London Marathon Club Ballot Place

Every club affiliated to England Athletics (EA) has the ability to apply to TCS London Marathon to be included in the Club Ballot process. Mersey Tri usually has approx. 45 EA members with Mersey Tri as their first claim club, and therefore the club is typically issued with 1 (one) ballot place. The club EA Secretary is informed of how many ballot tickets the club has been issued.

Responsibility of the CLUB MEMBER. To enter the club ballot the individual must:

  1. be a member of Mersey Tri.

  2. be a registered member of England Athletics (aged 18 or over) with Mersey Tri named as your first claim club.

  3. You must register / renew your EA membership between 1 April and no later than 31 May.
    If you are transferring-in from another club, that process must be requested and completed by 31 May.

  4. Present the club EA Secretary with your individual ballot REJECTION notification (by forwarding the email, or by taking a screenshot) immediately after the REJECTION notification has been received (July of each year).

    1. If you have been SUCCESSFUL in your individual application for a place in the TCS London Marathon, then you are unable to enter the Mersey Tri club ballot as it's not possible for one person to be awarded 2 ballot places.

    2. If you won the club ballot in the previous year e.g. 2024, then you are not eligible to be included in the club ballot in the current year e.g. 2025 i.e. back to back years. You may of course be included in the club ballot in future years e.g. 2026 and beyond

Responsibility of the clubs ENGLAND ATHLETICS SECRETARY

  1. These conditions are published to club members, in April each year to coincide with the yearly EA renewal.

    1. It’s recognised that not every EA registered club member will want to enter the London Marathon Club ballot. That may be due to e.g. long term injury, or the individual may prefer to run shorter distances.

  2. The club EA secretary validates the club member meets all necessary conditions to be included in the club ballot draw. That should be done at least one month before the draw is made.

  3. The draw is made at the AGM (usually November). However, it can sometimes be the case that TCS / EA are ‘late’ in informing clubs of the number of ballot places they have been issued, and if that is the case then the draw would be delayed ‘til December, or January.

    1. By exception and by agreement with the club committee, the draw may occur at a different time / place under exceptional circumstances

  4. The club EA secretary places the REJECTION notification in the ballot box

  5. An impartial (not member of EA and or not related to a member of EA) Mersey Tri club member or guest of a club member, makes the draw.

  6. The draw is made, and the name read aloud.

    1. A 2nd name is drawn and the name read aloud. This is as a contingency against the 1st name drawn, subsequently deciding they will not compete in the Marathon.

  7. The club EA secretary makes all necessary arrangements with the successful club member, which includes e.g…

    1. naming the club member on the TCS Portal

    2. Advising the club member to pay TCS for their marathon place (£49.99 as at 2023), which is reimbursed back to the club member.

On the day of the Marathon itself

  1. At the time of the Marathon, the individual must be a current member of Mersey Tri and must enter the marathon naming Mersey Tri as their club, and run in club colours.

  2. The successful club member has a responsibility to attend the Marathon as an ambassador for our club.

    1. If the individual fails to attend, or defers and fails to attend at the subsequent year, then they will forfeit their ability to participate in future club ballots, and they must pay their entry fee back to our club.

Any questions please email: easecretary@merseytri.org.uk