TRI NorthWest - TriNW Ranking Criteria

It is THE ATHLETES' RESPONSIBILITY to make sure that each race in which they participate in has their basic bio data correct (i.e.: first name, last name, address, city, state, zip code, gender, age and/or birth date and finish time). A computer does not understand that Tom Smith and Thomas Smith are the same person; therefore sign up for all races using the identical form of your name (just a one letter difference, Kelly verses Kelley, will cause a problem). If there are two Tom Smiths, the only way to distinguish between the two is an uncommon age. If Tom Smith participates in the Blue Lake Triathlon in June and then in the Troika & Coeur d'Alene Triathlons in August, and his birthday is in July, I now have two different Tom Smith's, one age 34 and the other age 35. Neither will be ranked since neither did the required three races. Tom Smith, age 34, did only one race and Tom Smith, age 35, did two races. This problem is solved if birth dates are provided since the computer will also check the birth date and know that they are the same person (birth dates also help immensely with the "age up rule"). If birth dates are not available, the computer will look at the address. If Tom Smith, age 34, lives at 103 Elm St, Spokane, WA and Tom Smith, age 35, lives at the same address, but competed in races later on in the year, the program will recognize the one year age differential and assume that they are the same person. If Tom Smith moves between races and his age changes then only a birth date can solve the problem or he must contact me directly (jon@racecenter.com) to get the problem resolved. If there really are two Tom Smith's, age 34, the computer will differentiate between the two based on different addresses.

So, athletes, you can see that how you sign up (register) for a race is an important factor in determining whether or not you are ranked. I do not know all of you personally and there are many different timers timing the races. Please check to make sure all your bio information is exactly correct.

Also, there have always been many outstanding Northwest triathletes omitted in the rankings over the years. The rule is that you MUST compete in a minimum of three of the events listed in the Ranked Race Schedule. They are spread over a wide geographical area and throughout the summer. No athlete should have to travel too far a distance or compete within an unreasonable schedule in order to be ranked. And honestly, do you deserve to be ranked if you don't put your talents on the line at least three times in a four-month race schedule?

NOTE! - The TRI NorthWest Rankings are compiled by AA Sports, Ltd. and published by RaceCenter NW Magazine and TRI NorthWest as a free service to the multi-sport athletes of the Northwest.

Ranked races are open to all triathletes/duathletes of the Northwest.

TRI NorthWest Rankings are NOT sanctioned by USA Triathlon.
Athlete are not required to be an annual member of either USA Triathlon or TRI NorthWest.
Races are not required to be sanctioned by USAT to be included as a TRI NorthWest Ranked Race.

We here at AA Sports, Ltd. and RaceCenter NW Magazine only wish to do our part in giving something back to the multi-sport community that we love.

Respectfully,

Carol Atherton & Jon Atherton Owners of AA Sports, Ltd. and Publishers of RaceCenter NW Magazine.
Brook Gardner, Editor of RaceCenter NW Magazine.

TRI NW Triathlon Ranking Criteria

The triathlons listed HERE will be included in the TRI NorthWest rankings, with maximum points earned as follows: Sprint Distance Races (98.5), Olympic Distance Races (100) and Long Course Races (102). All other athletes will receive points pro-rated according to the event champions on a race-by-race basis. As in the past, separate rankings will be determined for the following categories: Male Open, Female Open, Masters Male, and Masters Female. And note that Open athletes (39 years of age & under) are pro-rated against only Open athletes while Masters athletes (40 years of age & over) are pro-rated against only Masters athletes. Five-year age group rankings will also be reported (including the Clydesdale & Athena divisions).

Rankings will be determined for the following race classifications:

(a)	Sprint Rankings - must complete a minimum of three Sprint distance races to qualify.
(b)	Olympic Rankings - must complete a minimum of three Olympic distance races to qualify.
(c)	Long Course Rankings - must complete a minimum of two Long Course distance races to qualify.
(d)	Best All Around Triathlete - must complete at least one Sprint, one Olympic & one Long Course race to qualify. Total points will be determined by adding together your best performance from each classification (race distance).

NOTE! - If an Athlete competes in more than the required number of events (as indicated above). They're ranking will be based on their top three performances (or two for the Long Course Rankings).

Example: Joe Triathlete completes three Sprint distance races, two Olympic distance races and one Long Course race. Joe will then be ranked within the Sprint Rankings and within the Best All Around Triathlete Rankings. He does not qualify for the Olympic or Long Course Rankings as he did not perform the required number of races within these divisions.

