How Rankings Are Calculated
A transparent look at the math behind Thunder Rankings
The Formula
Every event score is calculated using three factors:
Base Points
Determined by your finishing position. 1st place earns 100 points, scaling down through the field.
Race Type Multiplier
Weights the score based on the type and difficulty of the race.
Field Size Bonus
Adjusts for competition density. Larger fields earn a higher bonus.
Base Points by Placement
| Placement | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 100 |
| 2nd | 88 |
| 3rd | 78 |
| 4th | 70 |
| 5th | 64 |
| 6th | 58 |
| 7th | 53 |
| 8th | 48 |
| 9th | 44 |
| 10th | 40 |
| 11th | 35 |
| 12th | 33 |
| 13th | 31 |
| 14th | 29 |
| 15th | 27 |
| 16th | 25 |
| 17th | 23 |
| 18th | 21 |
| 19th | 19 |
| 20th | 17 |
| 21st–23rd | 15 |
| 24th–26th | 14 |
| 27th–29th | 13 |
| 30th–32nd | 12 |
| 33rd–35th | 11 |
| 36th–38th | 10 |
| 39th–41st | 9 |
| 42nd–44th | 8 |
| 45th–47th | 7 |
| 48th–50th | 6 |
| 51st+ | 5 |
Race Type Multipliers
| Race Type | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Olympic Triathlon | 1.00× |
| Sprint Triathlon | 0.85× |
| Cycling | 0.75× |
| Youth | 0.70× |
| Running | 0.65× |
| Other | 0.50×* |
* A 0.50× floor exists for unknown event types but is not currently assigned to any event category in the system.
📌 Race type is detected automatically from the event name. Events without 'Olympic' in their title are classified as Sprint Triathlon by default.
Field Size Bonus
Capped between 0.70 and 1.30
| Participants | Bonus |
|---|---|
| 5 | 0.86× |
| 10 | 0.93× |
| 15 | 0.97× |
| 20 | 1.00× |
| 30 | 1.04× |
| 50 | 1.09× |
| 80+ | 1.30× (cap) |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Sprint Triathlon, 1st place, 30 participants
- • Base Points: 100 (1st place)
- • Race Type: Sprint Triathlon → 0.85×
- • Field Size: 30 participants → 1.04×
Example 2: Running, 1st place, 15 participants
- • Base Points: 100 (1st place)
- • Race Type: Running → 0.65×
- • Field Size: 15 participants → 0.97×
Example 3: Combined ranking
Athlete with Event A (88.4 pts) + Event B (63.05 pts) = 151.45 total ranking points
Thunder Score
Thunder Score is separate from Ranking Points. It appears on athlete profiles and reflects cumulative participation.
Podium Bonuses
Consistency Bonus
3+ events → +25 points