Positioning of Competition
UK athletics is delighted to announce the continuation of the City match structure for the indoor season in the UK called the UK Indoor City Challenge. Through modernisation funding, this was the first step of a pilot to include outdoor competition later in the year during 2005. As the indoor season was relatively less developed this was seen as the perfect opportunity to develop a strategy of enhancing performance and competition for the UK’s up and coming athletes.
These competitions are targeted at:
Senior and U20 athletes only. U17’s are not be included.
The group of athletes just below those of international standard, however is open to everyone and the aim is to provide the highest quality of competition possible.
Top club standard athletes.
The objectives of the competition are:
To provide the strata of British athletes, just below that of our international standard, with effective, professional and meaningful competition throughout the season.
To provide a wider competition opportunity and focus to the season of our aspiring athletes.
To build team spirit amongst our athletes.
To provide quality competition to athletes who may not otherwise have the opportunity to compete against each other.
To provide the opportunity for athletes to attain improved performances through heightened competition.
Provide competition that covers the whole of the UK.
To encourage Local Authority / City Involvement with our sport and the promotion of such.
Cup Format
There will be two semi final matches, held between 12 competing cities (6 per match) in two locations. Both men’s and women’s teams will compete and score for a combined team score. There are additional bonuses that can be earned for the team & also individual performances will be converted into points and added to the team scores.
The first semi-final match will be held on 27th January 2008 in Manchester
The second semi-final match will be held on 2nd February 2008 in Cardiff.
The final will be held on the 17th February 2008 in Sheffield.
The match will comprise of a full timetable of events on the track, and all field events.
The programme will conclude with a Medley relay.
The top 3 scoring teams in each of the semi-finals will be invited to compete at the Final plus the two best runners up to make 8 teams at the Final.
The ICC Trophy will be presented to the overall winning team and prize money paid to all athletes in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd placed teams.
There will generally be 1 athlete per team (men and women) competing in each event however additional athletes can be added.
The cities represented in each match will be as follows:
Semi Final 1 - Manchester
Team Glasgow
Team Edinburgh
Team Birmingham
Team Sheffield
Team Manchester
Team Newcastle
Semi Final 2 – Cardiff
Team London North
Team London South
Team Cardiff
Team Oxford
Team Bristol
Team Belfast
Definition of Teams
Manchester, Semi Final 1 – 27th January 2008
Team Glasgow - West Scotland
Team Edinburgh - East Scotland
Team Birmingham - Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire.
Team Sheffield - Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Yorkshire
Team Manchester - Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Isle of Man
Team Newcastle - Cumbria, Northumberland, Lincolnshire, Humberside, Co Durham
Cardiff, Semi Final 2 – 2nd February, 2008
Team London South - Southern Boroughs, Surrey, Kent, Sussex.
Team London North - Northern Boroughs, Essex.
Team Cardiff - All of Wales.
Team Bristol - Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Avon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Dorset, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands.
Team Oxford - Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Northamptonshire.
Team Belfast - All of Northern Ireland
Eligibility
Eligibility for selection is dependent on the athletes’ primary residence and not by the location of their athletics club.
Eligibility shall be determined based on where the athlete was born or their family home and not the place where they currently reside i.e. University address.
For example
An athlete whose home residence is in, or who was raised in Essex but who is now attending University in Manchester would be eligible for selection for Team London North only.
UKA will monitor and oversee the overall selection criteria of the relevant teams.
Athlete Accommodation & Expenses
Semi Final - 1 night’s accommodation (if reqd) OR contribution towards travel
Final – 1 night’s accommodation (if reqd) AND contribution towards travel.
All teams (athletes and team managers) have the option of being offered 1 night’s Bed & Breakfast accommodation at a hotel as local as possible to the venue for the Final.
The accommodation will be for the night prior to the event and the room will be shared with another member of the team.
If the team member decides not to accept the accommodation then we are able to offer a maximum contribution of £30 per person towards the cost of travel.
Mileage will be paid at 17p per mile and a UK Athletics expenses form will be issued.
If you travel via train/bus/coach you will need to provide a receipt and this will be reimbursed to a maximum of £30.
If your team qualifies for the final then we are able to provide accommodation AND travel expenses.
Kit
Each Team will be issued with a Team Kit design.
The kit will consist of competition wear only, vests or crop tops.
For Teams that qualify for the Final they will also be given an Indoor City Challenge T-Shirt
