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Dec-10-2008
World Marathon Majors Revises Tie-Breaker Rules
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
In the wake of last month's vote by the five race directors of the World Marathon Majors (WMM) events to decide whether Ethiopia's Gete Wami or Germany's Irina Mikitenko would receive the $500,000 prize for the 2007/2008 points chase, changes will be made to the tie-breaker process.
"These new rules would go into effect with the 2009-2010 Series, set to begin in Boston on April 20, 2009," wrote the Boston Marathon's Marc Chalufour on behalf of the WMM. "The original rules will be used for the current 2008-2009 series."
Under the current and future program, should two athletes be tied on points after the conclusion of a two year series, the head-to-head records between those athletes shall break the tie. However, should the tie remain unbroken after the head-to-head record is examined --as it was between Wami and Mikitenko who were 1-1-- three new tie-breaking tests will be applied:
1. The person who has achieved his or her points in the fewest races.
2. The person who won the most qualifying races during the period.
3. The person with the fastest average time in their scoring races.
In the unlikely event that the two athletes remained tied after these four tests are applied, the race directors will then break the tie with a vote.
The point-scoring system for the WMM will remain unchanged. A first place finish is worth 25 points, while 15, 10, 5 and 1 points will be awarded for second, third, fourth and fifth place finishes, respectively. Athletes may compete in as many WMM events in a two year cycle as they like, but only their four best finishes will earn points. In addition, athletes must score points in both years of each cycle to be eligible for the overall WMM title.
In the 2007/2008 cycle, Wami and Mikiteno were tied with 65 points at the conclusion of the ING New York City Marathon last month. Wami defeated Mikitenko in Berlin in 2007 and Mikitenko defeated Wami in London in 2008 so, under the present rules, their tie had to be broken by a vote of the race directors. Had the new 2009-2010 rules been in place, Mikitenko would have been awarded the title because she scored her points in the fewest number of races: 3. Wami scored points in four events (she ran a total of six WMM events in two years).
With the 2008/2009 series half-way through, the points leaders are Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru with 40 points and Mikitenko with 50. The series resumes at the Boston Marathon on April 20.
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