VARA RULES - J3 RACING

J3 Alpine Racing

The J3 age level provides non-scored competition for racers aged 13-14 (born in 1995-1996).

1. VARA is the governing body of J3 racing in Vermont.
2. § VARA will delegate to the three state Councils (North, Mid, and South), the authority to design and administer their respective races and schedules, leading up to the J3 State Shootout and the J3 State Championships.
3. VARA will schedule open races, super-G events, the J3 State Shootout, and the J3 State Championships.
4. Issues involving J3 VARA sponsored events (J3 Shootout, J3 States) will be resolved by the J3 Committee.
5. Councils must not interfere with the USSA established age categories (exceptions must come before the J3 Committee or USSA).
6. Councils must also follow all USSA and VARA procedures for running a fair and legal race.
7. A $20 maximum entry fee for slalom (SL) and giant slalom (GS) events and $25 for Super-G (SG) is recommended for council qualifier races.
8. To compete in VARA races, there are two membership requirements that must be met:
   1) You must hold a current USSA Competitors License.
   2) In order to be considered in any VARA qualifying or selection process, you must be a current member of VARA. Qualifying points will not be retroactive for late renewals.
   3) Racers should bring USSA cards to all races. VARA membership will be verified from the VARA website.
9. Coaches must be VARA and USSA members to get on the hill.
10. J3 Council races and State Championships must be USSA sanctioned events.
11. Council Chairs need to have a tentative schedule to the VARA office by June 1 and a confirmed schedule by October 15th

J3 Committee

The J3/4 Committee consists of the Competition Committee Chair and Council Chairs from each of the three Councils and a J4 Rep (North-Adam Julius, Mid - Gary Fletcher, and South-Dave Edry, J4 Rep). The committee will work with the Executive Director regarding VARA J3 AND J4 issues.

USSA Eastern Regional Series

Okemo, VT January 23-24
Vermont Quota: 40

• The J3 Eastern Series is an Eastern Regional event designed to provide competition for the top racers in the region. The total State quota of 40 will be allocated to each council (North, Mid, South) based on their share of the entire Vermont J3 field.
  
  

  Example: J3 ERS Quota Calculation
  Council	Total J3 Field (1)	% of J3 Field (2)	Calculated Quota (2) x 40	Rounded Quota (3)	Final Quota (4)
  NVC	114	0.3383	13.531	13	13
  MVC	116	0.3442	13.769	13	14
  SVC	107	0.3175	12.700	12	13
  Total	337	1.000	40	38	40

  
  

J3 State Championships

KMS, 2/27, 2/28, 3/1, 2010
Total Field: 150 (SG), 165 (SL/GS)

The selection of the J3 Olympics and J3 Finals rosters, as well as the seeding for those events, will be determined by place point scoring from the VARA J3 State Championships.

1. Format: The Vermont J3 State Championships will consist of a super-G race, 3 timed runs of slalom, and 3 timed runs of giant slalom. Weather permitting. Tech events will be split by gender. The event will be either held at two different race sites or the same site if possible.
2. Qualification: Racers will qualify for the J3 State Championships from the Council race series. The total field of 150 (plus 20 from the Shootout) will be allocated to each Council based on their percentage of the entire Vermont J3 field
   
   

   Example J3 State Championships Quota Calculation
   Council	Total J3 Field (1)	% of J3 Field (2)	Calculated Quota (2) x 150	Rounded Quota (3)	Final Quota (4)
   NVC	114	0.3383	50.742	50	51
   MVC	116	0.3442	51.632	51	52
   SVC	107	0.3175	47.626	47	47
   Total	337	1.00	150	148	150

   
   
3. The total field (in column 1 above) in each Council will be based on the number of "starters" after the first two Council races. Note: racers may not be counted as "starters" until they are VARA members. The total field in each Council is then used to calculate each Council's share (column 2) of the entire Vermont J3 field. Calculated quotas will be rounded down (column 3), and additional spots will be allocated based on the decimal portion (highest to lowest) of the calculated quota to arrive at the final quotas (column 4).
4. An additional 20 racers (10 boys, 10 girls) will qualify for J3 State Championships (SL & GS events only) from the "J3 State Shootout". (See description of J3 State Shootout below).
5. Entry procedure: Each council must send a team roster (in start order), including forerunners and attending coaches list, to the VARA office one week prior to the States. There will be no additions/substitutions to rosters after the evening before the 1st event 5pm.
6. Entry fees: J3 States will have a ceiling of $120 ($30 for SG, $90 for Tech or as determined by Executive Director). The fees will include the banquet & awards event for participants at the technical events, along with a t-shirt/hat. Host Sites for States must commit to making the states a championship event. (Podium, banners, hoop-la at the site racer souvenir)
7. Seeding: The J3 States will be seeded as follows: Seeding will be based on Council rankings. The start lists will be based on a Council rotation as determined by a random draw by the race organizer. The start order will remain the same for all three slalom runs. The organizers will randomly assign the Council rotation for the second day, and that start list will be used for all three giant slalom runs.
8. Course Setting: The VARA Executive Director, with assistance from council chairs and AO Chair, will chose course setters. Referees will be selected by the assigned TD.
   1. Slalom: The host site will set the 1st run of slalom. In the event that there can not be two sets on one trail, the second run will be reset or with minor changes depending on weather and conditions. The third run will be a full reset.
   2. Giant Slalom: First run will be set by the host site. The second run will use the same course, with course modifications made as necessary. A full reset will be made for the third run.
   3. SG: The training run will be reset so the race run is different than the training run, if possible, weather and time permitting.
   4. It is recommended that the course sets be close to the minimum length.
9. Scoring: Seven runs will be contested, and the final rankings will be based on "one less than half the runs contested (round DOWN)" (e.g., best 2 of 7 runs, best 2 of 6, best 1 of 5, best 1 of 4, etc.) Ties will be broken by the best single result then the next best result, and so on. The top 54 athletes (gender split) will be named to the Vermont J3 Olympic team, and the remaining 22 will attend the J3 Finals. The combined result for the first two runs will be used to determine VT State Champions for each tech event and sg champions will be as results show. Overall champions will be determined by Old WC scoring for all events.
10. Forerunners: Each council may designate one boy and one girl to forerun at States.
11. Awards: The host ski club will provide awards for the top 10 boys and top 10 girls for each event. VARA will also provide awards for the following:
    a. Overall awards will be provided for the top three girls and boys, based on total old World Cup points. Ties will be broken using best result, next best etc.
    b. Gold Medalists for the overall will be named to the VARA Team for the following season. (see Scoring) Ties will be broken using best result, next best etc.
    c. VARA CUP: The VARA Cup Trophy will be awarded to the top J3 and J4 club overall based on results from the VT State Championships. The total team score is calculated based on the individual run results from the J3 and J4 State Championships. Points will be awarded as follows: 1st=30, 2nd=29, 3rd=28,… 30th=1 point. Each run will be scored separately, using each J3 team's best 5 scores, and J4 team's best 5 scores.
12. Rotation for Hosting J3 States: 2008/North, 2009/South, 2010/Mid, 2011/North, 2012/South, etc. If the proposed Council cannot host, the event will be sited by the Executive Director of VARA.

