NWANA Competition System

Stadium, Road, Cross-Country,

and Relay Competition Across North America

NWANA is establishing a unified competition system for Nordic Walking across North America.

The system connects competition rules, technique standards, qualified officials, verified results, rankings, teams, qualification pathways, and championship-level events across four principal disciplines:

• Stadium;
• Road;
• Cross-Country;
• Relay.

NWANA competition activity is already underway through recurring virtual distance events, result verification, standings, and individual and team participation.

The broader competition structure is being extended through the preparation of qualified officials, organizers, NW Groups, venues, host communities, event procedures, and in-person competition formats.

This page describes the NWANA competition framework. It does not announce that every discipline, distance, competition level, or championship listed below is currently scheduled.

An event is confirmed only when NWANA publishes its official name, date, location or virtual format, registration information, event rules, and competition designation.

Competition Disciplines

Stadium Competition

Stadium competition provides a controlled environment for speed, technique judging, athlete development, and spectator-friendly racing.

The current NWANA competition framework identifies the following Stadium events:

• 400 m Technique Challenge;
• 1K;
• 3K;
• 5K.

A Stadium competition may use timed races, separate heats, qualifying rounds, finals, or team scoring when those formats are stated in the published event rules.

The 400 m Technique Challenge is designed as a short competitive format in which speed and correct Nordic Walking technique can be evaluated under controlled conditions.

An individual Stadium event may offer all or only some of these distances.

Road Competition

Road competition is conducted on a measured hard-surface course, which may include roads, paved paths, park roads, or other suitable surfaces.

The current NWANA competition framework identifies the following Road distances:

• 1K;
• 3K;
• 5K;
• 10K;
• 15K;
• 20K.

An individual Road event may offer one or more of these distances.

The published event information must identify the course, distance, timing method, participant requirements, judging structure, aid arrangements, safety procedures, time limits, and qualification requirements when applicable.

Cross-Country Competition

Cross-Country competition is conducted on natural or mixed-surface courses.

A course may include:

• grass;
• dirt;
• gravel;
• park paths;
• forest paths;
• hills;
• uneven or changing terrain.

The current NWANA competition framework identifies the following Cross-Country distances:

• 1K;
• 3K;
• 5K;
• 10K;
• 15K;
• 20K.

An individual Cross-Country event may offer all or only some of these distances.

The published event information must describe the surface, elevation changes, technical difficulty, course markings, safety arrangements, equipment requirements, aid stations, and time limits when applicable.

Cross-Country requirements may differ from Stadium and Road requirements because of terrain, weather, visibility, course access, and participant safety.

Relay Competition

Relay competition forms the principal team component of the NWANA competition system.

The NWANA competition structure includes:

• Stadium Relays;
• Road Relays;
• Cross-Country Relays;
• Mixed Relays;
• Club Relays;
• NW Group Relays;
• City and Regional Relays;
• National and Continental Team Relays.

Relay teams may represent:

• NWANA Nordic Walking Groups;
• sports clubs;
• schools;
• colleges and universities;
• companies and workplaces;
• cities and communities;
• states and provinces;
• regions;
• national or continental teams.

NWANA is not limiting the relay system to one fixed distance or team format.

The rules for each relay event will identify:

• the number of team members;
• the distance of each leg;
• team composition;
• eligibility requirements;
• exchange procedures;
• substitution rules;
• judging requirements;
• penalties;
• timing and scoring procedures.

All participants must maintain compliant Nordic Walking technique throughout their assigned relay legs.

A relay format becomes an official NWANA event only after its specific rules and competition designation have been published.

Competition Pathway

The NWANA competition pathway is structured across several levels. These levels describe how the system is organized; they do not represent a list of events that have all already been scheduled.

NWANA Open Stages

NWANA Open Stages provide an accessible entry point into official competition.

An Open Stage may allow eligible local residents, visiting athletes, club members, and NW Group participants to register, compete, receive a verified result, and enter the rankings identified in the event rules.

An Open Stage is not automatically a championship.

Its exact status, ranking value, divisions, distances, and qualification consequences must be stated in its published rules.

Local and Club Competitions

Local competitions create regular opportunities for athletes to compete within a city, club, community, school, organization, or NW Group.

