VARA J4 RACING

The J4 age level provides non-scored competition for racers aged 11-12 (born in 1997-1998).

• VARA is the governing body of J4 racing in Vermont.
• 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 J4/5 States.
• VARA will schedule open races, super-G events, and the J4 State Championships.
• Issues involving J4 VARA sponsored events will be resolved by the J3/4 Committee of Six.
• Councils must not interfere with the USSA established age categories (exceptions must come before the J3/4 Committee).
• Councils must also follow all USSA and VARA procedures for running a fair and legal race.
• 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.
• 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.
• VARA's Minimum age for sanctioned events is 7.
• Qualifying points will not be retroactive for late renewals.
• Bring USSA cards to all races. VARA membership will be verified from the VARA website.
• Coaches must be VARA and USSA members to get on the hill.
• J4 Council races and State Championships must be USSA sanctioned events.

J3(4) 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 -TBD, and South-Dave Edry, J4 Rep). The committee will work with the Executive Director regarding VARA J3 AND J4 issues.

J4 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

SG Feb 28, 2010 GMVS
SL, GS March 13-14 2010
Total Field:165 SG (120)

The selection of the J4 Future star roster will be determined by place point scoring from the VARA J4 State Championships.

1. J4's and J5's are allowed to compete in State Championships as governed by their council. J5's are not allowed to race the SG.
2. Format: The states will be run over 3 days. There will be 2 traditional runs of GS, SL and 1 SG. Second run will be the same as first.
3. Qualification: 120 Racers will qualify for the state SG, 40 per council gender split to be determined by council. 165 racers will qualify for the J4 State Championships Tech Events. 40 from each council (gender split determined by council). The remainder of the field will be made up of from the J4 Shootout. (see J4 Shootout)
4. SG - The J4 State SG will be run separate from the tech events and will have a field Size of 120. Each council will get 40 spots. Each Council will determine gender split and selection method for the SG.
5. Entry fees: J4 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)
6. Awards: The host site will present awards to the top 10 boys and girls in each event. There is no overall champion awarded at this level.
7. 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.
8. Course setters and officials will be selected prior to the J4 States by the VARA Executive Director with assistance from the VARA AO Chair. Refs will be selected by the TD.
9. Entry Procedure: Councils MUST send racer rosters(in start order) which include Club, YoB and USSA Number to the VARA Office 1 week prior to the J4 States with attending coaches list. There will be no additions/substitutions to rosters after the evening before the 1st event 5pm.
10. Seeding: The J4 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 top 15 will be scrambled. The start order will remain the same for all slalom runs. The organizers will randomly assign the Council rotation for the second day, and that start list will be used for all giant slalom runs.
11. VARA Head Tax: Head Tax is due on J4 State Championships; the fee is $1 per racer per start to VARA.
12. Racing Up: J4's that have raced "up" during the regular season with the J3's may still compete in the J4 States provided they have qualified for the J4 States through their council (rules)and have not qualified for the J3 Olympics.
13. Rotation for States: 2008/South, 2009/Mid, 2010/North, 2011/South, 2012/Mid ... If the proposed council cannot host, the event will be sited by the Executive Director of VARA.

J4 State Shoot Out

Burke - March 7, 2010
Total Field Size: 150

The J4 State Shootout is a one-day event designed to give 50 J4's from each council a second opportunity to qualify for the J4 State Championships.

1. Format: The Shootout will consist of a 2 run GS race. The course will be set by the host ski area.
2. Qualification: 50 racers from each council that have not already made the states will be selected by council to compete at the J4 Shootout. Each Council must send roster in ranking order, along with a list of coaches 1 week prior to the event.
3. Entry fee: $25
4. 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 run.
5. Scoring: The top 23 boys and 22 girls will qualify to participate in the J4 State Championships. Selection will be based on the best single place point for the two runs including the combined. (2 runs including the combined so there are 3 scoring opportunities). Ties will be broken by next best run. Time differential will be used in case of 3 way tie, if still a tie then all the tied competitors will be selected.
6. Substitutions:
   • If an athlete qualifies for the J4 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.
   • If an athlete qualifies for the J4 States via the J4 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.

J4 Future Star Championships

March 21-23: Waterville Valley NH

Vermont's quota is 26. The Vermont Future Star Team will be determined as follows:
Automatics: Each of the three councils will have 5 automatic selections (gender split will be determined by council) to be given to the VARA office one week prior to the J4 State Championships. The 11 remaining spots, gender split, will be awarded based on results at the J4 State Championships.

Selection: The 9 Future Star selections will be determined by taking the best 3 place points at the J4 State Championships including the SG. (One less than half of the total place points. If there are an uneven number of place points, take one less than half, then round up.) Any ties will be broken by the competitor's single best place point, then their second best, etc. The 11 Future Star selections will be awarded to the lowest scored non-automatic competitors. If there is no race contested then the State Future Star Team will be council automatics plus 3 individuals from each council (to be selected by council).

J4 Elite Fundamentals Camp

December 4-7
Sunday River Maine
Quota:10

USSA will host a J4 Elite Fundamentals Camp for the Eastern region. VT will select second year J4's from the J4 States Scoring.

rev. 8/2005, 8/2006, 11/28/2007, 8/31/2008, 9/27/2009
J45 Rules