Elvet Striders

What is the Elvet Striders Grand Prix?

The Elvet Striders Grand Prix (GP) is an annual competition for club members that covers a range of different races. It is a fantastic opportunity to try event types that you haven’t done before. The GP is a long tradition in the club, and is making a welcome return after not taking place in recent seasons due to the pandemic. 

It is made up of 24 races in total in four general categories: Cross-country (XC), Endurance, Sprint and Fell.

Most of these single races, but there are two exceptions in the Endurance category:

• Rather than include a single marathon in the fixture list, Striders may submit their best time from any marathon within the Grand Prix period. This might be a road marathon, but any event billed as the classic distance or longer can be used, so trail ultras also are permitted. (Obviously times will be slower, but a GP point will still be earned.)
• The Great North Run is included, but due to the difficulty of securing places, Striders who don’t compete in the GNR can submit a time from any other half-marathon, as long as that race does not appear separately on the GP.

This also means that the final points for these two races cannot be calculated until the end of the competition. However, interim results will be published at appropriate times throughout the season.

The Grand Prix is actually split into competitions for men and women. This year the GP will be age-graded, so instead of an overall competition for each gender, there will be separate prizes for the winners of the following age groups:

• Under 35 (U35),
• 35 – 44 (O35),
• 45 – 54 (O45),
• 55 – 64 (O55),
• 65 and over (O65).

Runners will be placed in age-groups according to their age on 21/09/21 (this date being before the first race in the fixture list).

Additionally there will be prizes for each race category, but not age-graded. This means that the full list of prizes is: MU35, MO35, MO45, MO55, MO65, WU35, WO35, WO45, WO55, WO65, M-XC, W-XC, M-Endurance, W-Endurance, M-Sprint, W-Sprint, M-Fell, W-Fell.

Points are awarded at each race for each applicable prize. The leading Strider eligible for that prize will receive 15 points, with the 14 for second place, 13 for third and so on. Every participating Strider will receive at least one point, even if more than 15 take part.