Race Rules:

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All Junior and Senior High students are eligible to participate in the ski challenge.  The following requirements must be followed to have a team in the race program:

1. All participating students must be currently enrolled in school, and be a student in good standing.  Students who are under suspension or expulsion are not eligible to race for series credit.  Any student who is not in good standing at his school on the date of the finals will not be eligible for final prizes.
2. Each racer must be represented by a team/school
3. All participants must have a release form signed by a parent or guardian
4. Racers on one team do not have to attend the same school
5. At least one adult sponsor per school/team
6. Home school racers are welcome!!! Form your own team or join in with another.
7. At the team coach/sponsor’s discretion, elementary school-aged racers may race with a middle school team, or a middle school-aged racer with a high school team.
8. Every school is allowed two teams of five racers on each for ski or snowboard.  (Two teams of five skiers or snowboarders and one team of five, visa-versa.)  No more than fifteen racers are allowed per school.  If there is any school that has more than 15 racers, they will be allowed to fore run through the course.
9. There will be a numerical start from the top of the racecourse.  Racers will run in bib order, and failure to be present when the racer’s number is due to race will result in a DQ.
10. The racer must be at the start before his bib number is called or he will receive a DNS and not be scored for that run.  This rule will be enforced, with very few exceptions, such as for lift stoppages.
    i.     The starter will say “Ten Seconds”; this means the racer has ten seconds to get into the starting gate.
    ii.  The starter will give the interval count “Three, Two, One, Go!” and the racer must go.  He can go up to ten seconds later after the three-second interval begins.
11. Racers must inspect the course prior to the race; they may not turn through the gates however.
    i.     Racers must wedge (“snowplow”) or side slip at a slow pace when inspecting the course, making sure to watch out for the race crew and other personnel who may be there.
    ii.     No turning around gates during pre-race inspection!
    iii.     Racers must respect the rules for Course Inspection including wearing a helmet, bib in proper fashion, and not skiing through gates on the course.

 

1. If a racer misses a turn/gate, he is disqualified for that particular run and will receive a DQ and will not have a score for that run.
2. If a racer losses a ski during the race, the racer is given a DQ (disqualified) or DNF (did not finish).
3. If an official yells, “Hold!” it means the starter must stop the race because there is a hazard on the course.
4. Yelling “Gate Down!” means, that one of the Gate Keepers must replace a gate.
5. Racers under suspension or expulsion from their school are not eligible to race in the finals.
6. When a racer is hindered while racing by the interference of an official, spectator, animal or any other obstruction (missing pole), and wants a re-run, he must immediately leave the race track, ski to the bottom within the course fences, find the Finish Referee and request a re-run.

i.     Do not finish the race and do not ski/board through the Finish Line.

1. Racers may not obstruct or interfere with other racers or officials performing their duties
2. Racers must respect the directions of officials (i.e. move back from the course)
3. Racers must take steps to minimize blockage of the trail upon which the races are being conducted while awaiting their turn to race.
4. The only communication a gatekeeper may have with racers is when the racer is in doubt about correct gate passage and asks if the passage was okay.

ii.     Acceptable replies:

iii.     BACK – if the gate has been missed, or

iv.     GO – if the gate in question has been correctly passed

v.     The gatekeeper must respond quickly, accurately, distinctly and loudly.  Any reasonable doubt?  – rule in favor of the racer and reply “GO”

 

**PLEASE KNOW AND FOLLOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITY CODE**

Your Responsibility Code:

Skiing/snowboarding can be enjoyed in many ways.  At ski areas, you may see people using alpine, snowboard, telemark, cross-country or other specialized equipment, such as that used by disabled or other skiers/snowboarders.  Regardless of how you decide to enjoy the slopes, always show courtesy to others and be aware that there are elements of risk in skiing/snowboarding that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce.  Observe the code listed below and share with other skiers/snowboarders the responsibility for an overall great experience.

 

• Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
• People ahead of you have the right of way.  It is your responsibility to avoid them.
• You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
• Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
• Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
• Observe all posted signs and warnings.  Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
• Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

 

Disciplinary Actions:

• The racers first offense will result in a verbal reprimand.
• Coaches/parents will be notified if action continues or is deemed necessary.
• Depending on the seriousness of action, reprimand could result in DQ for night up to area/ski pass pulled

 

Safety Requirement:

• Racers must wear an approved alpine helmet during competition and at any time on the course or participating in gate drills.  Helmet strap must be fastened during racing.
• Goggles must be worn at all events to protect the racer’s eyes.
• Sunglasses may not be worn because they may shatter from a gate impact and harm the racers eyes.
• Prescription glasses may be worn, providing goggles designed to be worn over glasses cover them.
• Racers must have modern bindings, with a ski-retention device such as a ski brakes and snowboard leashes.
• All participants and their guardians must sign a release form prior to their participation in the program.
• If a racer is injured, avoid congregating around him/her.  The only people near the injured person should be a person with good knowledge of first aid or a ski patrol.

Skiing is an inherently dangerous sport; no one who does not wish to accept this risk should participate.  Safety consciousness on all of our part helps to reduce the risk.

 

Course Setting:

All courses will be set in conformity to USSA course setting requirements for Giant Slalom except:

• The course will be a “Modified GS” which means it will be simplified to consist of only turning poles, with panels, and inside poles, right on red and left on blue
• There will be no minimum number of gates
• Distance Between Gates: 10-20 meters
• Width Between Gates: 4-8 meters

Scoring:

• Each racer will perform two runs.
• The fastest time of the two runs will be scored.  The fastest run of the night will receive a “1,” the second a “2,” etc…
• Individual standings will be computed based on the racer’s rank within their class.
• Individual racer’s contribution to their team’s score will be computed as the ratio between their best time and that of the fastest racer in their class.
• If a racer DNF’s both runs, their individual score will be 2 points higher than the total number of racers in that discipline competing that night.  Their contribution to their team score will be one point higher than that of the slowest racer in their class.
• For overall team scoring, the top three fastest racers from each team will be added together for a “team score.”
• Throughout the season, each team’s race scores will be combined for their overall standing at the final race.
• For a racer to qualify for finals he/she cannot miss more than two races and must attend one of the first two events.

 

Sponsor and Coaches Duties:

The school sponsor/coach is an integral member of the team that makes the whole program work.  The sponsor/coaches responsibilities include:

• Organization of the team with the school
• Athletes are registered
• Distribution of release forms
• Collection of race money – to be turned in as one collective per team to Race Director or assistant
• Team meetings
• School announcements
• Describing race rules and regulations to participants
• Informing parents of race times, dates, etc.
• Organization of the race team at Cataloochee Ski Area
• Attendance
• Distribution of race bibs to racers
• Assist in conducting the race
• Gate keeping
• Record Keeping
• Taking down the race course that the end of the night and collection of bibs

Each school will receive two (2) comp lift tickets each race for the coach/sponsor.

Canceled Races/Make up Races

• The Races will be canceled only if Cataloochee Ski Area will not be open that night.  The race staff will try to notify each coach by 1:00pm if a race needs to be canceled.  Please call the resort at (800) 768-0285 if you have any doubt or your school has been canceled.
• If a race has been canceled, we will add additional runs to the next race or two.  We will collect the time for the race missed.  If the last race before finals is cancelled, it will be deducted from the overall season.

Thanking you in advance for your cooperation,

Paul Yeager
Cataloochee Ski and Snowboard School Race Director