USAT AAC

Following please find a DRAFT of USAT's qualification criteria for
2006 Triathlon Worlds - note this is not final yet. Please let the
AAC know if you have any concerns or suggested edits to the document
by Monday, Jan. 23rd. USAT will take our comments into consideration
before finalizing this criteria.

Thanks,
Alison and the AAC
AlisonAAC@yahoo.com
_______________

2006 ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ELITE TEAM SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Introduction

This 2006 ITU World Championships Elite Team Selection Criteria
(the "Criteria") will be used to determine which athletes will
represent the United States in the 2006 ITU World Championships in
Lausanne, Switzerland on September 2-3, 2006 (the "World
Championships"). It is designed to require athletes to demonstrate
proven international performance excellence and to consistently
demonstrate their abilities at the highest levels of international
triathlon competition.

Under ITU World Championships eligibility guidelines, the USA may
send up to a total of six (6) men and six (6) women to compete in
the elite division of the 2006 ITU World Championships. However, if
not enough men or women, or both, satisfy the applicable
requirements herein, USAT shall not be obligated to send a complete
team.

PLEASE NOTE:
ITU reserves the right to draw up the final start list according to
ITU World cup Ranking and ITU Points. They limit the start list to
no more than 80 competitors and only athletes with a high enough
ranking will be allotted a start.

2. Automatic Nominations

a. Subject to the eligibility requirements set forth
herein, an automatic nomination to the 2006 World Championships
Elite Team (referred to as the "World Championships Elite Team")
will be awarded to any athlete who medaled at the 2005 World
Championships (Gamagori, Japan) provided that he/she is currently
competing on the ITU World Cup Circuit and is demonstrating a
consistent level of top ten (10) capabilities during the 2006
season, with at lease two (2) top ten finishes during the 2006 ITU
World Cup Circuit. If an athlete can't or won't participate in
designated events (any 2 World Cup Races) or fails to meet these
ongoing requirements, he or she may forfeit the automatic
nomination. An athlete may be exempted by USAT from this
requirement due to injury or lengthy illness, as long as the athlete
can demonstrate to USAT's satisfaction that (i) the injury/illness
has prevented or significantly limited the athlete's ability to
compete, and (ii) the athlete is likely to have a level of fitness
appropriate to compete at a high level at the World Championships,
as determined by the National Teams Program Director, the Athletes
Advisory Council Chair and the chair of the USAT Medical Committee.

b. In addition, and subject to the eligibility
requirements set forth herein, the first USA finisher at each of the
Selection Events detailed below will be awarded an automatic
nomination to the World Championships Elite Team, provided, all of
the following supplementary criteria are met:

1. The athlete earning selection via a World Cup selection
event must be ranked in the Top 75 of the 2006 ITU World Cup
Rankings on July 30th 2006.
2. The athlete earning selection via a Continental Cup
selection event must be ranked in the Top 125 of the ITU Points list
on July 30th 2006 or earn at least 400 points between (and
including) June 24th and July 30th 2006 in order to have their
nomination ratified;
3. The athlete must finish in the Top 15 of the World Cup
Selection Events (within the cutoff time) or Top 8 of the
Continental Cup Selection Event (within the cutoff time). If an
athlete has already achieved an automatic nomination, the next USA
athlete to finish will receive the automatic nomination, provided
he/she also finished in the Top 15 of the Selection Event. No more
than one male and one female athlete will receive an automatic
nomination per Selection Event. If no USA athletes finish in the
Top 15 of a World Cup Selection Event or top 8 of the Continental
Cup Selection Event, or if no athlete otherwise qualifies for an
automatic nomination at the Selection Event (i.e. all Top 15
finishers already have an automatic nomination, top 15 finishers are
ranked outside the top 75), then no automatic nomination will be
made from the respective Selection Event.

4. Selection Events:

SELECTION EVENT Location Date
World Cup # 1 Madrid, Spain June 4, 2006
ITU Continental Cup Long Beach, CA June 24, 2006
World Cup # 2 Edmonton, Canada July 9, 2006

3. Nominations of Additional Athletes

The remaining spots on the World Championships Elite Team will be
filled based on the following rankings, subject to the eligibility
criteria set forth herein. In the event that these rankings and the
respective criteria do not lead to a full team for the World
Championships Elite Team, USAT shall not be obligated to sent a
complete team to the 2006 ITU World Championships:

a. The athlete's aggregate score of his/her BEST 3 ITU World
Cup finishes during 2006 (provided the athlete finishes within the
allotted time cutoff) will be added together to determine a 2006
World Cup Score, with each placing equaling 1 point (e.g., a 15th
place finish = 15 points, a 9th place finish = 9 points, etc.). The
remaining World Championships Elite Team slots will be sequentially
filled from lowest aggregate score to highest aggregate score
following the final Selection Event, subject to the eligibility
criteria set forth herein. Any ITU World Cup performance that
occurs after July 30th (Salford World Cup) will not be counted.

b. In the case of a tie among two or more athletes having the
same aggregate score, the athlete with the best World Cup finish,
will be awarded the nomination to the team. If same two or more
athletes have the same World Cup finish, the slot will be awarded to
the athlete with the highest World Cup Ranking on July 30th 2006.

c. An athlete must achieve an ITU World Cup Ranking of 100 on
July 30th 2006 to be eligible for addition to the World
Championships Elite Team under Section 3 of this document.

