Start Group Selection
To help congestion on the course and ensure an enjoyable and safe race for everyone, we have a tried-and-tested start group process to match-up runners of similar abilities. You can request your start group at registration or anytime right up to midnight on March 12 2021.
UTA100 & UTA50
Start Group Request Process
UTA100 & UTA50
During registration you will be able to request a start group. Your choice is based on the four different seeding options explained below. Race organisers will approve or amend your start group request in mid-March of event year based upon information provided.
If you wish to start in the same start group as your friends, you should all request the same start group based on your slowest friend.
You can amend your start group request by logging back into your entry via the ‘User Profile’ button on Event Plus anytime prior to 11:59pm 12 March 2021. If you have ‘No Seeding’ selected, you will be assigned to the last start group.
In April a finalised list of allocated start groups will be posted on the UTA Runner List page. Standard entry transfers and late entry transfers will be allocated a suitable start group based upon the same seeding options.
Please ensure you start in your allocated start group on race day (this will be printed onto your race bib).
Whoops, skipped ahead to an earlier start group? you will automatically be disqualified. This cannot be contested.
Missed your start group? Your time will start from the start group, you started in. You will not be disqualified.
Seeding Options
1. USING ITRA PERFORMANCE INDEX RATINGS
The International Trail Running Association (ITRA) has a ranking system for runners. If you have completed an ITRA registered trail running race in the previous 36 months, you will have earned an ITRA Performance Index Rating and you may select the option ‘Using ITRA performance index ratings’ during online entry. Most major international and Australian trail running races including all Ultra-Trail World Tour events are registered with ITRA.
Read more
You can list your General ITRA Performance Index Rating during registration. Use your General ITRA Performance Index Rating and the ‘Start Group Times’ table below to help you choose a suitable start group request.
To check if you have completed an ITRA registered race and to check your General ITRA Performance Index Rating, go to the ITRA website. Type in your name and select your nationality. If a profile comes up for you, you will have an ITRA Performance Index Rating if your last race result was within the past 36 months. Check you only have one ITRA profile. If your year of birth or nationality was incorrect or your name was spelt differently in any previous run, you may have more than one ITRA profile. It is important to get multiple ITRA profiles / incorrect profiles combined into one that matches your exact name, nationality and year of birth in your Ultra-Trail Australia entry. To do this, you can sign up for a free ITRA account and then link your multiple ITRA profiles to your ITRA account. Refer to How to amend incorrect or multiple ITRA profiles. If you need assistance, you can email ITRA to request any required updates via contact@itra.run.
As ITRA Performance Index Ratings provide the most reliable, repeatable and simplest method to rank runners, it is the preferred method for start group seeding. Any trail running event can register with ITRA. If a trail run you have completed, or would like to compete in for your start group seeding is not registered with ITRA, please email that race director the following documents which explain how to register a trail running race with ITRA and the benefits of doing so. Race directors can view documents for Registering a Race with ITRA (for race directors) and How to Format Results for ITRA (for race directors).
Note that it can take 1 to 3 weeks for a race to finalise results, send the results to ITRA and for ITRA to allocate performance index ratings. So if you don’t currently have a General ITRA Performance Index Rating but would like to use this option for your seeding, your chosen ITRA registered race needs to be possibly 3 weeks prior to the 13th March to be used.
2. USE A RESULT IN A ROAD MARATHON OR HALF-MARATHON
If you have a race result in any official 42.2km road marathon, 21.1km road half-marathon or 42.2km IRONMAN marathon run leg from the past three years, you may select the option ‘Result in a road marathon or half-marathon’.
Read more
You can list the name of the race and provide a url directly to your online result certificate or directly to your result on the relevant official event website results page. Refer to the ‘Guideline to Estimate Suitable UTA100 Start Group from Half-Marathon, Marathon and Ironman Run Leg Results’ table below to help you choose a suitable start group request.
Please note that trail running results (ITRA Performance Index Ratings) are given a higher statistical importance than marathon or half marathon results and therefore generally translate to a slightly higher start group seeding for a given runner.
Please check that your full name in the official results is spelt identically to that used in your Ultra-Trail Australia registration. If not, our automated system will miss your result(s). If you have a different name (e.g. maiden name, nickname) or misspelled your name in a past result, you need to alert us during registration.
