1st and 2nd Claim Members and race rules

21 June 2025 - By James Attenborough

With our membership numbers ever growing, it’s important for us to let you know about 1st and 2nd claim membership and how it affects races including XC and other road races.

Firstly for newer runners you might be wondering what 1st and 2nd claim is.

• A 1st claim member is a member of Witham RC and will run races in our colours and enter as Witham RC. 1st claim members may still be second claim members of other EA affiliated clubs such as track clubs such as BDAC and also those who also are members of Tri Clubs like Born2Tri. You can transfer your choice of 1st claim through the membership year through the EA portal. I believe it charges £10 to do so.
• A 2nd claim member is somebody who runs races for another club for example Tiptree, Little Baddow, Mid Essex Casuals etc but still likes to run with us on our club runs.

Running of course isn’t partisan like other team sports. Everyone, with is welcome to run on Tues, Thurs and long runs with us as both 1st and 2nd claim members. We will never pressure you to transfer to us for races. Ultimately in our view as long as you’re enjoying your running you’re welcome to run with whoever you choose.

Races are slightly different. You must race for the club you are first claim with, unless that club doesn’t compete in the same event.

So for example, we don’t compete in the Mid Essex XC league so a number of our members who love extra XC can race for their second claim clubs such as Striders, Little Baddow, Mid Essex etc

Whereas in return for the NESS league, Ekiden or the Essex Way Relay you can run for us if your 1st claim club doesn’t also participate.

Why is this important? Well firstly to qualify for team trophies all members must be first claim and wear our club race top. It also affects scoring at XC, so if you transfer from a club in the NESS league you are effectively tied to the club you run for first in that season.

If anyone has any questions on this please don’t hesitate to drop me a line.