Only athletes from the following five states making up the TRI NorthWest Region will be included in each race when determining the points each athlete earns: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon & Washington. Also included will be Northern California athletes (must reside north of Red Bluff, CA) and British Columbia, Canada. Only individual athlete finishers (no team members) will be used to determine the “total number of finishers” which is then used to determine the "Field Size Factor" (see table below). All participants competing on teams and those who DNF will not be counted.

An "age up rule" will be used when determining the age group rankings. If your birthday falls in the middle of the Triathlon calendar and your age change, for example, results in you moving from the 30 - 34 year age group to the 35 - 39 year age group, you will be ranked in the older age group.

Special weighting factors to account for TRI NorthWest Championships and field size will also be used. In addition to the standard points that can be earned, athletes competing in TRI NorthWest Championship races will have their points adjusted upward by 1.03, the "championship factor". The "field size factor" will be used to adjust your points according to the number of finishers in any given race and are as follows:

FIELD SIZE FACTOR
# of Finishers	Factor
Less than 100	0.97
101 - 150	0.985
151 - 250	1.00
251 - 300	1.015
Over 301	1.03

NOTE! - The “# of Finishers” column does not reflect the finishers in other races run concurrently with the main event (i.e. the Hagg Lake Triathlon is made up of a Sprint and an Olympic distance race. There is a separate “field size factor” for each of these two races based on the number of finishers in each of the two races respectively). Athletes that DNF and those that are competing on teams are excluded as well.

Example: Jane Triathlete, age 43, finishes in 2:30:12 which places her 154th out of 496 total participants, 32nd out of all female finishers, and 2nd among female masters in the TRI NorthWest Olympic Distance Championship race. The fastest female Masters finisher was timed in 2:25:28. Jane will receive 102.74 points (2:25:28 / 2:30:12 x 100 points x 1.03 championship race factor x 1.03 field size factor)

NOTE! - All TRI NorthWest Championship races will have the "Championship Factor" of 1.03 applied except the Club Championship.

TRI NorthWest Duathlon Ranking Criteria

The duathlons listed HERE will be included in the TRI NorthWest Duathlon Rankings, with maximum points earned as follows: Sprint Distance Races (98.5), Olympic Distance Races (100), Endurance Distance Races (102). All other athletes will receive points pro-rated according to the event champions on a race-by-race basis. Separate rankings will be determined for the following categories: Male Open, Female Open, Masters Male, and Masters Female. Note that Open athletes (39 years of age & under) are pro-rated against only Open athletes while Masters athletes (40 years of age & over) are pro-rated against only Masters athletes. Five-year age group rankings will also be reported (including the Clydesdale & Athena divisions).

Rankings will be determined for the following race classifications:

(a)	Sprint Duathlon Rankings - must complete a minimum of three Sprint distance races to qualify.
(b)	Olympic Duathlon Rankings - must complete a minimum of three Olympic distance races to qualify.
(c)	Endurance Duathlon Rankings - must complete a minimum of two Endurance distance races to qualify.
(d)	Best All Around Duathlete - must complete at least one Sprint, one Olympic & one Endurance race to qualify. Total points will be determined by adding together your best performance from each classification (race distance).

NOTE! - If an Athlete competes in more than the required number of events (as indicated above). They're ranking will be based on their top three performances (or two for the Endurance Rankings).

Example: Joe Duathlete completes three Sprint distance races, two Olympic distance races and one Endurance Duathlon race. Joe will then be ranked within the Sprint Rankings and within the Best All Around Duathlete Rankings. He does not qualify for the Olympic or Endurance Du Rankings as he did not perform the required number of races within these divisions.

An "age up rule" will be used when determining the age group rankings. If your birthday falls in the middle of the Duathlon calendar and your age change, for example, results in you moving from the 30 - 34 year age group to the 35 - 39 year age group, you will be ranked in the older age group.

There are no special weighting factors to account for TRI NorthWest Championships and there is no field size factor used to tabulate the Tri NW Duathlon Rankings.

Example: Jane Duathlete, age 43, finishes in 2:12:00 which places her 36th out of 66 total participants, 10th out of all female finishers, and 2nd among female masters in the Olympic Distance race. The fastest female Masters finisher was timed in 2:10:28. Jane will receive 98.84 points (2:10:28 / 2:12:11 x 100 points)