Section 5.6 – Cross Country State Championship
Amended November 2021
Refer to General State Championship Rules.
5.6.1 Refer to General State Championship Rules.
5.6.2
(a) Each Association may enter a maximum of six (6) competitors per event.
(b) Athletes in Multi Class Events
(i) Entry Numbers
Each Association may enter three(3) athletes in the following Multi Class events: Boys 8/9 Years, Girls 8/9 Years, Boys 10 years, Girls 10 Years, Boys 11 years, Girls 11 Years, Boys 12/13 Years Girls 12/13 Years provided qualifying times and students are officially classified by their governing body.
(ii) Eligible Classifications
-
- Deaf/hard of hearing - T01 (AU2)
Athletes competing with T01 (AU2) classification will be required to remove
any hearing devices prior to the commencement of the race or once final
instructions have been given by the starter. - Visual impairment - T11, T12 or T13
- T11 athletes must have a guide
- T12 and T13 athletes may elect to have a guide
- For guide runner information and requirements refer to School Sport Australia Cross Country Rules and Guidelines Appendix 6.8 - Sighted Guide Guidelines.
● Intellectual impairment - T20, T21
- Physical impairment:
- Cerebral Palsy - T35, T36, T37 or T38
- Short Stature - T40* or T41
- Upper limb - T42, T43, T44, T45 or T46
- Transplant - T60*
- Lower limb (with prosthesis) - T62*, T63* or T64*
- Deaf/hard of hearing - T01 (AU2)
* The classifications with an asterisk require medical clearance to participate in the Championships. Medical clearance documentation to be provided to replace with name of document
the convener 14 days prior to the NSWPSSA State Cross Country
Championships.
(iii) Athletes in Multi Class events must be currently classified with the
appropriate body and should appear on the Athletics Australia (AA) or Sport Inclusion Australia (SIA) Master lists.
- Athletes with a Physical classification should appear on the AA Master List with an official classification status of Provisional or Review National Classification.
- If an association enters an Athlete in a Multi Class event but the Athlete does not appear on the AA or SIA Master Lists, the association is to provide the Championship Convener with classification documentation from the governing body 14 days prior to the commencement of the NSW PSSA State Cross Country Championship that the classification has been verified and the student will appear on the AA Master List when an update occurs.
- Athletes who fail to meet the above requirements will be ineligible to compete at the NSW PSSA Cross Country Championship.
(iv) Multi Class Event Structure.
-
Primary Multi Class events run over a distance of 2km for all ages (i.e. 8/9, 10, 11, 12/13 yrs). The Championship convener can combine and/or separate Athletes in Multi Class events based on the number of entries in age groups and gender.
(v) Suggested Qualifying Standards
- Suggested qualifying standards are provided to assist associations in determining athlete progression in Multi Class events to the NSW PSSA State Cross Country Championship. NSW PSSA State Cross Country Championship suggested qualifying standards are adapted from the School Sport Australia (SSA) qualifying standards.
- 12/13 years age category is provided a 10% addition to the SSA qualifying standards
- 11 years age category is provided a 10% addition to the SSA qualifying standards
- 10 years age category is provided a 10% addition to the SSA qualifying standards
- 8/9 years age category is provided a 20% addition to the SSA qualifying standards for the 10 years age category
(vi) Placings
Placings for Primary events will be determined using Baseline Performancee. comparing the athlete’s time to the Athletics Australia 1500m Baseline Performance for their classification and determining the percentage. All percentages for all classifications will be calculated and the highest percentage wins, second highest second etc. The calculation method for placings may change to be aligned to the School Sport Australia Multi Class event calculation system.
(vii) State Selections
Maximum of 3 competitors per event will be selected provided they meet the School Sport Australia National Cross Country Championships selection/ entry criteria.
(c) All competitors must compete in designated association uniform. NB The wearing of compression garments should be under such designated uniform. If the association does not have shorts as part of their official uniform and compression garments are worn in place, they must match the colour of their association uniform.
5.6.3 List of events
Girls 8/9 years – 2000 metres
Boys 8/9 years – 2000 metres
Girls 10 years – 2000 metres
Boys 10 years – 2000 metres
Girls 11 years – 3000 metres
Boys 11 years – 3000 metres
Girls 12/13 years – 3000 metres
Boys 12/13 years – 3000 metres
All Athletes in Multi Class events – 2000 metres
The distances run are to remain in accordance with School Sport Australia distances/standards.
