Introduction

This guide is intended for an abbreviated overview of the duties of the officials and rules involved with hosting a race. This training is not formal policy, you should refer to the OISRA Alpine Policies or OISRA Rules as well as the Bylaws and Standard Operating Procedures for a more comprehensive and decisive set of duties, procedures, policies and rules. SOSEF operates under OISRA policies and rules.

Members of Race Jury

Start Referee

Chief Gatekeeper

Technical Delegate (or “TD”) *

Referee *

Chief of Race *

Chief of Course Assistant Referee (Coach)

Finish Referee

* Indicates Voting Members

Positions and Job Descriptions

Technical Delegate

Most knowledgeable about rules. Ensures rules are adhered to. The safety decisions are binding. Responsible for safety of Racers, Coaches, Spectators, Workers and Officials, Fencing and Roping, etc.

Chief of Race

Chairs the coaches meeting. Organizes officials prior to race day. Directs all officials. Calls jury meetings if necessary.

Referee

Qualified and experienced. Familiar with course setting and race rules. Responsible for safety and course setting, course inspection with TD. Receives reports of infractions. Checks gate keepers’ cards for accuracy. Posts DQ sheets. Waits 15 minutes after posting for protests.

Chief of Course

In charge of maintenance. Confirms finish line dye marks. Positions maintenance workers. Circulates race arena to supervise. Supervises set-up of safety netting. Confirms all gates are dye marked.

Assistant Referee

(Coach)

Elected by the coaches. Know race course setting. May need to assist Referee. Voting member of jury. Liaison between coaches and jury.

Start Referee

Report 10+ minutes prior to inspection. Must remain at start area throughout each run. Organize & set-up start area. Responsible for start gate & timing wands. Starts racers at regular intervals (in concurrence with timing). Determines late or false starts. Determines violations against rules for equipment. Reports DQs or infractions to Referee. Approves provisional re-runs.

Finish Referee

Report 10+ min prior to inspection. Must remain at the finish area throughout each run. Organize & set-up finish area. Ensures all regulations for finish area are observed. Crowd control and finish area safety. Ensures proper recording of the finish order of racers. Approves provisional re-runs. Must be able to communicate with start referee.

Chief of Timing & Calculations

Responsible for all associated timing & equipment, Timing workers, Start orders, Results. Insures timing system is functioning. Responsible for timing of event including backup and hand timing. Responsible for coordination of timing officials.

Race Secretary

Coordination with host teams. Check in officials on race day. Assists with timing and calculations.

Course Setters

Must be a team coach. Has experience as a setter.

Chief Gate Judge

Organizes and supervises the work of the Gate Judges. Conduct gatekeeper meeting. Organize gatekeepers & make gate assignments. Collect gate cards and submit to Referee after each run. Get cell phone number from gate judge who notes a DQ.

Gate Judge (Gatekeeper)

Understands the rules of correct passage. Responsible for one or more gates (or turning poles). Observes accurately for correct passage. Fulfills Gate Judges Instructions. Required to attend gatekeeper meetings.

Radio Protocol

One person speaks at a time. Minimize chit chat. Fully depress the button. Radio chat should begin with, your name followed by the person you are haling, such as, “Bill to Tim”. This ensures that the person answering knows who is calling. Return radio & spare battery immediately after the race.

Start area

Only officials, racers and coaches in start area. Start referee, assistant starter, hand timer. Start pad must be flat and relaxing. Wand height 3/4 distance between ankle and knee. Racers poles in front of wand. Start count: racer ready, 10 seconds…5,4,3,2,1,go,1,2,3,4,5. Racer must leave between the 5’s.

Starting Racers

Racers missing their start will be allowed to start at the end order. Start intervals not less than 30 seconds. Official stops racing with “Start Stop”. Same official restarts with “Start Stop Release”. May call “force majeure” and insert racers in the start Re-runs inserted into the start order.

Giant Slalom

Gate width: Min. 4 m – Max. 8 m. Distance between gates: Min. 10 m. GS is marked with 2 poles and a flag panel. Portions of the course may not have an outside gate. Gates must alternate between read and blue color.

Slalom Course

Gate width: Min 4 m – Max 6 m. Between turning poles: Min 6 m – Max 13 m (recommended setting is 10 m). Hairpin or vertical must be in straight line 1 to 3 vertical combinations with 3 to 4 gates. At least 3 hairpin combinations. Between gate combinations: Min .75m – Max 13m Delays gates, between turn pole: Min 6 m – Max 13 m.

Binding Releases

Slalom or Giant Slalom - No ski release allowed, except If the racer loses one ski any time after the last two turning gates.

Correct Gate Passage

Both ski tips, and both feet with mounted skis must cross the gate line (between inside and outside poles). If racer has to hike up (SL race only), still applies If no outside pole, both feet and both mounted skis must have passed the turning pole on the same side, following the natural race line. If a competitor does not correctly pass around a turning pole and does not follow the natural line, the racers must hike back and pass around the missed pole (gate) in either direction and return to the natural race line (SL race only, no uphill hiking in a GS race). If the racer knocks a pole out of the snow or if the gate or pole is missing, then he/she must still pass the original gate line.