1 Eligibility

1.0 To be eligible for a team place, athletes must;

i. Race in a qualification event and met the criteria as set out on the event webpage, or; ii. Submit a race result which meets the qualification criteria, or;

iii. Be pre-qualified, or;

iv. Have been awarded a discretionary place. Athletes will not be eligible for a team place by any other method.

2 Registering Intent To Qualify

2.1 Athletes only need to register once for each Championship. (Sprint and Standard Distance races at the same Championships are considered two separate Championships).

2.2 Once an athlete has registered their intent to qualify they can;

i. Compete in more than one qualification event for the championship they have registered for.

ii. Athletes must be registered by 5pm on the Friday before the first race in which the athletes intends to qualify.

2.3 Athletes will remain eligible for all of the remaining qualification races taking place after the registration closing date for the championship they have registered for.

2.4 It is not necessary to inform British Triathlon or the Team Manager as to which race or races athletes intend to use for your qualification.

3 Qualifying Sprint & Standard Distance Races

3.1 For Sprint and Standard Distance Triathlon and Duathlon events**, places are available for the top four eligible* athletes in each age-group at each qualification event.

3.2 There are 20 places available per age-group.

**Including Standard Distance Aquabike.

3.3 To be eligible, athletes must have registered their intent to qualify on the correct championship webpage by 5pm on the Friday before their qualification race.

3.4 To qualify, athletes must;

i. Complete one of the nominated qualification races for the Championship they want to qualify for in a time within 115% of the winner in their age-group if qualifying for World Championships and 120% if qualifying for European Championships.

ii. Race in their correct race category. Only athletes who are female from birth may race in the Female category, all other athletes including transgender athletes must race in the Open category.

iii. If there is more than one wave at the qualifying event, athletes must compete in the qualifying waves, competing in the open (to anyone) race and moving the result after the race to the qualifying results will not be permitted. 

3.5 Places will be offered automatically to each of the highest placed four eligible athletes finishing within the appropriate percentages of the winner.

3.6 Any athlete finishing within the specified highest places but outside the appropriate percentage of the winner will only be offered a place at the Team Manager’s discretion.

3.7 The link to register intent to qualify will close at 5pm on the Friday before the last qualifying race. Athletes who do not register their intent to qualify by this date will not be eligible for a place.

3.8 Athletes cannot race in a qualification race and then register their intent to compete after the race. Athletes will not be eligible to qualify via any qualification races that took place before their registration. However, if there are still qualification races remaining athletes are still  eligible to compete in and qualify from all those races taking place after they have registered.

3.9 In very exceptional circumstances only, where one outstanding athlete dominates an age group by a very considerable margin, the Team Manager has discretion to base the percentages in that age group on the time of the second placed athlete rather than the winner of the age group, If, it ensures parity across all three Qualification events.

3.10 When athletes have successfully qualified, they will within two weeks of the qualifying race receive an email confirming they have been allocated a place. A ‘Q’ will be shown alongside their name.

3.11  All qualifications are considered provisional until the emails are sent to athletes to confirm their offer of a place in a team. If a Q is next to an athletes name on the event webpage it does not constitute the offering of a place on the team. 

4 Qualifying - Multisport Races

4.1 For Middle and Long Distance Triathlon, Duathlon and Aquabike, Aquathlon, Cross Triathlon and Cross Duathlon, and Winter events there are 20 places available per age-group.

4.2 There are no specific qualifying races. Athletes must supply evidence of their performance which meets the qualifying criteria as set out on the event webpage. 

4.3 To be eligible to qualify for a place in a team athletes must;

i. Complete their nominated race within 115% of the winner in their age group for World Championships and 120% for European Championships and World Cross Championships. For European Cross Championships results must be within 125% of the winners of the age group's time. (Europe Triathlon Middle Distance Triathlons have a qualifying percentage of 115%.)

ii. Race in their correct race category. Only athletes who are female from birth may race in the Female category, all other athletes including transgender athletes must race in the Open category.

4.4 Places will be allocated in up to three phases. As many as all 20 places can be awarded during the first registration phase if sufficient numbers apply and meet the qualification criteria. The remaining selection phases will allocate any remaining places.

4.5 If an age-group becomes oversubscribed with performances within the qualification criteria then allocation of places will go to athletes that have provided the most recent and most competitive results as determined by the Team Manager.

4.6 In very exceptional circumstances only, where one outstanding athlete dominates an age group by a very considerable margin, the Team Manager has discretion to base the percentages in that age group on the time of the second placed athlete rather than the winner of the age group, If, it ensures parity across all three Qualification events.

4.7 When athletes have successfully qualified, they will;

i. Within two weeks of the registration deadline receive an email confirming they have been allocated a place.

ii. A ‘Q’ will be shown alongside their name on the event webpage.

4.8  All qualifications are considered provisional until the emails are sent to athletes to confirm their offer of a place in a team. If a Q is next to an athletes name on the event webpage it does not constitute the offering of a place on the team. 

5 Pre-Qualification

5.1 All athletes eligible for a pre-qualification place in a sprint or standard distance triathlon, duathlon or aquabike championships  must;

i. Register their intent accept their place by 5pm on the Friday before the FINAL qualification race for the championship or must follow the instructions in the pre-qualification email they are sent if different. 

5.2 All athletes eligible for a pre-qualification place in an aquathlon, cross triathlon or duathlon, winter triathlon or duathlon or, middle or long distance triathlon, duathlon or aquabike must;

ii. Register their intent to accept the PQ before the first registration deadline.

