Does a downhill course count for records, rankings or qualifying?

A downhill course is one where the net elevation drop is greater than 1 m/km.

• Records and qualification standards (provincial, national or international, for example National Team events or the Boston Marathon): performances on downhill courses are not eligible. Where qualification uses World Athletics World Ranking points and the World Athletics system permits downhill performances, your overall World Ranking points score is accepted.
• Rankings: downhill performances are eligible for provincial, national and international rankings. World Athletics has a "Downhill Modification System" for them, and Athletics Canada keeps a separate ranking for "Downhill Courses".
• Boston Marathon: starting with registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon, verified qualifying times from any course with a net downhill of 1,500 feet or more incur a time adjustment (an "index") after being submitted.

Source: Road Race Sanctioning and Course Measurement Certification Policy, March 2026, section 7.1: https://athletics.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AC_Road-Race-Sanctioning-and-Course-Measurement-Certification-Policy_FINAL_March-16-2026_EN.pdf