Understanding the Super League (TSSL) 

As many of you will know, the Trail Series® Super League (TSSL) is a revitalised format of the original format that kickstarted the short course trail running scene in South Africa back in 2008; and has been designed to bring a fresh, competitive, and inclusive approach to competition.  The TSSL races span the year with carefully selected races, providing greater flexibility and opportunities for runners of all ages and abilities - a chance for both competitive runners and casual enthusiasts to thrive – with more often than not the TSSL Champions not being the same as individual race winners.

Key Features of the TSSL

1.  Super League in each distance grouping

  • There is a Super League competition in each of the three distances For example, all the Short races combined create the Short Course Super League – likewise for the Long and XL distances.
  • Short courses: Ideal for beginners and younger participants (with three Junior categories from 6-17yrs).
  • Long courses: Typically 10-12 km, suited for more experienced trail runners.
  • XL routes: Taking careful aim at the 20 km mark, the XL is perfect for those training for longer-distance events.
     

2. The TSSL scoring System:

  • Points are allocated on your overall position at the finish line – starting with 400 points for the win, and one less for every place behind.  If you don’t race, you get zero points for that race.
  • Points for each of the four races are added together, and the runner with the most points wins.
  • Therefore, to be competitive in the TSSL rankings, participants must complete all races within their chosen distance.
  • In the event of a tie on points, the winner will be determined by cumulative race times across all events. 
  • No discards.  Unlike the traditional Trail Series®, where your worst  score could be discarded, the TSSL requires consistency across all events to achieve a high ranking. This system encourages & rewards dedication and consistency.
     

3. Categories & prizes

  • There are age and gender categories for each collective  Super League, provided there are five or more finishers of three or more races. 
  • With the exception of the three Junior categories in the Short course, there are no category prizes per race – only top three men’s and ladies over the line.  The category results do however show online per race.
  • You are automatically placed in your age category based on your date of birth/ID, and is based on your age on the 31 December of the year of competition.
  • Medals are awarded at every race.

For more details about upcoming races, rules, and registration, visit the Trail Series® website

With thanks to FINISH TIME for their support in creating the results engine that calculates the TSSL in the background! 

Finish Time