6. Rolldowns

6.1 If spare places are available after the completion of all the qualification events, pre-qualification events and discretionary place awards, these places will be offered to athletes who have a result which meets the qualifying criteria. These are known as “roll down” places.

6.2 Roll down places will only be offered to athletes who have completed one of the qualification races in a time that is within 115% of the winner of their age group for World Championship qualification and 120% for European Championship qualification*

*See above for specific percentages.

6.3 Athletes eligible for roll down are ranked in ascending order within their age group based on their best percentage recorded in any of the three qualification events. If an athlete competes in more than one qualification event, their lowest percentage time will be used.

6.4 Each roll down place will be offered to the athlete with the lowest percentage.

6.5 Roll downs will continue in this manner until the final date for payment of entry fees.

6.6 If an athlete who has qualified, pre-qualified or qualified through a roll down place subsequently withdraws their application and is not able to take up their place on a team then their place will be given to the next person on the roll down list.

6.7 Athletes will not be penalized or black marked for withdrawing. It is understandable that circumstances change.

6.8 British Triathlon requests that athletes inform their Team Manager via email as soon as possible if they have been offered a place but know they will not be able to accept it.

7. Accepting A Place in A Team

7.1 Acceptance of a team place is made by paying the Race Entry Fee or International Race Fee (IRF) depending on how the race entry fee should be paid. Information will be sent to athletes via email and can be found on the event webpage.

7.2 If an athlete does not intend to accept their place they must notify the Team Manager so their place can be offered to the next athlete in line. 

7.3 If an athlete has not notified the Team Manager they are withdrawing, it is assumed the athlete will be accepting their place and will be paying the Race Entry Fee.

7.4 Athletes will only be included entered into a race if they have paid their Race Entry Fee and/or IRF before the notified cut off date. If they do not pay, it will be assumed they do not want to accept their place and it may be offered as a roll down place to another athlete.

8 Discretionary Places

8.1 All athletes applying for a Discretionary Place (DP) must have registered their intent to qualify before 5pm on the Friday before the last qualification race but no later than 1 month after the final registration closing date.

8.2 Athletes applying for a DP should submit their completed discretionary place application form to agegroup@britishtriathlon.org and they must meet all of the criteria on the DP checklist. DPs can only be requested up to one month after the final registration closing date.

9. Changing Age Groups

9.1 Qualification is based on an athletes performance compared with the other athletes in their same age group in the year of the Championships.

9.2 If a qualification race takes place in the same year as the Championships, qualification is based on the actual age category results of the race.

9.3 If a qualification race takes place in the year preceding the Championships, qualification is based on athlete's finishing time compared to those athletes who will be in the same age group in the year of the Championships. (For example, you are 34 and compete in the 30-34 age group. You are competing in a September qualification race for the European Championships to be held the following April, by which time you will have turned 35 and be in the 35-39 age group. You will compete in the appropriate qualification race in the 30-34 age group, however when the team manager selects the team they will look at your time and compare it to the other athletes from the same race who will be in the 35-39 age group next year. If your time places you within the correct percentage of the winner and/or top 4 eligible athletes then you will be selected in the 35-39 category for the European Championships.)

10. Keep Connected

10.1 Communication is very important. Athletes should ensure their email address is correct and accurate in their membership profile.

10.2 Email will be the primary and in some cases only form of contact regarding confirmation of places, requests for payment, and additional event information.

11. Restrictions At The Championship Event

11.1 Current World Triathlon rules do not allow an athlete to take part in two events within a 24 hour period at the same Championships. For Championships with events at two distances, such as Standard Distance and Sprint on the same day, athletes can apply and qualify for both events but will need to decide which team place to accept, and which to release, prior to paying their race fee.

12. Races Cancelled/Changed

12.1 In the event of World Triathlon or Europe Triathlon cancelling a World Championship or European Championship race, British Triathlon hold no responsibility for any costs incurred for athletes who have registered and/or qualified for the event. This includes all costs associated with qualifying or attempting to qualify for the Age Group Team such as event entry costs; costs associated with travel and accommodation, transfers, insurance, and the cost of home nation membership or purchasing team kit

13 Refund Policy

13.1 Where British Triathlon pay the race entry fees to the race organiser;

i. If an athlete withdraws before British Triathlon have paid the race entry fees a refund of the race entry fee minus the IRF will be made. This will be returned to the original payment method and processed once the race entry invoice has been paid and the team entered.

ii. If an athlete withdraws after British Triathlon has paid the race entry invoice we will not be able to refund the race entry fee or the IRF.

iii. If an athlete withdraws and does not contact their Team Manager to inform them they are withdrawing, no refund will be issued.

iv. The International Race Fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

v. The registration of intent fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

13.2 Where Athletes Enter Races Directly With The Race Organiser;

i. If an athlete withdraws from the event after paying their race entry fee to the race organiser th athlete is responsible for following the terms and conditions as set out by the race organiser.

ii. The International Race Fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

v. The registration of intent fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

Note: * Eligible athlete. This refers to an athlete who has registered their intent to compete by the appropriate deadline and not already qualified. If an athlete finishes ahead of you and has not registered their intent to qualify, has been awarded a pre-qualification place or discretionary place, or has qualified already from a previous qualification race then they will not be considered for selection from that particular qualification race. For example, you finish 6th in your age group and therefore outside of the top 4 athletes. However, 1 athlete ahead of you has not registered their intent to compete and another has already pre-qualified for the event. You are therefore the 4th eligible athlete and will be awarded a qualification place.