Monte-Carlo - With the second meeting of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2009 having taken place on Thursday 5 March in Melbourne, Australia we look ahead to the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final, Thessaloniki, Greece, 12 and 13 September 2009, and reconfirm how athletes qualify for this competition the climax of the one-day meeting outdoor season.

The World Athletics Final is closely linked to the World Athletics Tour, because athletes qualify for the Final by scoring points on the Tour throughout the year.

The 2009 World Athletics Tour is composed of 25 Permit Meetings, divided into two levels. The first comprises the ÅF Golden League and Super Grand Prix, and the second level, the Grand Prix meetings, with each IAAF Continental Association represented by at least one WAT meeting.

After the last IAAF WAT Meeting before the World Athletics Final, the 7 Athletes having the highest number of points with their best 5 results (4 for throws) will qualify for each event of the World Athletics Final. For the races of 1500m and over, 11 athletes will be qualified. The Athletes for the 8th and 12th (1500m and over) position will be invited at the discretion of the IAAF.

It is a condition that athletes have scored points in at least 3 meetings, and in the case of a tie for the qualification for the World Athletics Final, the Athlete with the best seasonal performance will be qualified. The IAAF will extend invitations, at its discretion, upon receipt of refusals or cancellations.

There are also a number of Area Permit Meetings (APM-Q) at which points can be scored for the World Athletics Final. NOTE: Athletes cannot qualify for the WAF through participation at the APM-Q alone; they need to have scored points in at least 1 WAT Meeting.

IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final – Qualification Points Scoring System

At each WAT meeting, points are allocated to the best 8 athletes in each event (12 for middle distances):

IAAF Golden League & Super Grand Prix

1. 20 pts         
2. 16 pts    
3. 14 pts           
4. 12 pts           
5. 10 pts           
6.   8 pts           
7.   6 pts           
8.   4 pts  

9. – 12.  3pts (1500m and over, see note below)              

IAAF Grand Prix

1. 10 pts
2.   8 pts
3.   7 pts
4.   6 pts
5.   5 pts
6.   4 pts
7.   3 pts
8.   2 pts

9. – 12.   1pt (1500m and over, see note below)

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Middle distance races only (1500m and above), the athletes finishing 9th to 12th will also score points:

IAAF Golden League & Super Grand Prix: 3 pts
IAAF Grand Prix: 1 pt

If an athlete equals a World record, he/she will be awarded a bonus of 3 points; if he/she improves the World record, the bonus will be 6 points.

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Area Permit Meetings

In addition to the WAT meetings, athletes can also score qualifying points for the World Athletics Final in a number of Area Permit Meetings (APM-Q), on condition that athletes from at least three different countries take part. Athletes cannot qualify for the WAF through participation at the APM-Q alone; they need to have scored points in at least 1 WAT Meeting.

These points are*:
1. 6 pts
2. 4 pts
3. 2 pts
4. 1 pts

*Except for the Throwing Events, where the athletes will score points as in the Grand Prix category.

IAAF

Click on the following link for the current STANDINGS for the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour