Children’s Information
CHILDREN’S COMPETITION – JUNIOR III, IV, V (1996 and Younger)
CHILDREN’S COMMITTEE
The Children’s Committee is made up of representative coaches from ski clubs and ski areas which sponsor children’s racing programs. The committee oversees USSA Children’s ski races in Maine and works to promote positive development through the USSA pipeline. The MARA Children’s Committee administers the criteria which are established to select Junior III, IV, and V racers to represent Maine in regional events. All recommendations of the Children’s Committee are voted on by the full MARA Board of Directors.
The Chair of the committee is Cindy Brown
YOUTH SKI LEAGUE RACING
Youth Ski League is a United States Ski Association sponsored program of training and racing at local mountains. YSL stresses the teaching of good skiing fundamentals and friendly competition. The YSL program culminates in 2010 with a statewide training competition to be held at Shawnee Peak on March 14. It will be a Kombi format which is an event combing the technical and tactical skills of both a slalom and GS course in one. Slalom skis should be used. This event is open to JIIIs who did not qualify for the JIII Olympics or the JIII Finals, JIVs who did not qualify for Future Stars Festival or Francis Piche and JVs who did not qualify for Francis Piche (Thompson Trophy).
RACE ENTRY PROCEDURES
USSA Alpine Entry Timing Cards or the equivalent registration on-line should be used for registration for all MARA races. This registration, along with full payment, should be received by the race organizers 3 days before the event. Late entries for MARA are defined as any entry received less than 48 hours before the scheduled start time of that event. Phone entries, faxed entries may be accepted with a CC, and those sent without full payment will be considered late unless noted by the event organizer.
Entry cards must be complete with the following information: name as it appears on USSA license, USSA #, address, sex, club, YOB, class phone number, and name and date of race. It is best to include a separate check with each mailed entry and for each day of racing.
JUNIOR V (also called JV and J 5), born in 1999 or younger
MARA does not recognize JVI athletes as a separate age category. Athletes born in 2001 and younger will race as JV’s and will be designated as such on the running order.
JV Maine State Qualifying Series: Seeding, Awards, Qualifying and Selection
At JV Qualifiers, the start order for the 1st run will be by random draw. Any racers entering the race after the start list has been printed will start at the end of the appropriate class for the first run.. The starting order for the 2nd run will be the complete reverse of the first run order, regardless of 1st run results. The 3rd run start order will be a different random draw. All three starting orders will be distributed prior to race. Entry-level JIV’s racing will always start after the JV’s in each of the three runs. End of day awards will go to the JV racers based on combined times of the first two runs. If there are any awards for JIV’s, they will be separate from the JV’s and will be provided by race organizers.
Selections for the Francis Piche will be based on the best two RUN finishes of a possible six (6) of the State Qualifier Series (three runs at each qualifier). Ties will be broken by the next best run finish. Entry level JIV racers will be encouraged to race in these events, but they will not be counted in the Qualifying points.
Francis Piche Memorial Gunstock, NH
MARA quota of 6 boys 6 girls will be selected from the Maine Qualifying Series.
Schedule:
3/19 Optional training day
3/20 Piche’s Training day
3/21 Piche’s GS
JV racers are encouraged to participate in their local races and are welcome to attend other races listed in the MARA JV Schedule.
JV’s participating in MARA races will race on the same course as the JIV athletes (25mm, “3/4” gate for slalom).
JUNIOR IV (also called JIV and J 4), athletes born in 1997 and 1998
JIV Maine State Qualifying Series: Seeding, Qualifying and Selection
At JIV Qualifiers the start order of the 1st run will be by random draw. Any racers entering the race after the start list has been printed will start at the end of the appropriate class. The starting order for the second run will be the complete reverse order of the first run, regardless of first run results.
Selections for the Future Stars Festival and the Francis Piche (Thompson Trophy) will be based on the best three (3) RUN finishes of a possible eight (8) in the State Qualifier Series. Ties will be broken by the next best run finish. Any combination of results may be used, using either or both disciplines. In a shortened season, the number of State Qualifier Series results counted toward qualifying will equal thirty-three percent (33%) of the total results hosted at the end of the qualifying season, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Gender allocation for the MARA quota to the Future Stars will be equal to the percentage of JIV boy and girl MARA members as of January 1, 2010. The quota allocations will be confirmed by the Children’s Committee and published on the MARA website prior to the first qualifier of the state race series.
