Race Day Officials Meeting:  Unless otherwise noted, or you are otherwise assigned, all volunteers will meet at race registration for a meeting at 7:30am at Race Shack. At that time, you will be assigned a position or a duty for the day by our volunteer coordinator. Also, at that time a lunch will be provided to you. You can expect some advance training so even if you don’t have a clue, we can help make it a great time helping your kids (and others) have fun that day.

KNSR RACE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE – APPOINTMENTS

Chief of Race is both a member of the Organizing Committee and the competition Jury. This official directs all preparation for the competition and supervises the activities in the technical area. The Chief of Race summons meetings for consideration of technical questions and leads the Team Captains’ Meetings after consultation with the Technical Delegate.

Chief of Course Responsible for the preparation of the courses in accordance with the decisions of the Race Committee and the Jury. The Chief of Course instructs course workers and supervises course maintenance during the race and supervises all clean-up operations.  Inasmuch as the Chief of Course must be familiar with local snow conditions on the terrain concerned, this official is usually either a ski area employee or a member of the local club.

Course Work and Slip Crew Constant racecourse maintenance work is necessary during the race to slip out ruts, holes and “chatter marks” from the turning areas, and to repair and replace broken gates. The most effective racecourse maintenance work is done by several crews under the direction of an experienced Chief of Course and staffed by skiers with sufficient weight and skill for the job. Each crew can be assigned a section of the racecourse that they will work continuously, or they may rotate down the racecourse and move from one section to another. One crew should always be either already at the start or on the lift headed for the start.

Chief Gate Judge (Gatekeeper) organizes and supervises the work of the Gate Judges. This official must make sure that the numbering and, depending on the decision of the Jury, the marking of the gates is done within the required time. The Chief Gate Judge distributes required materials such as Gate Judge cards, pencils etc. The Chief Gate Judge also instructs the Gate Judges in their duties, designates the gate(s) each Gate Judge will supervise and places each Gate Judge in position. The Chief Gate Judge collects and delivers Gate Judge cards to the Referee at the end of each run and must be prepared to offer assistance either to help keep spectators off the course or to help maintain the course.

Gate Judge (Gatekeeper) is responsible for the supervision of one or more gates.  This supervision includes determining and recording whether or not a competitor’s passage through the gates – both skis and both tips – was correct or incorrect according to current rules, verifying that the competitors do not accept outside help, straightening and assisting in the repair/replacement of gates, replacing torn and missing gate panels, and ensuring the racers are unobstructed by course workers.  A competitor who does not have correct passage through a gate or who has accepted outside help has committed a “fault”.  Gatekeepers will need to be at the start of the race course to be ready to be assigned their respective gates 30 minutes prior to the beginning of practice runs by the forerunners. Gatekeepers may be asked to go before the Jury to explain any faults marked on their cards when the faults are challenged by the racers.

Start Referee: The area around the starting gate is the responsibility of the Start Referee.  The actual start gate area is restricted to everyone except the starting officials, the starting competitor and one trainer. The Start Referee must remain at the start during competitors’ course inspection, training and the race until excused by the Jury; must make sure that the Hand Timekeepers (manual timekeepers) are able to perform their duties without distraction and must make sure that the regulations for the start and the organization of the start are observed.  In other words, the Start Referee is responsible for assuring that each competitor receives a fair start.

The Finish Referee supervises the Finish Controller, the timing and the crowd control in the finish area, makes sure that Hand Timekeepers are able to perform their duties without distraction and makes sure that each competitor has an opportunity to finish in a fair manner. The Finish Referee must remain at the finish during course inspection, training and the race until excused by the Jury.  The Finish Referee receives course reports from forerunners and delivers these reports to the Jury.

The following officials are under the direction of the Chief of Timing and Calculations:

Starter

Assistant Starter/Start Recorder

Top Organizer

Hand Timekeepers/Assistant Hand Timekeepers

Finish Controller

Chief of Calculations (when one is appointed) and assistants

The Starter regulates the start of each race by informing each racer when to be in the ready position to start the race and then gives the racer a five second count-down prior to the “GO” command.  The racer may start the race anytime after the start of the count-down begins.  The Starter is critical to the success of every race with the responsibility to ensure the course is clear prior to starting a racer and to keep the race moving efficiently.   

The Assistant Starter helps line the competitors up in preparation for the start and must be aware of “what competitor is in the start”, “what competitor is ready”, “what competitor is looking for his/her equipment” in preparation for being “next”, and what competitors have failed to appear.  Competitors must be familiar with the rules governing the start and must report for their start on time or be subject to sanction.  The Assistant Starter also serves as the start recorder and maintains the official record of the competitors in each race.

The Top Organizer is an additional assistant used during Mite Mite races in the start area by helping organize the large group of competitors and assists them getting ready prior to the start and must be aware of the general order of competitors; “what competitor is looking for his/her equipment in preparation for being “next”, and what competitors have failed to appear.   

Hand Timing & Recording Sheets: In order to provide manual backup in case of failure of the electronic timing system(s), it is required that time-of-day hand times that are completely separate and independent of the electronic timing be recorded for the individual competitors both when they leave the start and when they arrive at the finish. The people operating manual/hand timing at the start and finish are known as Hand Timekeepers, and the people recording the result on paper are known as Assistant Hand Timekeepers.

Volunteer Coordinator: Responsible for recruiting volunteers and assigning positions on race day; ordering and distributing lunches for race workers; distributing and logging lift passes for coaches and volunteer workers; distributing gatekeeping packets to gatekeepers; distributing chits to volunteer workers; and providing liaison between parents, racers and race officials.

Assistant to Volunteer Coordinaton: Helps volunteer Coordinator distribute and record lift passes for coaches and race workers, distributing lunches for race workers; distributing gatekeeping packets to gatekeepers; and distributing chits to volunteer workers.

Scoreboard Recorder:  Prior to the start of the races, responsible for entering the bib number, racer name and race club for each racer onto a Race Results sheets, with separate sheets for men and women racers.  During each race responsible for writing the race times for each racer onto the Race Results sheet.

Assistant Scoreboard Recorder:  Assists the Scoreboard Recorder by helping to hear and confirm the race times for the Scoreboard Recorder.  The Assistant Scoreboard Recorder also collects bibs from disqualified racers at the end of their first race and bibs from all racers at the end of the competition.

Race Administrator:  Responsible for registration of racers; collecting registration fees; maintaining and distributing official race start lists; and assigning and recording bibs for racers. The Race Administrator is responsible for keeping minutes of meetings, preparing accurate start orders and finish results, distributing bibs, receiving protests and for providing all forms required by for start, finish, timing, calculations and Gate Judges.  This individual is the key INSIDE person.

Administrative Assistant:  Assists the Race Administrator by helping organizing and distributing bibs to racers.  Responsible for ensuring race trophies are ready and coordinates the trophy ceremony.

Trophy Coordinator:  Assists the Race Administrator by helping organizing and distributing bibs to racers and often serves as assistant Scoreboard Recorder.