Dear Members,

As we gear up for the 2025/26 season, we’re excited to share key updates from LANSW Northern Rivers Zone Coordinator to ensure a smooth and exciting experience for all athletes, coaches, and families. Below is a summary of what’s staying the same and what’s changing.

What’s Staying the Same

• Membership Rules & Affiliation Types: No changes here—our core membership structure remains intact.
• State Championship Structure: The format and specifications for state championships will continue as before.
• Parallel Walks & Hurdle Events: These events will be maintained as part of our program.
• LANSW Rules of Competition (RoC): We’ll continue using the LANSW RoC as the foundation for our events.
• Progressions & Entries: Progressions for ages 8s–12s and direct entry for 16s, 17s, and U20s remain unchanged.

What’s Changing

We’re introducing some updates to align with modern standards and improve the competition experience:

Naming Conventions

• Now aligned with Athletics Australia (AA) standards:
  • Example: 6s (born 2020), 7s (born 2019).
  • The “U” prefix is removed for all age groups except U20s.
  • Apostrophes are no longer used in age group names (e.g., 12s, not U12’s).

Walks Events

• Starting in the 2025/26 season, athletes can compete in both the 1500mW and 3000mW at the state championships, offering more opportunities to shine.

State Championship Progression (13s–15s)

• Zone to Region: Progression follows past LANSW practice.
• Region to State:
  • The top 2 athletes from each region qualify directly for the state championships.
  • The next best 8 athletes will be selected based on results from:
    • Any of the 8 regional championships.
    • ANY state or World Athletics (WA) meet held in NSW between October 1 and mid-February.
    • ANY interstate or national permit meet (by application).

Rules of Competition (RoC) Updates

• Jumps & Throws: Athletes will now receive 3+1 attempts from zone championships upwards.
• Start Rules: From regional championships onwards, start rules will align with World Athletics standards.
• Video Evidence: Referees can now review video evidence before ruling on protests, ensuring fairer outcomes.
• Coles Patches: No more sewing on Coles patches—streamlining uniforms for all!

Zone Entries

• Entries for zone championships will now be managed through Revsport starting this season. Stay tuned for more details on how to navigate this system.

We’re committed to keeping you informed as we roll out these changes. If you have questions, please reach out to our club or check our website for updates.