J3 State Shootout

Pico - Feb 21 2010

1. The J3 State Shootout is a one-day event designed to give all Vermont J3's a second opportunity to qualify for the J3 State Championships.
2. Format: The Shootout will consist of 4 runs of dual-style modified super slalom. The course will be set by the host ski area. The recommended distance btwn courses is 10 - 12 m (FIS Requires 7 m)
3. Qualification: All racers who have not qualified for the J3 State Championships (technical events) from their Council race series are eligible to participate in this event. Each Council must send roster in ranking order, along with a list of coaches 1 week prior to the event.
4. Entry fee: $25
5. Seeding: The field will be seeded in order of ranking from each Council. Race organizers will execute the draw to determine the Council order. The running order will remain the same for each of the four runs.
6. Scoring: The top 10 boys and 10 girls will qualify to participate in the J3 State Championships. Selection will be based on the best 1 of 4 runs (place points, not times). Ties will be broken by next best runs. For scoring - the red course is not complete until everyone has run on it and same for blue course. To score 1 run everyone must have gone on each course.
7. Substitutions:
   a. If an athlete qualifies for the J3 States from Council quota selection and cannot go to States the Council will fill the spot with the next Council racer in line for the States. If the Shootout has already taken place and the next Council person has already made States via the Shootout the Council will go down their list.
   b. If an athlete qualifies for the J3 States via the J3 Shootout and cannot participate at the J3 States then that spot will be filled by the next in line of the same gender from the Shootout regardless of council.
8. Awards: Host site will award the top 10 girls and top 10 boys.

EASTERN J3 FINALS

March 4-7, 2010
Vermont Quota: 22

Qualification: The 22 athletes ranked after the top 54 athletes from the J3 states, who do not qualify for the J3 Olympics, will be named to the Vermont J3 Finals team. The Vermont team (22 athletes) will be seeded at the Eastern J3 Finals based on their ranking at the J3 States. The top 5 men and top 5 women overall (based on old World Cup Scoring) at the J3 Finals, along with event gold medalists, will earn a spot to the J3 Olympics. For more information on the J3 Finals please refer to the USSA Competition Guide. If an athlete chooses not to attend the finals then the Council from which that athlete skis will fill the spot.

EASTERN J3 OLYMPICS

Sunday River, ME; March 13-16
Vermont Quota: 54

The top 54 athletes (gender split) from the J3 states will be named to the VT J3 Olympics Team. The athletes will be seeded at the J3 Olympics according to their ranking at the VARA J3 States. USSA will name any athlete named to the Topolino Team as first seed automatic to the J3 Olympics. Event gold medalists (SG, GS, and SL) will qualify to race in the Whistler Cup, an international children's championship in April. The top 5 men and women after the Whistler Team will be selected to attend the Canadian J3 Nationals. For more information on the Junior Olympics please refer to the USSA Competition Guide.

J3 FUNDAMENTALS CAMP

Burke Mt., VT; December 13-15
Total Camp Size: 40
Discretionary Nominations are due by November

Qualification: USSA hosts a J3 Elite Fundamentals Camp for the top 40 athletes in the Eastern region. Eastern USSA selects 13 automatics for this camp and the remainder of the spots will be discretionary, based on coach's nominations.

J3 ELITE SPEED CAMP

Sunday River, ME; February 8-10
Total Camp Size: 35
Discretionary Nominations are due by January

Qualification: USSA hosts a J3 Elite Speed Camp for the top 35 athletes in the Eastern region. Eastern USSA selects 10 automatics for this camp and the remainder of the spots will be discretionary, based on coach's nominations.

J3 AGE GROUP FOREIGN ATHLETES

• Athletes of this age group must meet all USSA and Vermont licensing requirements.
• Any foreign athlete in a Vermont program must qualify through the Vermont State ladder and attend the State Championships to be included on the Vermont quota for the J3 Olympics or J3 Finals.
• There are no foreign athlete invitations issued from the Eastern Office at this age group.