Approved local formats may include:

• city competitions;
• sports club competitions;
• NW Group competitions;
• recurring local series;
• school competitions;
• college and university competitions;
• corporate and organizational competitions.

A local organizer or group may not describe an event as an official NWANA competition solely because it holds an NWANA license.

Official status, sanctioning, rankings eligibility, and championship qualification must be separately confirmed by NWANA when required.

State and Provincial Series

State and Provincial Series connect approved competitions within a U.S. state or Canadian province.

When introduced, their published rules will determine:

• which events are included;
• how points are awarded;
• which results count;
• how ties are resolved;
• whether qualification is required;
• whether results lead to a final or higher-level competition.

A state or provincial designation will be used only after the applicable series has been formally established and announced.

Regional Series

Regional Series connect athletes, clubs, NW Groups, states, and provinces within a larger geographic area.

Regional competition provides a pathway between local participation and higher-level national or continental competition.

The geographic boundaries, included events, rankings, qualification rules, and final structure will be published for each formally established Regional Series.

National Championships

A National Championship is a formally designated championship-level event.

A National Championship may include:

• Stadium competition;
• Road competition;
• Cross-Country competition;
• Relay competition;
• OPEN competition;
• children’s and junior divisions;
• Masters age groups;
• individual rankings;
• team scoring;
• qualification standards;
• championship finals.

NWANA will use a National Championship title only when the event has the required sporting level, organizational capacity, qualified officials, judging structure, safety procedures, published rules, and formal designation.

The inclusion of National Championships within this competition framework does not mean that a particular championship has been scheduled. Confirmed championship dates and locations will be published separately.

Continental Championships

A Continental Championship is a formally designated competition for eligible athletes and teams from across North America.

A Continental Championship may include Stadium, Road, Cross-Country, and Relay events together with published entry or qualification requirements.

The Continental Championship designation will be used only after the event, host location, organizing structure, officials, rules, eligibility standards, and competition program have been formally approved and announced.

International Competition

The NWANA competition pathway is structured to support future international participation by North American athletes, clubs, and teams.

International activity may include:

• international invitation events hosted in North America;
• cross-border competitions;
• international club and team events;
• international relay events;
• participation by eligible North American athletes in competitions outside North America.

No international event, international team selection, or international qualification opportunity should be considered confirmed until NWANA publishes the applicable announcement, eligibility rules, selection process, and event information.

Competition Divisions

Divisions may be established according to age, sex, discipline, distance, team format, and competition level.

The divisions offered at a particular competition will be identified in that event’s published rules.

Children

The NWANA competition framework includes the following children’s divisions:

• U8;
• U10;
• U12.

The minimum eligible age, permitted distances, adult supervision requirements, and safety standards will be established for each event.

The existence of a children’s division within the framework does not mean that every competition will offer that division.

Juniors

The NWANA competition framework includes:

• U14;
• U16;
• U18.

Permitted distances and competition requirements may vary according to age, discipline, course, and event level.

OPEN Division

The OPEN Division is available to eligible athletes age 18 and older with no upper age limit.

Athletes remain eligible for OPEN competition regardless of age. An athlete age 35, 56, 70, or older may compete for the absolute OPEN result against younger eligible athletes.

OPEN is not a limited Adult age group. It is the unrestricted primary competitive division for eligible athletes age 18 and older.

Masters Age Groups

Masters classification begins at age 35 and continues in five-year age groups:

• 35–39;
• 40–44;
• 45–49;
• 50–54;
• 55–59;
• 60–64;
• 65–69;
• 70–74;
• 75–79;
• 80–84;
• 85–89;
• 90–94;
• 95–99;
• 100+.

Eligibility for a Masters age group does not prevent an athlete from entering OPEN competition.

Each event’s rules will state whether eligible athletes may enter OPEN, their Masters age group, or both, and how entries, results, rankings, awards, and championship titles will be determined.

Age eligibility and the applicable age-determination date will also be stated in the event rules.