Entry level JIV racers are encouraged to race in the JV State Qualifiers at Saddleback Mountain and Shawnee Peak. These JV races will NOT be counted as JIV Qualifiers.
Future Stars Festival, Waterville Valley, NH 3/21-23
MARA quota of 22 will be selected from the Maine State Qualifier Series. Gender allocation for the MARA quota to the JIV Future Stars Festival will be equal to the percentage of JIV boy and girl MARA members as of January 1, 2010. The quota allocations will be confirmed by the Children’s Committee and published on the MARA website prior to the first qualifier of the state race series.
Francis Piche Memorial Gunstock, NH
MARA quota of 6 girls and 6 boys will be selected from the Maine State Qualifier Series following the selection of the Future Stars Festival quota.
3/18 Optional training day
3/19 Piche’s Training day
3/20 Piche’s GS
JIV Can-AM, Sugarloaf, Me 4/3-4
Eastern quota of 30 boys and 30 girls will be selected from the JIV Future Stars Festival. Selections will be based on the best two (2) of six (6) possible RUN and RESULT (1st run, 2nd run and combined time) finishes from the JIV Future Stars Festival Slalom and GS races. Ties will be broken internally, if a tie still exists then the next best result will be used.
25mm ¾ Gates
MARA will use 25mm “3/4” gates for MARA JIV slalom races. Non-USSA JIV events may elect to use “stubbie” gates; check with the host area to find out which gates are being used.
Speed Camp
There will be a JIV SG camp at Sunday River February 1-2. There is a limit of 40 JFIV racers to attend this camp, so get your entry in early. The goal of this JIV camp is to integrate speed elements of ski racing at a younger age for capable athletes. Please see your program director for feedback about whether your ability level meets the requirements for these camps.
Eastern Region JIV Elite Fundamentals Camp
Eastern USSA has scheduled a JIV Elite Fundamentals Camp, which is to be held Dec 4-7 at Sunday River, Maine. There is a quota of 2 from Maine, one boy and one girl selected from last year’s qualifier results. Additional slots Maine receives will be filled by going further down the 2009 qualifier results list; selecting first one from the gender with the greater JIV membership as of Jan 1, 2009, next the other gender.
Junior MARA Cup (“JMC”)
This is a season long series for all JIV skiers who are current members of USSA and MARA. The series will consist of all scheduled USSA JIV races designated as “JMC”. There is no minimum start requirement. Points will be accumulated by using the “Old” World Cup point system:
1. 60 6. 30 11. 15 16. 5
2. 50 7. 27 12. 13 17. 4
3. 45 8. 24 13. 11 18. 3
4. 40 9. 21 14. 9 19. 2
5. 35 10.18 15. 7 20. 1
Ties will average the place points. For example, a tie for 12th place would average 13 + 11, so each racer would receive 12 points. The series begins at Sugarloaf on 12/28 and ends at Sugarloaf on 3/29. Series standings will be available on the MARA web site. End of season prizes based on total accumulated JMC points will be given to the top 10 in each gender.
JUNIOR III (also called JIII and J 3), athletes born in 1995 and 1996
JIII Maine State Qualifying Series: Seeding, Qualifying and Selection
At JIII State Qualifiers the start order for the 1st run will be by random draw. Any racer entering the race after the start list is printed will start at the end of the appropriate class. The start order for the second run will be the complete reverse order of the first run, regardless of first run results.
Selections for JIII Jr. Olympics, JIII Finals and JIII Francis Piche will be based on the best five (5) of a possible fourteen (14) results from the State Qualifier Series using place points. A technical event (Slalom or GS) will be considered for three (3) results: first run, second run and combined time result. Non-MARA license holders will not displace MARA members in the point calculations. Ties will be broken by the next best result(s) regardless of discipline. In a shortened season, the number of State Qualifier Series results counted toward qualifying will equal thirty-three percent (33%) of the total results hosted at the end of the qualifying season, rounded to the nearest whole number. If more than one SG is hosted at a site, the first race will be the designated qualifier.
