Age group based on birth year is on WMA docket
How about we change masters rules so your age group is determined by your birth year instead of your birth date? Think that’s a stretch? Not according to the Germans, who have made that an official proposal at the General Assembly of World Masters Athletics in four weeks. That idea is among many being put up for a vote in San Sebastian, Spain. A complete GA agenda — which includes officer reports and candidate bios — is now online here and only here. Among other things, we learn from the WMA treasurer that the world body is nearly $50,000 in the red. Oh well. Better red than dead. I’m off to Hawaii now for masters nationals. Will try to post if possible.
3 Responses
Sure, why not? The United States Cycling Federation has always used Jan 1 for everyone’s bday. It’s easier than having to check ID’s every race. If my license says 40 for 2005, then I’m 40. Even if I’m really not 40 until June of that year. It’s never been a stink in all the years I’ve been racing. In fact I don’t think I have ever heard a single complaint, even as Vice-President of the Florida Road Cycling Association.
Ummm. So hypothetically if my birthday were Dec. 31st (and turned 40 then), I could run in the M40 all year even though I was really 39 (which really makes it a M39-44 age group, doesn’t it). Doesn’t this exchange one problem for another? Surely, you can’t set a M40 record when you are really 39? Won’t meet directors still have to keep track of athletes actual birthdates for meet/national record purposes?
The only change I would propose is that you get to complete in any event at your correct age. If your birthday hits during a multiday meet, then if you are 39 for the 100m that’s were you are M35 and if a day later you are 40 for the 200m you get the benefit of M40. I’m still thinking about what to do on the off-chance that you are 39 on the first day of the decathlon and 40 on the second day. I suppose there are three choices:
a) Current rule – Score everything at age 39
b) Proposed rule – Since you turn 40 during the year, score everything at age 40
c) Hybrid rule – Score first day at 39 and second day at 40.
The Jan 1st rule only makes sense if they require you to reach the specified minimum age for the age group on Jan 1st. So if you want to run in M40-44 in a given year, you have to be 40 on Jan 1st of the year.
If you were born later in the year, yes it means you could be competing in M35-49 after your 40th birthday. But at least anything you win would be well deserved since you’d be competing against younger athletes, unlike the other scenario where a 39 year-old runs against a set of forty-something athletes.
But I still think world records should be based on your actual age on the given day of the performance.
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