GARDEN STATE SKI CLUB RACE RULES – REVISED 5/14/07

 

 

GENERAL

 

1.     The Race Committee Chairperson will be chosen annually by the club President as stated in Article 7 of the Club’s constitution.

 

2.     The Race Committee Chairperson will be responsible for selecting a minimum of 4 club members (regular or provisional) who will serve as the race committee for the current race season.  These committee members must have a minimum of one season of racing experience.  In addition, these members once chosen, will assist the Race Committee Chairperson as required by the Race Rules which includes and is not limited to the scheduling and running of club races. Only the race chairperson and committee members are to have contact with mountain personnel on matters pertaining to club races.

 

3.     A racer must be a regular or provisional member of GSSC, or a member of any NJSC club to participate in GSSC races.  If any member from a NJSC club wishes to race, they must fill out a GSSC waiver as well as pay for their portion of the race cost (minimum of $8).  In addition, no points will be awarded to any NJSC members.  Only GSSC regular and provisional members may receive points and trophies.

 

4.     There are three race categories: Club, Double Combined and State races. The Club and Double Combined races each have individual awards presented by the Race Committee (1st, 2nd and 3rd places in A, B and C classes for men and women).

 

5.     At the end of the race season, each first or second place tie eliminates the next available lower place trophy in a class.

 

6.     For GSSC races only, if a racer falls or loses a ski before the first gate, a restart is allowed.  If the racer loses a ski within 2 gates of the finish line the racer may complete the race on one ski. If a racer falls anywhere in the race course after the first gate and has not missed a gate or lost a ski, the racer may continue the race.  Each racer is allowed two runs.

 

7.     In the event of an obstruction on the race course that prevents a racer from completing the run (fallen ski pole, stray skier, snow mobile, etc), the racer should ski off the course and raise their hands and or make a deliberate signal.  If this should happen, the racer would be allowed another run. 

 

 

 

GENERAL (con’t)

 

8.     All protests of any type must be made the day of the race to the Race Committee Chairperson.  If the Race Committee Chairperson is not present, then the protest must be made to a member of the Race Committee.  If the protest cannot be resolved at that time, it will be resolved before the next scheduled club race.

 

9.     A GSSC racer who declines an invitation to race for GSSC at an inter club event and races against GSSC at that event shall not be eligible for Club trophies. The racer may still participate in club races. 

 

10. All GSSC racers must agree to the race rules and sign new waivers at the beginning of each race season.  This must be done before they can race.

 

11.  Racers are required to wear helmets for all club races.

 

12.  Skiing ability of a racer must be such that he or she can complete the race course without assistance.  If a racer is given assistance while running the course, the time for the assisted run will be “DNF”.

 

13.  All racers must start the race from the designated start area set up by the mountain.  Starting the race from any other location will result in disqualification.

 

14.  Any racer who deliberately obstructs another racer (i.e. skiing through the course or the finish line) during a race will be disqualified from that race and subject to termination of race privileges.   

 

15.  Prior to the start of each race it is the responsibility of each racer to inspect and determine if the race course is acceptable to them, given their ability level. Any racer who, after inspecting the course chooses not to race, does so at their discretion, and is not eligible for any points for that race.

 

16.  All racers must complete their runs before the race coordinator declares the race completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACER CLASSIFICATION

 

1.     Racers are classified as A if they average within 10%, B if they average within 20%, and C if they average over 20% of the PAR time set by the pace setter of the same gender.

 

2.     The PAR time is used to determine a racer’s classification for the next race season.  A racer’s average handicap is calculated by using their handicaps from the previous race season.  The high and low handicaps are dropped and the remaining handicaps are averaged.  If a racer has participated in 4 races or less, then the handicaps for all their races will be used to calculate that racers classification. 

 

3.     Racer classifications will be published on the club’s website prior to the start of each race season

 

4.     If a racer is injured or has not raced for a season or more, that racer will return to the same classification they were in prior to their injury/departure and will and remain in that same class for that current race year.