GUIDELINE TO ESTIMATE SUITABLE UTA100 START GROUP
| START GROUP | HALF MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | IRONMAN RUN LEG TIME (HH:MM) |
| Group 1 | 1:05-1:20 | 2:08-2:55 | 2:15-3:20 |
| Group 2 | 1:20-1:30 | 2:55-3:16 | 3:20-3:41 |
| Group 3 | 1:30-1:38 | 3:16-3:29 | 3:41-3:55 |
| Group 4 | 1:38-1:44 | 3:29-3:40 | 3:55-4:07 |
| Group 5 | 1:44-1:48 | 3:40-3:50 | 4:07-4:18 |
| Group 6 | 1:48-1:58 | 3:50-4:09 | 4:18-4:34 |
| Group 7 | 1:58-3:15 | 4:09-7:00 | 4:34-7:00 |
UTA50 GUIDELINE TO SUITABLE START GROUP
| START GROUP | HALF MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | IRONMAN RUN LEG TIME (HH:MM) |
| Group 1 | 1:00-1:26 | 2:08-3:55 | 2:15-3:31 |
| Group 2 | 1:26-1:36 | 3:08-3:27 | 3:31-3:52 |
| Group 3 | 1:36-1:43 | 3:27-3:39 | 3:52-4:05 |
| Group 4 | 1:43-1:50 | 3:39-3:52 | 4:05-4:17 |
| Group 5 | 1:50-1:55 | 3:52-4:03 | 4:17-4:31 |
| Group 6 | 1:55-2:06 | 4:03-4:28 | 4:31-4:54 |
| Group 7 | 2:06-3:15 | 4:28-7:00 | 4:54-7:00 |
3. MEMBERS OF SQUADRUN TRAINING GROUP
If you are a member of the SQUADRUN training group from January to March of the race year, and you don’t have a suitable other option from the above, you may select the option ‘Member of SQUADRUN training group’. The SQUADRUN coaches will have excellent knowledge of your trail running abilities and speed and will be able to seed you into an appropriate start group.
4. NO SEEDING
If you do not have any of the above three options; just select ‘No Seeding’ and you will be assigned to the last start group. You can also select this option if you have none of the above three options when you enter but are planning on completing one of the other options before March of the event year. Please make sure you log back into your entry by 11.59pm on March 12, 2021 and input your new information.
Start Group Times
UTA100 START GROUPS
| START GROUP | START TIME | EXPECTED POSITION IN FIELD | EXPECTED RACE TIME (HH:MM) | GUIDELINE OF ITRA RATING REQUIRED |
| Group 1 | 6:20am | Top 15% | 8:40 - 13:46 | 1000 - 573 |
| Group 2 | 6:27am | 15% - 30% | 13:46 - 15:25 | 573 - 511 |
| Group 3 | 6:56am | 30% - 42% | 15:25 - 16:36 | 511 - 475 |
| Group 4 | 7:06am | 42% - 54% | 16:36 - 17:37 | 475 - 447 |
| Group 5 | 7:21am | 54% - 66% | 17:37 - 18:31 | 447 - 427 |
| Group 6 | 7:37am | 66% - 83% | 18:31 - 20:18 | 427 - 388 |
| Group 7 | 7:54am | 83% - 100% | 20:18 - 28 | 388 - 0 |
UTA50 START GROUPS
| START GROUP | START TIME | EXPECTED POSITION IN FIELD | EXPECTED RACE TIME (HH:MM) | GUIDELINE OF ITRA RATING REQUIRED |
| Group 1 | 6:32am | Top 15% | 4:10- 6:35 | 1000 - 529 |
| Group 2 | 6:39am | 15% - 30% | 6:35 - 7:16 | 529 - 481 |
| Group 3 | 7:01am | 30% - 42% | 7:16 - 7:47 | 481 - 449 |
| Group 4 | 7:16am | 42% - 54% | 7:47 - 8:17 | 449 - 422 |
| Group 5 | 7:31am | 54% - 66% | 8:17 - 8:48 | 422 - 398 |
| Group 6 | 7:46am | 66% - 83% | 8:48 - 9:54 | 398 - 353 |
| Group 7 | 8:02am | 83% - 100% | 9:54 - 13:30 | 353 - 0 |
UTA22 & UTA11
Start Group Choice
UTA22 & UTA11
In the online entry process, you will choose to start in one of five start groups. Base your choice of start group on your running ability and be realistic in your choice.
