Montana Cup Vision Statement

The Montana Cup cross-country meet offers an exploration of Montana’s vast & magnificent open spaces: the racecourse is a new discovery for participants. It is not a road race, nor is it an ultra-endurance trail run. It is a team race, which brings together runners from all of Montana’s cities for competition, racing across country, for the glory of claiming a “traveling trophy” - the Montana Cup.

The Montana Cup’s underlying mission is to unite the state’s widespread runners & running communities, to foster continued training & racing among Montana runners of all ages, and to leave each participant thinking “that course was excellent, exciting & beautiful!”

Montana Cup Rules

These rules were established to provide the event’s direction, design, & consistency.

1.         Host city will be selected from the following rotating schedule:

                              Helena - Bozeman - Billings - Great Falls - Kalispell - Butte - Missoula.

·   A city may forgo its turn to host in which case the next in the rotation may host.

2.         Host city/organization shall retain all of the races’ financial proceeds or absorb all losses.

·   Host will produce & release (to subsequent hosts) a profit / loss statement for the event.

·   Host is responsible for organization, promotion & staging expenses incurred by race officials.

·   Host will inherit (at no charge) all surplus jerseys from the previous host. This rule is possible because, in 2003, Billings' Yellowstone Rim Runners absorbed the total cost of the excess supply of jerseys (~$1200) as a donation to the Montana Cup.  The same year, Billings’ team color was switched from purple to black with the agreement that all those currently owning a purple jersey may trade (at no additional cost to the runner) with any subsequent host for a new black jersey.

3.         Men’s & women’s races shall be run separately but over the same course, starting about mid-day on the weekend [1 Nov 08] following the state high school meet.  Men race first only during odd years.

4.         The following racecourse specifications are required: 

·         Shelter & toilet(s) will be provided for runners at start & finish area(s).

·         Between 5 & 8 kilometers in distance, marked in kilometers, and safety & directional markings are obvious.

·         Host shall produce & distribute a course map on race-day.

5.         Seven standing teams will exist, representing Montana’s largest cities (see below in #7). A runner must compete for the city that he/she lives in or geographically nearest to. 

6.         Each scoring runner must be a current Montana resident & must not be a member of a collegiate running team (‘Red-Shirt’ or otherwise).  Non-resident/ collegiate runners may enter to run unaffiliated, but they will not be eligible for scoring or prizes.

7.              The price of an official team jersey with MT Cup logo shall be included in the entry fee, but entrants already possessing an official uniform shall not be required to purchase a new uniform. Team colors shall be:

·         Billings – Black

·         Bozeman – Gold

·         Butte – Green

·         Great Falls – Red

·         Helena – Blue

·         Kalispell – White

·         Missoula – Maroon

·         Unaffiliated - Purple

8.        Each master and junior competitor must be able to verify her or his age. Masters (40+ years) must compete with an "M" on the back of race jersey. Juniors (19 and under) must complete with a "J" on jersey back.

9.         Each team's organizer(s) shall be reimbursed a sum equal to his/her entry fee, provided he/she competes as part of a scoring team (5 or more scoring runners).  Host may grant additional incentives.

10.         Scoring: Individual places of each team’s top 5 runners will be totaled, and low team score wins.  Team scoring ties will be decided by the placing of each team’s 6^th runner.  If one of the tied teams does not have a 6th runner, that team automatically loses the tie.  If none of the tied teams has a 6^th runner, the lowest combined team time will decide the tie, and if teams are still tied to the nearest second, then the place of each team’s 5^th runner will decide the tie.  There will be no limit on individuals per team, & top 7 are not declared prior to racing.  A team’s 6^th & 7^th runners can increase other teams’ scores by displacement.  Additional team runners (8^th, 9^th, 10^th...), all unaffiliated runners, & all teams with less than 5 scoring runners will be removed from scoring.

11.       Runners may only be disqualified, or removed from team scoring, by ruling of the “MT Cup Jury”  (comprised of at least 3 impartial team organizers as named by Meet Director) for:

·         Lying on his or her entry form.

·         Any action that results in an unfair advantage, or the wrongful impedance of another runner.

·         Any action deemed unsportsmanlike.

·         Not racing in an official team jersey with MT Cup logo (MT Cup Jury will remove offender(s) from team scoring if it was reasonable to expect that a jersey could have been worn).

12.       Race results (team) will be confidential until announced at the awards ceremony.

13.       Open team champions will be awarded the Montana Cup. Masters' team champions will win the Masters' Cup. Youth team champions will win the Cyppee Cup. Any individuals youth awards must not be cash or exceed $20 in value due to MHSA eligibility rules.