Eligibility:
- Born in Wales
or have at least one parent who is Welsh
or lived in Wales continuously for three years. - Must not have represented another nation for a period of at least three years prior to the Commonwealth Games.
- Hold a WTA licence.
- Should be able to produce evidence to support the above claim(s), if required.
NB The above criteria is set-out in the WTA constitution.
Selection Criteria:
- The athlete must be able to demonstrate a level of performance(s) that are readily recognisable as being 'Elite' performance level i.e., have raced at a GB, ETU or ITU drafting race within 18 months prior to the first selection race.
- The athlete must clearly demonstrate that they are capable of reaching the necessary standard to compete at the Commonwealth Games and be within a 5% (male) and 7.5% (female) of the finishing time of the winner at a designated pre-selection race if required.
- If the athlete is be able to provide this evidence then they will eligible to attend the selection races prior to the Commonwealth Games.
- The athlete must be able to avail themselves to any organised Commonwealth Games camp/training/testing/medical requirements set out by the WTA coaching and management. Athletes will be given at least three months prior notification regarding these requirements.
- Should an athlete have the misfortune to pull-up during the race for unforeseen reasons (bike crash!), then the 'Selection Panel' sighted below will come to a joint decision on whether they believe that athlete is of the standard to progress to the trial races later in the year.
- Any athlete interested in competing for Wales at the Commonwealth Games must notify the WTA National Coach (Chris Goulden) by January 31st, 2005.
Selection Process:
- The selection panel is made up of three representatives. The named selectors are:
- Chris Goulden (National coach)
- Commonwealth Games Team Manager
- A. N. Other
- The pre-selection will take place in GB between May and July for the athlete(s) required to meet the necessary standards. (see point 1 and 2 of selection criteria above).
Selection will be taken from one of the following and be announced by April, 2005 latest:- British National Championships
- Suitable European ITU/ETU race
- Selection will take place over two races between the period of July 2005 and September 2005.
There will be up to three male and three female positions available for Commonwealth Games selection. Although the final numbers of team representatives will be decided by the Commonwealth Games Committee for Wales. At present 4 athletes will be eligible for selection to represent Wales at the Games. - An athlete must be entered for both the selection races.
- The leading Welsh athlete (male and female) in the first race will be selected providing they are within 2% of the overall winners' time and placed within the top 5. Once selected they do not have to enter the second trial race.
- At the second trial race the athletes must achieve the same selection criteria as race one (point 5). The other one (or two, or three) team places will be based on the following criteria being achieved and are in order of importance :
- The highest achieved position in any of the races will be the decider.
- Their times will be recorded with regard to the winners' time. The closest to the race winners' time will be selected.
- If all is still equal, then the selection panel will make a decision based on the quality of the field(s) racing at any of the selection races.
PRE-SELECTION
An athlete can be selected for the Wales Commonwealth Games team if they are able to demonstrate a 'World Class' performance prior to the designated trial events.
The athlete must be able to show a top 10 position at an ITU World cup race, and be within 2% of the race winner's time. This criteria must be met at least one month prior to the first selection race.
An appeals panel will be set up within the WTA to listen to any disputed selections.
Chris Goulden. (October, 2004)