If you wish to start in the same start group as your friends, you should all choose the same start group which suits the slowest friend’s running ability.
Use the ‘UTA11 Start Groups’ table combined with the ‘Guideline to Estimate Suitable UTA11 Start Group’ table below to assist you to make a suitable start group choice. Things which will assist you to choose a suitable start group are a General ITRA Performance Index Rating (refer below for explanation), a half marathon time or a Parkrun time. If you have none of these, think about doing an ITRA registered trail running race, a half marathon or a Parkrun prior to March to help guide you.
The International Trail Running Association (ITRA) has a ranking system for runners. View ITRA details here.
The Pre Race Info page has the Runner Start List which shows your chosen start group. Your chosen start group will also be printed on your race number. All standard entry transfers and late entry transfers will also be able to choose a suitable start group.
Amending your Start Group
You can amend your start group choice by logging back into your entry via the ‘User Profile’ button. You will not be able to amend your start group choice online after midnight March 12 2021.
You must start in your chosen start group on race day as shown on your race number or you will be automatically disqualified by the timing system. Your race time is based upon the start time of your specific start group.
Start Group Times
UTA22 START GROUPS
| START GROUP | START TIME | EXPECTED POSITION IN FIELD | EXPECTED RACE TIME (HH:MM) | GUIDELINE OF ITRA RATING REQUIRED |
| Group 1 | 6:20am | Top 16% | 1:40 - 2:54 | 1000 - 465 |
| Group 2 | 6:30am | 16% - 32% | 2:54 - 3:17 | 465 - 412 |
| Group 3 | 7:00am | 32% - 48% | 3:17 - 3:38 | 412 - 373 |
| Group 4 | 7:30am | 48% - 64% | 3:38 - 4:02 | 373 - 335 |
| Group 5 | 8:00am | 64% - 80% | 4:02 - 4:36 | 335 - 293 |
| Group 6 | 8:30am | 80% - 100% | 4:36 - 6:45 | 293 - 0 |
UTA22 GUIDELINE TO SUITABLE START GROUP
| START GROUP | GUIDELINE | HALF MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | PARKRUN RACETIME |
| Group 1 | Run the course | 1:00 - 1:40 | 14 - 22 minutes |
| Group 2 | Mostly run the course | 1:40 - 1:52 | 22 - 24 minutes |
| Group 3 | Mostly run/jog the course | 1:52 - 2:02 | 24 - 26 minutes |
| Group 4 | Mostly jog the course | 2:02 - 2:12 | 26 - 28 minutes |
| Group 5 | Mostly job/walk the course | 2:12 - 2:25 | 28 - 33 minutes |
| Group 6 | Mostly walk the course | 2:25 - 4:10 | 33 - 50 minutes |
UTA11 START GROUPS
| START GROUP | START TIME | EXPECTED POSITION IN FIELD | EXPECTED RACE TIME (HH:MM) | GUIDELINE OF ITRA RATING REQUIRED |
| Group 1 | 11:00am | Top 20% | 0:50 - 1:39 | 1000 - 452 |
| Group 2 | 11:20am | 20% - 40% | 1:39 - 1:57 | 452 - 395 |
| Group 3 | 11:40am | 40% - 60% | 1:57 - 2:12 | 395 - 340 |
| Group 4 | 12:00pm | 60% - 80% | 2:12 - 2:35 | 340 - 293 |
| Group 5 | 12:20pm | 80% - 100% | 2:35 - 3:30 | 293 - 0 |
UTA11 GUIDELINE TO SUITABLE START GROUP
| START GROUP | GUIDELINE | HALF MARATHON TIME (HH:MM) | PARKRUN RACETIME |
| Group 1 | Mostly run the course | 1:00 - 1:44 | 14 - 22:30 minutes |
| Group 2 | Mostly run/jog the course | 1:44 - 1:58 | 22:30 - 25 minutes |
| Group 3 | Mostly jog the course | 1:58 - 2:10 | 25 - 27:30 minutes |
| Group 4 | Mostly job/walk the course | 2:10 - 2:25 | 27:30 - 33 minutes |
| Group 5 | Mostly walk the course | 2:25 - 4:10 | 33 - 50 minutes |
