CPISRA RACERUNNING DEVELOPMENT PLAN

CPISRA RACERUNNING DEVELOPMENT PLAN

FOREWARD RaceRunning is a track athletics event for athletes with severe physical impairment. CPISRA has been working with its members for the last decade to try and establish RaceRunning as a World Para-Athletics event. This goal was achieved in October 2017, when WPA & CPISRA issued a press release stating that WPA would recognise RaceRunning as an athletics event from 1st January 2018, and agreed that the event could be included in the WPA European Championships 2018. World Para Athletics became responsible for the Rules & Regulations of RaceRunning from 1st January 2018. When the evidence-based classification system has been ratified, WPA will be responsible for all aspects of the RaceRunning elite Paralympic pathway. This does not mean CPISRA will no longer be involved in the development of RaceRunning. This paper outlines what this role will be. CPISRA s role will continue to be crucial to increasing participation and geographic expansion. Craig Carscadden CPISRA Head of Development 2

CONTENTS FOREWORD.. Page 2 INTRODUCTION... Page 4 MAKING IT HAPPEN (MANAGEMENT SUMMARY). Page 5 1. Developing RaceRunning Awareness & Coaching Material. Page 5 2. Equipment Manufacturing... Page 6 3. Regional Camps.. Page 7 4. Regional Championships... Page 7 5. CPISRA Competition Pathway.. Page 8 6. Classification.... Page 9 7. Rules & Regulations.... Page 10 8. World Records & Rankings.... Page 10 9. Other Impairment Groups... Page 11 GLOSSARY OF TERMS... Page 12 3

INTRODUCTION This report is designed to make the direction of RaceRunning clear for the next 4 years. As a recognised World Para Athletics event, as of 1st January 2018, CPISRA s involvement in RaceRunning will change. CPISRA s involvement will focus on recreation, competitions up to CPISRA World Games, and distance events including road races. CPISRA will continue to develop and promote both recreation and competition participation, including providing competitions up to the level of the World CPISRA Games. World Para Athletics will be responsible for the Paralympic Pathway, and will be the Governing body for RR1, RR2, & RR3 classes or any new WPA classes created after the classification research is completed. Our Vision: For RaceRunning to become one of the highest participation disability sports and recreational activities for people with Cerebral Palsy, and related neurological conditions. Our Mission: a. To introduce RaceRunning to all regions of the world. b. To grow grassroots participation to enable RaceRunning to become a sustainable Para Athletics event. c. To work in Partnership with World Para-Athletics to develop RaceRunning, and for RaceRunning to become the most popular Para Athletics event amongst spectators. d. To provide international development competitive opportunities for athletes with Cerebral Palsy and related neurological conditions. 4

MAKING IT HAPPEN (MANAGEMENT SUMMARY) The CPISRA International RaceRunning committee will be responsible for undertaking and implementing CPISRA s role. The role will be delivered in partnership with it s members and other key stakeholders. It will develop an implementation plan to be reviewed at 6 monthly intervals. This plan will be delivered in line with key objectives, and in accordance with it s vision and mission. CPISRA will do this by: 1. DEVELOPING RACERUNNING AWARENESS AND COACHING MATERIAL As part of CPISRA/ WPA transitional plan, CPISRA will develop coaching material for elite RaceRunning athletes. After this manual is finalised, the responsibility for delivering this coaching material will be the responsibility of WPA, NPCs and Nation Athletics Federations, supported by CPISRA. CPISRA will develop RaceRunning Awareness courses, and material, for coaching new and development athletes. Responsibility for delivering this will be that of the Head of Development, supported by the RaceRunning Committee. The first of these presentations will be at the CPISRA World Games. 5

CPISRA recognise that the manufacture of running frames was a potential block to growth of the event. To minimise the impact of this, CPISRA will initially focus this roll out on quick wins where there is a known stock of RaceRunning frames, and success could be achieved relatively quickly and with minimum effort. CPISRA identified a number of potential hubs. These are outlined below: Ireland / Jersey / Scotland / England Denmark / Scandinavia / Finland / Baltic Countries/ Russia Hungary/ Czech Republic /Austria Portugal / Spain/Tunisia/ Morocco Holland / Belgium / Germany/ Poland It is planned that these courses will be rolled out between August 2018 and May 2019. After this initial roll out CPISRA will start to roll out this course in other geographical areas, and also plan to put the course online. 2. EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CPISRA recognise that the lack of RaceRunning frame manufacturers, and the cost of the frames could be blockers in the development of the event worldwide. CPISRA will set up a working group to indentify the issues relating to equipment i.e. supply, demand, cost, safety, as well as scoping of current equipment suppliers and providers. This group will include current RaceRunning manufacturers and distributors, as well as RaceRunning Committee members and WPA. CPISRA will also work in partnership with WPA to explore the development of a low cost RaceRunning frame, similar to the Agitos funded project, that developed a low cost Racing Wheelchair. 6

