First & Second Claim Membership Explained

• First Claim membership defines your prime club. You can only be a first claim member of one club and you can only enter open events in the name of that club.
• Second Claim membership is when you join one or more other clubs in order to participate in their events or activities. Clearly when involved in that club's events you must abide by their rules, even if they are at variance with those of any other club you may belong to. Some clubs do not admit second claim members.
• When competing in an open event you would be expected to wear the registered colours of your first claim club, or failing that something neutral. It would be out of order to wear the colours of a second claim club in an open event and you may be prevented from competing by the start timekeeper.
• If you set any records when competing as a second claim member these may or may not be recognised by that club, dependent on their rules. Clearly records set in events of the club which hold your first claim membership, or in open events, would normally be recognised by that club.
• If you apply to join a club as a second claim member you must make that clear in your application. If you wish to convert your membership status from first to second claim most clubs require you to resign and reapply. Certainly Rugby RCC require this (Rule 3.6).
• There is also a CTT rule which restricts people from switching their first claim club more than once in a calendar year. This was brought in to prevent riders switching teams several times curing a season.