Rankings FAQ

Have questions about your ranking or about how the rankings scoring is conducted? Check out these frequently asked questions to see if your concern is addressed.

Please click here to review your rankings as the season progresses for accuracy. If you feel that there is an error in your rankings click here to submit a Rankings Inquiry. All rankings inquiries must be submitted by February 1 in order to have your correct ranking appear in the spring issue of USA Triathlon Life magazine.  
 
How do I look up my results for this year?
Click here to visit the ranking web page. This page defaults to the "overall ranking" page which allows you to look up how you are doing compared to all other members in your age group.  To view your race results, click on the red "race results" tab at the top of the page. Here you can look up results by name, USAT member number, region, state, or race.  You can also see how you are doing compared elite athletes in your age group by checking the box next to "elite."

How was scoring calculated?
All USAT members that received a ranking in the prior season will be used as pacesetters in the following season.  The significance of the pacesetter system is to provide us with a “par” time for each event in the current season.  The “par” time is the projected time in which the fastest amatuer athlete could finish the race.

What is the equation?
The “par” time is calculated by taking each pacesetter’s finish time in the race multiplied by the pacesetter’s previous year's overall ranking divided by 100.  We then drop the top and bottom 20 percent of the calculated times and average the middle 60 percent in order to create a“par” time.  Now that the par time has been calculated, it can be used to calculate a ranking for every participant.  This is done by taking the “par” time in minutes divided by the member’s finishing time and then multiplied by 100.

If you have general questions regarding the rankings program, please visit our Rankings Criteria page or email Membership. 

When I search for my rankings using the Rankings Search option, one or more of my races are not included. How do I have that corrected?  Before submitting an inquiry, please go through the steps below. If after reading through those you feel there is an error, please contact Membership.

• Check the Event Calendar to ensure the event was in fact sanctioned.  If an event is not listed on the calendar, then it was not a sanctioned event and therefore, cannot be included in the National Rankings. 
• Did you compete in a relay?  You must have competed as an individual rather than a relay team member in order to be included in the rankings.
• Search for your rankings by entering your name only and type of race (Triathlon or Duathlon). Although you are asked to submit your annual membership number to all sanctioned races, sometimes results are submitted to USAT without them. If your race appears when you search by your name, but not when you search using your membership number, please notify Membership as soon as possible and not later that Februaury 1 of the following race year. 
• If you are searching using your name, did you enter the race using a nickname? If so, try search under that name.  If you results appear, please contact Membership and provide the name one your membership card and the name under which you raced. Your name must match your membership card exactly in order for the search engine to work appropriately. To prevent issues, the name on your USAT membership card should match the name you register with and what is on your photo ID.

How were All Americans chosen from the rankings? 
All American honors are given to the top five percent in each age group. The next five percent receive Honorable Mention honors. 

How many races did I need to compete in to be included in the annual rankings?
You must have competed in a minimum of three triathlons or two of any other multisport division (duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, or off-road triathlon ) in order to be ranked. Please note that each discipline is scored separately.  If you competed in more than the minimum number of required events, the average of your top three scores will be used to calculate your final ranking within the triathlon division and your top two scores within the duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike and off-road triathlon divisions. 

I competed in an event with a canoe leg; why does it not appear in my rankings?
Events with special disciplines (canoe, horseback, skiing, rafting, etc.) are not included in the rankings. 

I competed on a relay team at an event; why did that not count towards my ranking?
Relays are not ranked because of all of the different variances that occur. 

I finished first in my age group at an event; why did I not receive a score of 100?
All calculations were based on the “par” time. Calculations were based on a mathematical formula that computed the score based on information supplied by the race director. To find out more on how rankings are calculated, please visit the Rankings Criteria page. 

There is an error in one of my ranking scores, how do I get that remedied?
Please contact Membership as soon as you notice an error and no later than February 1 of the following race year. Please note: race directors have 3 weeks from the day of the event to submit results.  It then takes approximately 3-5 business for the results to be posted online (depending on the time of the season.)

How are the final scores tabulated?
Final scores will be determined by averaging your top three scores in triathlon or top two in duathlon and off-road triathlon after those numbers have been inverted.  (EXAMPLE:  A score of 85.98526 would actually be looked at as .0116299 for averaging purposes.)

What happens if a race is comprised of all new competitors?
If no pacesetters are available, the alternative ranking method uses the 2005 rankings model which looks at the number of race participants, distance and level of the race to determine a percentage of the lead amatuer athlete's time to use as par time for the race. Everyone is then compare against this par time.

The name I used when I registered for races is different than what I used when I became a USAT annual member. Is that why some of my races did not appear?
Yes.  Please contact Membership to have the correct name appear in your results. Commas and periods can mean a non-match in the system. If you used names in competition different than what appears on your membership card, this probably caused the resutls to not post under your account. Name matches have to be used since many races do not submit membership numbers on race results. Also, if you were married and/or your name changed during the season, please log into your account and update your information. You will be able to print a temporary card to use until it is time to renew your membership, or you can order a new card online. 

Who created the mathematical formula that was used to calculate the rankings?
The rankings formula was determined by the USA Triathlon Membership Services Department, the Age Group Commission, and members from several other advisor groups including the Women’s Commission, and the Senior Task Force.

Click here to review your rankings.