Gender allocation for the MARA quotas to the JIII Finals and Junior Olympics will be equal to the percentage of JIII boy and girl MARA members as of January 1, 2010. The quota allocations will be confirmed by the Children’s Committee and published on the MARA website prior to the first qualifier of the state race series.
Eastern J 3 Olympics Sunday River, ME March 13-16 SL, GS, SG 14 total
Eastern J 3 Finals Sunapee, NH March 4-7 SG, GS, SL 22 total
Francis Piche Memorial Gunstock, NH 6 boys 6 girls
3/18 Optional training day
3/19 Piche’s Training day
3/20 Piche’s GS
EASTERN JIII Elite Fundamentals Camp
This is to be held December 13-15 at Burke Mt, VT, and selections will be made by the USSA Eastern Office. Coaches may submit written discretionary nominations to the USSA Eastern Competition Manager (deadline for nominations is Nov. 13th).
EASTERN Regional JIII Series (ERS)
Philosophy: The Eastern USSA Children’s Committee has scheduled a regional series for elite JIII athletes. There will be a two (2) event series; SL and GS, held January 23-24 at Okemo, VT. The events are intended to bring the best regional JIII athletes together to compete outside the pressure of the Junior Olympics. The events are not mandatory nor will they be used as a basis for selection. Because this series is designed for elite athletes, if the Maine quota is unfilled the Children’s Committee will not go down the qualifier selection standings to find the next athlete in the rankings just to fill the quota.
Selection Criteria: The Maine quota to the Eastern Regional JIII Series shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of its J.O. quota of 14 athletes, rounded up, equaling 10 athletes to be selected from Maine. Gender allocation for the MARA ERS quota to will be equal to the percentage of JIII boy and girl MARA members as of January 1, 2010. The quota allocations will be confirmed by the Children’s Committee and published on the MARA website prior to the first qualifier of the state race series. Selections for this series will be determined as follows: the racer with the lowest number of place points based on his or her two (2) best RESULTS (each individual run as well as the combined may count as a result) from the 1/10 and 1/18 MARA Qualifiers will be ranked number one. Selections will be made as described above until the quotas are filled. Ties will be broken by the next best single run not already used to calculate standings.
Discretionary nominations for deserving athletes (ie previous results placing them in the top 5) not selected via MARA quota may be submitted to the MARA Children’s Committee Chair by 1/13, for submission to USSA by 1/15 and announced by USSA on 1/19.
Speed Training and Racing
Per USSA rule U1256.3 official training for a JIII Super G will encompass at least one SG training run prior to the competition. Training times are not to be posted. Official training for USSA Children’s SG events is an integral part of the competition, and all entrants are required to participate according to the competition Jury’s decision. J3 racers registered for SG races must be represented at the team captain’s meetings. On January 26, official training will be held prior to the Sugarloaf Schuss to be held January 27. On February 4 official training will be held prior to the SG race scheduled for February 5th.
As required in prior years, MARA is recommending that any JIII who qualifies for the JO’s or Finals, compete and train in a USSA SG prior to competing in one at a championship event.
EASTERN JIII Elite Speed Camp
This is to be held February 8-10 at Sunday River, and selections will be made by the USSA Eastern Office. Coaches may submit discretionary nominations to the MARA Children’s Committee Chair by 1/16, DUE 1/18 to the USSA Eastern Competition Manager and announced by USSA on 1/26.
Junior MARA Cup (“JMC”)
This season long series is for all JIII skiers who are current members of USSA and MARA. The series will consist of all scheduled USSA JIII races designated as “JMC”. There is no minimum start requirement. Points will be accumulated by using the “Old” World Cup point system:
1. 60 6. 30 11. 15 16. 5
2. 50 7. 27 12. 13 17. 4
3. 45 8. 24 13. 11 18. 3
4. 40 9. 21 14. 9 19. 2
5. 35 10. 18 15. 7 20. 1
Ties will average the place points. For example, a tie for 12th place would average 13 + 11, so each racer would receive 12 points. The series begins at Sugarloaf on 12/28 and ends at Sugarloaf on 3/28. Series standings will be available on the MARA web site. End of season prizes based on total accumulated JMC points will be given to the top 10 in each gender.