5.6.4 Judging/recording
If electronic timing is in use:
(a) Results of all races will be determined by electronic timing (providing it is in use at the Championship).
(b) Judges will hand the first eight (8) placegetters place cards indicating their finishing position. In the event of a dispute or tie then timing system results to 4 decimal places will determine the final positions.
(c) The first eight (8) placegetters in the 10, 11 and 12 years divisions will be retained by the "two (2) outfitters" to be measured for State team apparel.
Note:
(i) The first six (6) placegetters qualify as State team members. The seventh and eighth placegetters (7-8) are reserves and measured in case of withdrawals.
(ii) There is no 8/9 year division at the National level. Children are not permitted to compete out of their age group.
If electronic timing is not in use:
(a) Judges give a place card to each competitor as they finish.
(b) Competitors line up in finishing order and proceed to the recorders.
(c) Recorder one (1) records the place of each competitor (in his/her association column on "the point score sheet"). The best four (4) places for each association are totalled to arrive at the team point score (and hence place) for each age division
Age division point scores are totalled to determine overall point scores and championship placings.(d)
(d) Recorder two (2) records the name and association of the 1st seven (7) placegetters on "the major placings sheet".
(e) Competitors retain their own place card as a record of their finishing position. Team managers will be given participation certificates to hand on to team members.
(f) The first eight (8) placegetters in the 10, 11, and 12 divisions will be retained by the "two (2) outfitters" to be measured for state team apparel.
Note:
(i) The first five (6) placegetters qualify as state team members. The seventh and eighth placegetters (7 – 8) are reserves and are measured in case of withdrawals.
(ii) There is no 8/9 year division at the interstate level. Children are not permitted to compete out of their age group.
5.6.5 Scoring
If manual recording system is used:
(a) Points are scored against each team for positions finished.
Note: The best (lowest) four (4) places only are counted towards the team point score.
(b) The association with the lowest aggregate in each division will be Champion Association in that Division.
(c) The Association with the lowest aggregate over all divisions will be the Overall Champion Association.a(d) Competitors who fail to finish receive last place plus one (1).
If electronic timing is used:
Each association will be eligible to compete for the team event championship.
(a) When electronic timing is used then the four fastest finishing times will be used to gain a combined time for the four fast finishers in each event. The team with the lowest combined time will be awarded 15 points, the second fastest team 14 points, decreasing by one point for each place.
(b) Competitors who fail to finish receive last time plus one (1) minute.
(c) Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded for the placegetters.
(d) The association with the highest number of points over all events will be declared the Champion Association .
5.6.6 Program
Program and Timetable to be at the Convener's discretion.
5.6.7 Medallions
Medallions are to be given as follows:
Individual Events: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Team Events, 1st, 2nd, 3rd (to all six (6) team members)
Note: Where a tie occurs in a teams event placing, the team that has all their four (4) runners in first shall be used to decide the placings.
5.6.8 Rules
(a) Footwear must be worn by all competitors. Spiked Footwear is not permitted due to safety reasons related to a pack start.
(b) Any competing athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, so as to impede his/her progress, shall be liable to disqualification from the event.
(c) No competitor is to receive assistance or refreshments during the race.
(d) All competitors must compete in association uniforms.
(e) The Championship Manager retains the right to alter the program if need be.
(f) The NSWPSSA retains the right to include additional entries.
(g) Protests must be made in writing by the Team Manager and handed to the Championship Manager within fifteen (15) minutes of the first runner crossing the finishing line of the relevant event.
(h) Asthma medication is permitted to be taken during the course of the competitor's event.
(i) Pacing in races by persons not participating in the same race should be warned by the referee. If there is any repetition, the athlete will be disqualified from the event.
(j) MP3, Ipods and similar technology devices should not be used by any athlete. Also any device able to transmit and receive information should not be worn.
Protests will be heard by the Protest Committee consisting of the PSSA Convener, CHS Convener and the Cross Country Assistant Convener (Primary).
5.6.9 The start
The announcer shall call competitors to the marshals who shall line competitors across a single line.
Starting command shall be:
'On Your Marks' followed by a firing of the starter's gun and for Multi Class events only, a White flag is to be raised to signal ‘On Your Marks’, and dropped when the gun is fired.
A second firing shall indicate a recall and for Multi Class events only a Red flag is to be waved signalling a recall.