Results and Rankings

NWANA’s competition structure supports:

• OPEN rankings;
• children’s rankings;
• junior rankings;
• Masters age-group rankings;
• Stadium rankings;
• Road rankings;
• Cross-Country rankings;
• relay rankings;
• distance-specific rankings;
• individual rankings;
• team rankings;
• club rankings;
• NW Group rankings;
• city rankings;
• state and provincial rankings;
• regional rankings;
• national rankings;
• continental rankings.

Not every NWANA event will automatically count toward every ranking.

The rules for each competition will identify:

• which rankings receive the result;
• how points are calculated;
• whether participation minimums apply;
• whether all or only selected results count;
• how ties are resolved;
• whether the result affects qualification;
• how corrections, penalties, and disqualifications affect the standings.

Depending on its formal designation, one verified result may contribute to more than one applicable ranking.

Qualification Pathways

Some competitions will remain open to all eligible participants. Higher-level events may use published entry or qualification requirements.

Qualification may be based on:

• participation in designated events;
• ranking points;
• placement within a division or distance;
• state or provincial standings;
• regional results;
• qualification events;
• approved performance standards;
• team selection procedures.

No athlete should assume that a result provides championship qualification unless that consequence is stated in the applicable competition or ranking rules.

Nordic Walking Technique and Judging

Speed alone does not determine an official Nordic Walking result.

Athletes must maintain compliant Nordic Walking technique throughout the competition.

Depending on the discipline and event level, an official competition may use:

• qualified technique judges;
• course judges;
• Stadium judges;
• Cross-Country safety judges;
• video review;
• warnings and penalties;
• disqualification for repeated or serious violations;
• result verification;
• appeals and review procedures.

The required number and placement of judges depend on the competition discipline, distance, course, terrain, number of participants, and event level.

The published rules for each event control its technique standards, permitted equipment, judging procedures, penalties, appeals, timing, and result requirements.

Relay and Team Rankings

Relay and team results may support:

• event team scoring;
• relay rankings;
• club standings;
• NW Group standings;
• city and community standings;
• school, college, university, and corporate standings;
• regional standings;
• national and continental team standings.

The existence of these classifications within the framework does not mean that every event will offer every team category.

Team eligibility, composition, scoring, and ranking consequences must be stated in the applicable rules.

Role of NWANA Nordic Walking Groups

Qualified and prepared NWANA Nordic Walking Groups can become part of the competition network.

Depending on their development, qualifications, and approval, groups can:

• form athlete and relay teams;
• prepare participants for competition;
• apply to organize an NWANA Open Stage;
• support local competitions;
• recruit and coordinate volunteers;
• develop instructors, coaches, judges, and organizers;
• work with venues and host partners;
• participate in approved series;
• apply to host or co-host sanctioned events.

A Group License or RECOGNIZED Status does not, by itself, convert every group activity into an official NWANA competition.

The event must still satisfy the applicable requirements for organizers, officials, judging, timing, registration, permits, insurance, safety, result verification, and sanctioning.

Current NWANA Competition Activity

NWANA currently operates virtual distance competitions through the NWANA Nordic Walking Series.

These events provide active competition opportunities and support the development of:

• recurring participation;
• distance-specific events;
• result submission and verification;
• individual and team participation;
• standings;
• competition administration experience;
• connections among athletes, clubs, and NW Groups.

The existence of the current Series does not mean that every in-person discipline or championship described on this page is already active.

Use the official Series pages for current registration, event dates, result requirements, and standings.

Confirmed Events and Official Announcements

A competition should be considered confirmed only when it appears in an official NWANA announcement or competition calendar with the necessary event information.

A confirmed event announcement should identify, as applicable:

• the official event name;
• competition status;
• date;
• location or virtual format;
• offered disciplines and distances;
• divisions;
• eligibility requirements;
• registration;
• rules;
• organizers and officials;
• ranking or qualification consequences.

Descriptions of competition disciplines, levels, or possible event formats on this page are not substitutes for a confirmed event announcement.

One Competition Pathway

NWANA is building one connected pathway from accessible competition to higher levels of the sport.

Open Stages produce verified results. Results build rankings. Rankings connect athletes, teams, clubs, and NW Groups to regional, national, and continental competition.

Each new event enters the system when its sporting, technical, and organizational requirements are in place.

This is the NWANA competition pathway across North America.