3. REGIONAL CAMPS CPISRA acknowledges the importance the Danish RaceRunning Camp played in developing RaceRunning, and hope to work with members and other stakeholders to deliver such camps in other geographical regions. It is envisaged that these camps will be rolled out from January 2020, with an initial focus on South America, and Asia. 4. REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CPISRA believe that RaceRunning camps can be used as a catalyst for the development of Regional Competitions, and aim to deliver Regional Championships e.g. CPISRA European RaceRunning Championships in line with CPISRA competition pathway. 7

5. CPISRA RACERUNNING COMPETITION PATHWAY CPISRA will offer competitive opportunities for all athletes and classifications. This pathway will develop over time, to allow all athletes to experience competition up to the level of CPISRA international competitions. The CPISRA pathway will also allow all athletes to compete across distances that are not included in World Para Athletics events. CPISRA CPISRA World Games CPISRA World RaceRunning Championships CPISRA Regional RaceRunning Championships CPISRA Member Competitions and Events 8

The CPISRA World Games will be held every 4 years from 2018. Likewise, the CPISRA European RaceRunning Championships will be held every 4 years from 2019, and the CPISRA World RaceRunning Championships will also be held every 4 years from 2020. CPISRA aim to have an Americas RaceRunning Championship, and an Asian RaceRunning Championship by 2021. 6. CLASSIFICATION The current CPISRA classification system will be operational until the end of 2018. Following this, an evidence-based classification system will be introduced under World Para Athletics. Beyond the introduction of the new World Para Athletics classification system, CPISRA classifiers may still be required for the classification of non-wpa classes included at CPISRA international competitions. CPISRA will no longer train classifiers, but instead work in partnership with WPA to fulfil this need. It is envisaged that some WPA classifiers will also be designated CPISRA classifiers. CPISRA will continue to keep and maintain a classification master list for non-wpa classifications. These classes are likely to be RR1* and RR4. RR1* will be those athletes that fall within the most severe end of the RR1 classification spectrum. This will not be a separate class or sub-class, but will be those RR1 athletes who require assistance to compete within this class. This assessment will be made at the technical assessment phase of the classification process. This distinction will only apply to competitions within the CPISRA competition pathway. RR4 will be for those athletes with Cerebral Palsy, and related neurological conditions, who don t meet the minimum disability criterion for the WPA RaceRunning classification. The only criterion for this class, is that the athlete must meet the minimum disability criterion for the ambulant 30 classes, in the WPA classification rule book. This class will only be able to compete in CPISRA competitions, and only in track events over 800m and road races. Beyond 2018, the role of CPISRA RaceRunning Head of Classification will still continue, and will be required to sit on the International RaceRunning Committee. 9

7. RULES AND REGULATIONS CPISRA will use the WPA rule book. CPISRA will create additional rules for the more severe RR1 athletes. These will include allowing these athletes to have 2 lanes, and an assistant to help the athlete steer the frame as they go down the track. 8. WORLD RECORDS & RANKINGS As of 1 st January 2019, WPA athletics will be responsible for the World Records & Ranking for the classes identified by the CPISRA sponsored research. This research is due to be published by November 2018. As a result of the new classification system the current WR may have to be archived. This decision will be the responsibility of WPA. If the records are archived, CPISRA will maintain an archive copy of the records as a historical record of RaceRunning development CPISRA will maintain records and rankings for RR4 athletes, and for the equivalent of RR1 assistance. The process for maintaining these records will mirror the WPA process, and these records and rankings will be the responsibility of the RaceRunning technical officer. 10

9. OTHER IMPAIRMENT GROUPS CPISRA s function is to provide sporting and recreational opportunities for athletes with Cerebral Palsy, and related neurological conditions. CPISRA s approach to RaceRunning will be no different, and will focus on this impairment group. CPISRA is aware that other impairment groups may wish to participate in RaceRunning either as a recreational activity, or, as a competitive athletics event. CPISRA will support this by raising awareness, and providing information. However, CPISRA will not work to develop classification systems and competition pathways for other impairment groups. Going forward this is now a role for other International Disability Sports Organisations, and World Para- Athletics. 11

GLOSSARY OF TERMS WPA CPISRA NPC RR CP World Para- Athletics Cerebral Palsy Sport and Recreation Association National Paralympic Committee RaceRunning Cerebral Palsy 12