entry has been received on time and accepted so you should anticipate problems such as postal strikes. If you prefer to enter on paper you must make sure that the envelope is properly addressed and stamped otherwise it may not arrive and nobody will know about it.

Can I change my event on the day? I entered the 100m by mistake and wanted to do the 200m.
Can I enter as a guest in the 100m – there are only 5 runners so there must be a spare lane?

Sorry but no. The meeting is a Championship event for which a lot of documentation is prepared in advance and a lot of medals and trophies are awarded. It has to be run to Championship standards which mean that you must compete in the events you entered and only those.

I have been away on holiday for three weeks and missed the closing date. Can I have a late entry?

As above, this is a Championship event and has to be run to higher standards than, say, an Open Meeting. That means publishing a closing date and sticking to it. We have to be fair to those who respect that date. Late entries would also require changes to a lot of things which are prepared once the closing date is reached e.g. field cards, the programme, the timetable. Remember that you can enter on line from anywhere is the world right up to midnight on the closing date.
 

Can my friend compete with me – she is in my Club but qualifies for a different County.

Possibly – use the “Contact Us” facility to check with the meeting organisers. If the friend’s own County does not stage his/her event or if that County would like us to host their Championship for a given event then it might be possible.

I finished third and didn’t get my medal? Can you help?

Medals are only awarded for third place if there are 7 or more athletes entered. If there were fewer than 7 then a bronze will not be awarded.
If there were sufficient entries but you could not collect your medal on the day then you should contact your County Secretary and explain the circumstances.

I made a mistake on my entry. I put U13 when I am really U15.

If you make any mistakes of any kind on your entry tell the organisers using the “Contact Us” facility in the web site. Otherwise you might be disqualified on the day.

I was born in one County, live in another and my Club is in yet another – who can I compete for?

The location of your Club is irrelevant – that can be ignored.
You can compete for a County if you were born in it or if you have lived in it for 9 months. If that qualifies you for two Counties then you can chose either one BUT once you have entered an event for any given County you cannot change to another during the same season.
 

I am a Masters 50 – what weight of implement will I throw and how high will my hurdles be?

Although we have separate categories for Seniors and Masters we only have one Masters age group. Therefore all Masters must compete as if they are in the O35 age group.

Why do I have to wait so long for my field event medal? The track athletes seem to get theirs a lot quicker.

It is generally quite straightforward to see who have finished 1-2-3 in a track race. Most races are for one age group only so the results are easy to work out. Even so the referee has to check the paperwork but s/he is usually quite near the finish line.

Field events often have several age groups competing together which makes working out the result a little more complicated. The paperwork also has to be checked by the referee but in field events the ref has to check that every single jump or throw has been properly recorded and included in the results. It may take the judges of the event a little while to find the referee because s/he might be at another event at the opposite end of the stadium. Sorry but it does take longer to sort out the field events.