Qualifying for the Team

Open Athletes Qualifying Process

Open Athletes qualify for the team by competing at the Team Qualifying Races (In 2012 there are two one qualifying races, one for men, one for women). The team will then head to Ponte di Legno, Italy to compete in the 28th Annual World Mountain Running Championships on September 2nd.

Team manager Nancy Hobbs, Colorado Springs, CO, team leader Richard Bolt, San Jose, CA, team manager for the juniors Paul Kirsch, Madison, NH, and women’s team manager Ellen Miller, Vail, CO will accompany the team to Italy.

Men’s Qualifying Race – Mount Washington Road Race

The men will qualify on Saturday June 16th at the Mount Washington Road Race, which serves as the 2012 USA Mountain Running Championships. The top 6 Men who are USATF Members and US Citizens will qualify for the 2012 Mountain Running Team. Mount Washington requires you to contact them before March 15th to bypass the lottery as an elite athlete. Visit the contact page at the race website to learn more.

Women’s Qualifying Race – The Loon Mountain Race

The women will qualify on Sunday July 8th at the Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH. The top 4 women who are USATF Members and US Citizens will qualify for the 2012 Mountain Running Team. Please visit the race website to learn more about this race. The Loon race was founded in 2006 by Paul Kirsch, Dave Dunham and Richard Bolt, who were looking to design a European-style course for a mountain team qualifier. It served as one of the qualifiers for the men in 2006. The race is now entering it’s 8th year and is organized by Acidotic Racing, who took over the race from the White Mountain Milers this year.

Junior Mountain Team Qualifying Information

Junior team members should see the bottom of this page for complete info on how to qualify. They are not required to compete at the Qualifier races although it is encouraged to help provide them with mountain running experience. To learn more about qualifying for the 2012 Junior Team, please contact Junior Team Manager Paul Kirsch at pkirsch2 at gmail.com. Deadline for submitting resumes is end of June.

The junior men’s team includes a maximum of four runners with the top three scoring. The junior women’s team is comprised of a maximum of three runners with the top two scoring. Junior team members are not required to compete at the Qualifier races although it is encouraged to help provide them with mountain running experience.

Junior runners should submit a running “resume” including personal bests and noteworthy performances. Junior men should have a 16:45 or better 5 km road or XC time and Junior women should have a time of 19:30 or better. Equivalent times from alternate race distances will be considered. In addition Junior’s must supply a letter of recommendation from a parent/guardian or coach. All runners must be current USATF members and US Citizens.

Age Requirements Junior athletes must be between the ages of 15 and 19 on December 31, 2012 to be eligible.