Gender Policy

Updated May 25, 2023

Trail Running is for Everyone

Making our events welcoming to everyone is a core value behind how we work. We are committed to breaking down barriers to participation, while maintaining another core value of providing the most challenging races and pushing our competitors.

This policy is meant to lift everyone up and it will not diminish anyone competing in an existing category; we all rise together in the trail running community. This is a vast topic and will be reviewed annually as new best practices are developed by the international governing bodies in sports.

Competition Categories

Unless otherwise noted in the race information, our events include the following categories:

• Solo Female
• Solo Male
• Solo Non-Binary
• Team Female
• Team Male
• Team Mixed/Open

It is expected that those who identify as women and men will still register in their respective categories. For anyone who identifies as transgender or non-binary, see the following regulations.

Transgender Competitors

For the purpose of this policy, the term "Transgender" refers to individuals whose gender identity (i.e. how they identify) is different from the sex designated to them at birth, whether or not they have undergone any form of medical intervention for their gender.

We are affiliated with World Athletics and we refer to their Eligibility Regulations Transgender Athletes (rule C3.5). If a runner has questions or concerns about this policy, we encourage them to contact us to find clarification, answers, or solutions.

Non-Binary Competitors

"Non-binary" is an umbrella term to describe people who identify with a gender outside of female or male. For the purpose of this policy, we differentiate non-binary from transgender as they are not interchangeable terms. The word "non-binary" describes a wide array of different identities in addition to traditional gender norms, and can be related to, or completely separate from male and female gender identities.

Gender Policy

1. Solo competitors are able to register as Female, Male, or Non-Binary athletes.
1. Solo competitors who choose the Non-Binary category will be recognized in the race roster as "Non-Binary".
2. "Non-Binary" is a self-determined category and Sinister Sports will not evaluate an individual's participation in this category.
2. At this time, there will only be podium awards in the Female and Male categories.
   1. Our goal is to have a robust competition in each category that we offer, and we will revisit this policy if the number of Non-Binary athletes reaches 15% of the total number of entrants in a division (ie: 15% of Sinister 7 100-mile competitors is ~200 x 0.15 = 30).
   2. If a non-binary athlete wishes to compete in a podium category, they are encouraged to review the World Athletics rules and to enter the race as their birth gender.
   3. This aligns with international categories and rankings that are recognized by World Athletics.
3. Teams with one or more Non-Binary competitors are welcome to enter the Mixed/Open category
   1. This option is chosen by the registrant and we ask that this self-determination is made with the spirit of this policy in mind.
4. Sinister Sports follows the World Athletics rules on gender and if there is a dispute over categories, we will work with the individuals involved to ensure a fair outcome.