2022 Fixtures
UKA Fixture calendar can be found HERE.
Introduction
The Competition Working Group (CWG) was formed as one of the working groups tasked with delivering to the Athletics Unified strategy to ensure a collaborative approach across UK Athletics and the four Home Country Athletics Federations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
More information on the remit of the CWG can be found here www.uka.org.uk/competition/competition-strategy
Calendar planning is a key pillar of activity for the CWG. The following information is provided as an update on the process and progress on the calendar for January 2022 onwards.
The CWG will be holding webinars in the coming weeks to provider further updates, share current thinking and continue to consult with the wider athletics community. We do hope that competition providers, clubs, athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers alike will join us so please do look out for further details.
Background
The calendar planning process is a complex and challenging process.
The calendar and competition offer has evolved organically over time and not always in an integrated and collaborative way that underpins the athlete development model or taking account of the needs and resources of each discipline. This has led to congestion in provision in some areas with a lack of competition opportunities in others.
The recently launched UKA operational plan 2021-2032, outlines a discipline specific approach, looking at the independencies and combined requirements across coaching, officiating, competition, facilities, communication and commercial to support the achievement of the three goals agreed under the Athletics Unified strategy.
The HCAFs and our valued competition providers throughout the UK, will play an equally important role in delivering to these goals and therefore UKA and the HCAFs are work collaboratively to ensure that the management and delivery of the competition structure and calendar delivers a modernized competition offer that is easier to navigate, engages, excites, and motivates participation.
Therefore, it is important that the roles and responsibilities taken in this area by UKA and the HCAF are clearly defined, and we are now sharing what has been agreed with the athletics community.
Calendar Planning Principals
The following principles have been agreed and adopted by the HCAF and UKA
- It is accepted that the calendar is inextricable linked to the competition structure.
- UKA and the HCAFs cannot deliver and directly control all competition.
- Collaboration, co-operation, and clear communication with competition providers will be paramount.
- The evolving competition structures at a performance level will be informed by the outcomes required from competition, defined through the discipline specific strategy work.
- The structures at HCAFs should underpin the performance level by ensure both talent pathways and club participation are appropriately supported and accommodated.
- The calendar should be managed on a rolling four year basis linked to the Olympic and Paralympic cycles.
- As major championship dates can be flexible so the calendar should reflect this particularly in relation to dates of competition which support preparation for British Championships & Selection Trials and performances as World, European Championships and Commonwealth Games. These Events will be referred to as ‘Golden Thread Events’. The discipline specific approach will inform the ‘Golden Thread Events’ for each discipline / discipline group.
- The Calendar should be fully integrated across all track and field, off track endurance and para-athletics.
- A system of prioritisation of dates will be agreed and communicated to the sport.
- It is inevitable and unavoidable that there will be calendar clashes. It is recognised that this creates pressure on the limited capacity of officials, volunteers, and facilities. The evolving competition structure and licencing will provide an opportunity to better manage this and the principle of designating weekends for particular types of competition will be explored.
- The presentation of the calendar should help athletes and coaches to navigate their season with appropriate competition based on their needs.
- The principles will be reviewed annually and revised where appropriate by the competition working group.
Calendar Management – Prioritisation
Track and Field
The following prioritisation, for the allocation of dates, will be used for track and field.
The Competition Working Group has been collaborating across UKA & HCAFs for several months on the domestic calendar at levels 1-5 below. These dates have now been published. HCAFs have already started to discuss dates with competition providers at level 6 and below. The published domestic calendar will be updated in due course.
| Priority | Competition Type | Led By |
| 1 | Global and Continental Championships | UKA |
| 2 | UK Athletics Indoor Championships UK Athletics Championships Wanda Diamond League UK Athletics Indoor Grand Prix/ WA Continental Tour Gold British Athletics Cross Challenge Series |
UKA |
| 3 | Home Nation Championships | HCAFs |
| 4 | Golden Thread Events | UKA |
| 5 | Cross Border Competition – NAL, YDL, BMC, BMAF, BUCS | Competition Working Group |
| 6 | School Associations Regional/ District and Area Championships Counties Regional/District & Area Leagues |
HCAFs
|
| 7 | Open Events | HCAFs |
Off Track & Endurance
The CWG will liaise accordingly with those currently leading on the coordination of the competition calendar for Cross Country/Endurance and other off track endurance disciplines via the Endurance Subgroup in order to support the provision of a fully integrated calendar for the sport.
Para Athletics
UKA and HCAFs will liaise accordingly with those currently leading on the coordination of competition calendar for para athletic.
Calendar Management – Governance
The CWG will provide the oversight and sign-off of the calendar.
The following timeline will be followed for during 2021.
| Action | Lead | Deadline |
| Dates for Priorities 1 & 2 locked in | UKA | complete |
| Priority Level 3 fed into UKA by HCAFs | HCAFs | complete |
| CWG to map desired season structure & Level 3 dates locked in | CWG | complete |
| UKA to communicate and calendar circulated to Level 4 and 5 competition providers and gather proposed dates | CWG | complete |
| CWG review and dates locked in | CWG | In progress |
| Calendar published with priority levels 1-5 | UKA | Early Oct |
| HCAFs to communicate and circulate to Level 6 competition providers and gather proposed dates | HCAFs | End of Sept/early Oct |
| CWG review and dates locked in Level 6 events cleared to book venues | CWG | Mid of Oct |
| Calendar published with priority levels 1-6 | CWG | End of Oct |
| Further competition dates at Level 7 can be submitted for inclusion in the calendar, by competition providers, pending the introduction of appropriate technology to support this. | ||
Date conflicts for priority levels 6 and below which cannot be resolved by the HCAFs working with their respective competition providers will be referred to the CWG for a decision.
- The Working Group will appoint a 3 member commission to resolve the date conflict
- The commission will include a UKA Rep, relevant HCAF rep plus an independent
- Each party will have an opportunity to present their case using a standardised form to ensure all relevant and required information is captured.
2021 Fixtures
UKA Fixture calendar can be found HERE.
UKA Para Athletics Calendar can be found HERE.
A full list of Home Country competitions can be found at:
Also, please see the Power of 10 website.
If you have any fixture related queries please contact domesticcompetition@uka.org.uk