4. Selection Eligibility

a. To be eligible for the World Championships Elite Team, each
athlete must be eligible under all applicable rules of ITU, the U.S.
Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and USAT. In addition, each athlete
must be a member of USAT in good standing.

b. At the time of the 2006 ITU World Championships, the athlete
must demonstrate a level of fitness appropriate to compete at a high
level at the 2006 ITU World Championships, as determined by the NTPD
and the chair of the USAT Medical Committee.

5. Additional Requirements for Selection.

All athletes selected to the World Championships Elite Team will be
required to comply with all applicable rules and requirements of
ITU, WADA, USADA, and USAT, namely, and without limitation, each
athlete selected to the World Championship Elite Team shall:

a. Sign and abide by the USAT's Code of Conduct, any USAT or
ITU Wavier or Release, and conform to all USAT policies and protocol
regarding World Championship Elite Team preparation and
participation;

b. Agree not to race any event longer than a standard triathlon
distance (1.5km/40km/10km) between the period beginning six (6)
weeks prior to the date of the World Championships through the date
of the World Championships.

c. Agree to stay in lodging as a team for the ITU World
Triathlon Championships. All travel and accommodation arrangements
will be coordinated by the NTP Director and the NTP Administrative
Manager.

6. World Championships Elite Team Final Selection

Following the final selection date (July 30th 2006), all World
Championships Elite Team nominations will be reviewed by USAT's
National Teams Program Director and the Elite Athlete Selection
Committee to ensure compliance with all requirements set forth
herein. USAT may withhold a nomination if the NTPD and the Elite
Athlete Selection Committee find that an athlete has not satisfied
the requirements.

7. Submission of Entries

USAT will submit all entries for the competition to ITU 30 days
prior to ITU World Championships 2006.

8. Dismissal from World Championships Elite Team

Any athlete may be dismissed from the World Championship Elite Team
at any time following an appropriate hearing in compliance with the
Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports and USOC Bylaws if (i) the
athlete violates any of the applicable ITU, USAT or other rules and
regulations applicable to the World Championship Elite Team or its
members, including without limitation applicable Codes of Conduct;
(ii) injury or illness as certified by a USAT Medical Committee
member in consultation with USAT's (National Teams Program Director,
the athlete's coach, and the World Championship Elite Team Head
Coach ), which prevents the athlete from high level participation in
and/or preparation for the World Championships; or (iii) the
National Team Director, in consultation with the athlete's coach and
the World Championship Elite Team Head Coach, determines that the
athlete is unable or unwilling to maintain a training regimen that
is necessary for peak performance in the World Championships.

9. Replacements To World Championship Elite Team

If, for any reason, a position on the World Championship Elite Team
shall become vacant, such vacancy shall roll down to the next
qualified athlete (according to section 3 of this document –
Nomination of Additional Athletes), provided that the replacement
athlete meets all applicable Selection Criteria requirements set
forth herein, agrees to the Additional Requirements for Selection,
and such replacement is allowed by the ITU. In the event that there
is no athlete that meets all of these criteria, or the ITU does not
allow replacement, the vacancy shall not be filled.

10. International Disclaimer

These Selection Criteria are based on the latest information
available to USAT and are based on ITU and USAT rules and
regulations as presently known and understood. Any change in the
selection procedures caused by a change in ITU or USAT rules and
regulations or other unforeseen circumstances will be distributed to
the affected athletes promptly, and USAT reserves the right to
revise these Selection Criteria in such event.

11. ITU Qualification Criteria for World championships (Taken
Directly from ITU document).

ITU Qualification for World Championships will be:

a. ITU World Cup Rankings: the top fifty (50) ranked athletes
twenty- one (21) days prior to the date of the Championships will
qualify for ITU world Championships.
b. ITU Points List: The next twenty (20) slots will be taken
from ITU Points list twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of the
event will qualify. (Athletes qualified already by ITU World cup
Ranking will not be eligible).
c. The final five (5) spots will be for invitations, changes to
world Cup or ITU Points list after twenty-one (21) day cut off or
will be returned to the World Cup Ranking fourteen (14) days prior
to the event.
d. Maximum six (6) per country.

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posted by andy  # 1:49 PM