For example, Rider A finishes sixth overall in 35 hours. Rider A is not currently qualified to race in RAAM. Rider B, 55-year old man, must finish within 125% of Rider A's time, i.e., 43 hours 45 minutes. However, if Rider C, also in his 50s and also non-qualified, finishes in 35:30, rider B must finish within 115% of rider B's time.

Rider D, a woman, wins the womens division in 30 hours. Rider D is not currently qualified for RAAM. Rider E, a 45-year old woman, must finish within 115% of the Rider D's time, i.e., or 34 hours 30 minutes.

2) 24-Hour Races
These are also non-drafting races. Support crews are not required; however, it is difficult to qualify without a support person to prepare and hand off food and water.

	Sebring 24-Hour	February	Florida
	Montello 24-Hour	April	Italy
	Davis 24-Hour	May	California
	Ultra Midwest 24-Hour	September	Iowa
	Desafio 24-Hour	November	Brazil

Qualifying Standard
Racing age is determined by birth year; i.e., everyone born in 1958 races as a 50-year old in 2008.

3) Team RAAM
Offical finishers of 2-person and 4-person Team RAAM are qualified to race in Solo RAAM

Race Calendar Dates and organizational contacts for each event.

Other Qualifying Opportunities
In addition the UMCA recognizes other opportunities to qualify for RAAM:

4) 1200 km randonnées
1200 km randonnées sanctioned by the Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM) or Audax Club Parisien (ACP) are drafting events with time limits, rather than non-drafting races. As such, they are neither sanctioned by nor supported by the UMCA. However, a 1200 km randonnée is a significant test of a rider's fitness and a rider may use an RM/ACP-sanctioned 1200 km to qualify for RAAM under the following conditions:

1. the rider is a current, annual member of the UMCA, and
2. before the 1200 km the rider informs the UMCA Chair for RAAM Qualifying   raam-qualifying @ ultracycling.com that the rider intends to use the 1200 km to attempt to qualify for RAAM, and
3. the rider meets the qualifying standard for a division:

5) British 24-Hour Championship
Although not sanctioned by nor supported by the UMCA, riders may use the British 24-Hour to qualify for RAAM under the following conditions:

1. the rider is a current, annual member of the UMCA, and
2. before the 24-hour the rider informs UMCA Chair for RAAM Qualifying   raam-qualifying @ ultracycling.com that the rider intends to use the 24-hour to attempt to qualify for RAAM, and
3. the rider meets the qualifying standard for a division:

British 24-Hour

July

Qualifying Standard
The same as for the 24-hour races (above).

6) Individual time trial
If a rider lives on a continent with no RAAM qualifier, then the rider may attempt to qualify in an individual 24-hour time trial officiated by the rider's national cycling federation. The rider must meet the following conditions:

1. the rider is a current, annual member of the UMCA, and
2. before the 24-hour time trial the rider informs the UMCA Chair for RAAM Qualifying   raam-qualifying @ ultracycling.com that the rider intends to use a 24-hour time trial to attempt to qualify for RAAM, and
3. the rider meets the qualifying standard for 24-hour races (above).

7) Invitation of the RAAM director
Based on a rider's cycling resume, the RAAM director may issue an invitation to compete in RAAM. The rider's resume must include cyling race results in the last three years, results which are significantly better than riders who qualify in RAAM qualifiers.

Race Calendar   Dates and organizational contacts for each event.

Questions? E-mail Sandy Whittlesey, UMCA Chair for RAAM Qualifying   the UMCA Chair for RAAM Qualifying   raam-qualifying @ ultracycling.com

Download Policy on Qualifying for RAAM.
Download Policy on Sanctioning RAAM Qualifiers.

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