 

5.     New racers are classified after 3 club races.  During that period the racer will receive no club points.  The racer’s average handicap for these 3 races will be used to determine which classification the racer will be placed in (A, B or C).  Once the racer has been placed in a class, the racer will then be awarded club points for races they participate in.

 

6.     Once a racer is classified they will remain in the same class for the balance of that ski season.

 

7.     B and C racers will automatically move up a class in the following race year if they have won two consecutive first place trophies in the same class regardless of the racer’s handicap.

 

CLUB RACES

 

1.     A minimum of 9 races will be scheduled by the race committee.  

 

2.     The PAR time is set for each race by taking the average time of the top 3 “A” racers for each gender.  This average once calculated will be used as the PAR time for that race.  If only 2 racers are present, the 2 fastest times will be averaged to determine the PAR.  If only 1 racer is present, his/her time will be used as the PAR.  If there are no “A” racers present (men or women’s class) the fastest 3 times of the day will be used to determine the PAR irregardless of the racer’s classification.

 

3.     Each racer will be allowed two runs.  If the race is shortened after the completion of the first run, this time will be used for awarding points.  If the race is shortened before completion of the first run, the race will be cancelled and no points awarded.

 

4.     Scoring for club races is as follows; first place will be awarded 10 points, second place will be awarded 9 points and so on. 

 

5.     Points in each class will be awarded based on the combined times of both runs.  The racer with the lowest combined time is awarded first place in the class and so on.  In the event of a tie, each place tie eliminates the next available place in the class.  For example, in the case of a tie for first place, the tied racers would each be awarded 10 points and the third place racer would be awarded 8 points.

 

6.     Final standing for trophies is based on those racers qualified as of the last race date.  Points awarded during the race season may only change due to statistical errors that may have been made during the year.

 

7.     Club trophies are awarded by class to racers with the highest point totals from their best four race results.  If a tie occurs, then the best five results are considered and so on until the tie is resolved.  If the tie is not resolved, then the awards are distributed according to the table below:   

 

a.      NOTE:  If fewer than 9 races are held, a racer must complete at least 50% of the season’s races (50% plus 1 for an odd number of races).  For example, if 7 races are held, 4 races would need to be completed to qualify for trophies.

 

 

Condition

# 1st place trophies

# 2nd place trophies

# 3rd place trophies

Tie in 1st place only

2

0

1

Tie in 1st & 2nd places

2

0

2

Tie in 2nd place only

1

2

0

Tie in 2nd & 3rd places

1

2

0

Tie in 3rd place only

1

1

2

Tie in 1st & 3rd places

2

0

2

Tie in 1st place only w/> 2 people

3+

0

0

 

 

 

 

Double Combined Race

 

1.     This is a single day race event.  Maximum club participation is encouraged in the “for fun” race.

 

2.     For this race there are two race disciplines; Slalom and Giant Slalom.  Each racer is allowed 2 runs in each discipline.  The racer’s best time in each discipline is added to produce a combined time which will determine the racer’s overall finishing position for this event.

 

3.     Club classifications are not used for this race.  Qualified racers (ones who have completed at least 1 run in each discipline) are classified by gender as:  A if they are in the fastest third, B if they are in the next third and C for the remaining racers.  If the class sizes cannot be equal, C class will be increased by 1 or 2 as necessary.  For example, in a race of 11 racers, the split would be 3 in A class, 3 in B class and 5 in C class.

 

4.     Awards for the Double Combined Race are given to the top 3 racers with the fastest combined times in each class.

 

NJ Ski Council  State Race

 

1.     The GSSC Race Committee formally issues a written invitation to racers who are chosen to represent GSSC at the State Race usually held the first weekend of February.

 

2.     Lift tickets are supplied by GSSC since this is a full day commitment.

 

3.     The race teams are determined by the Race Committee and vary depending on the availability of participants.  Up to 2 teams of both men and women may be selected based on a member’s past race performance.

 

4.     The Race Committee will make every effort to field the best team available.

 

5.     Additional rules are provided by the NJ Ski Council.