The SkiEast League athletes will train and race at Blue Hills Ski Area, Canton, MA and Ragged Mountain, Danbury, NH.  The league will operate training sessions and races in alignment with MIAA COVID guidelines.  In addition, each ski racing venue may institute COVID mitigation guidelines specifically tailored to their specific venue.  All SkiEast athletes must abide by any specific MIAA or ski area COVID guideline or rule.   Failure to follow all COVID guidelines may result in disqualification from a race or suspension from the league.

The mission of the Rules Committee is to formulate a framework of rules consistent with high school ski racing nationally, taking into consideration the mission of our ski league.  

Our goal is that everyone involved in our league has general awareness of  the nuances and complexities of organized ski racing and understands how we apply these rules to facilitate our own effective and fair race events. 
 
Please note  that SKIER SAFETY IS THE CHIEF GOAL OF ALL RACING.

Generally, our league follows U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) alpine rules, as outlined in the USSA Alpine Competition Guide, adapted as necessary to fit our league. 

In certain instances, however, we have needed to clarify/document how these rules should be interpreted when applied to our high school league. Wherever FIS/USSA guidelines don't apply to the running of a high school race, we have attempted to interpret how the rules should apply without changing the overall intent of the official rules.

With this in mind the rules committee has examined the following topics:

• Run Order
• Individual and Team Scoring
• Race Administration
• Rules Jury

Alpine officials' roles and responsibilities.  Reference chapter 6 and 7 of the competition guide. Roles and responsibilities will be reviewed and agreed to by all team coaches prior to the start of each season. Individuals will be assigned to each role prior to each race. 

Chief of Race is responsible for making ruling Re: inclement weather by noon. 

• Lost ski = DQ if more than 2 gates from finish.
• Falls and missed gates:
  • Giant Slalom: A racer that fell or missed a gate and stopped must ski out. No hiking is allowed.
  • Slalom: A racer may get up and hike up to correct a missed gate as long as they do not interfere with the next racer and were not over-taken.
• A racer who is interfered with must immediately ski out of the course and notify a course official AND the Finish Referee.  A racer who crosses the finish line will not be allowed a rerun. 
• All DQ and DNF will be posted within 15 minutes of the end of each run and announced at the Coaches meeting following the first run.
• Protests must be brought to Timing within 15 minutes of posting time by the coach involved.

Ski East uses a low point system:
 
 Individual

Each run will scored independently for individual standings
Score for finish = order/rank of finish
Score for DNF or DSQ = Max number of entries that event
Score for DNS = Max number of eligible racers for that event (e.g. 100 for Varsity)

     Team

Combined runs will be considered for team scores 

Team score = total scores (sum of ranks) of top six racers
1st place = 0.75 points, 2nd place = 2 points, 3rd place = 3 points, etc.   DNR = number of teams +1
 
     Cumulative results

Sum of individual run rank, less throw-outs, determine the season's final individual rankings. Sum of team race points determine final team results (racer combined runs).

     Throw-outs :

Individual scoring is determined by the accumulation of each run less race drop(s) “throw outs”.  Each run is considered to be a race.  Events with two runs will count as two separate races but the combined result will NOT count toward overall league ranking. ( Combined results at two run events may include award presentations such as the A.J. McEachern memorial race.)  Individual season results will be tabulated with throw outs as follows: 

• 1 throw out for 3 or more races
• 2 throw outs for 5 or more races
• 3 throw outs for 8 or more races
• 4 throw outs for 10 or more races
• 5 throws out for 13 or more races

 In addition, Individual season scoring MUST include at least one SL race if the league completes 3 or more SL races during the season.

Team throw-outs MAY (or may not) be granted by the Board of Governors (BOG).  Team throw-outs should be requested in advance whenever possible. Last minute team throw-outs are only for "acts of God". Team throw-outs will be awarded points based on the team's seasonal average plus one point.

   Tie Breaks

Individual standing ties are broken by adding back each racers next lowest throw-out (sum -1) or by considering all runs if necessary. 

  State Championships

MIAA guidelines allocate each league spots in the State Championship based on number of participating teams ( 2 spots per number of  league teams per gender).  For 2023, the SkiEast League is comprised of 8 co-ed varsity teams and 2 single gender varsity teams.    Therefore, the SkiEast league will qualify the top 18, plus 2 alternates, per gender, to compete in the State Championships.  

Pre Race

A) Coaches provide scorer with list of active racers (a.k.a., race roster) in gender seed order, 24 hours prior to race start.  If new race roster not received in time, previous race roster will be used. 
B) Chief of Race is chosen and decides if race will be cancelled because of inclement weather or lack of snow.

 
3) Race

 
A) Coaches and racers arrive and prepare to race
B) Coaches list racer names and bib numbers clearly on appropriate scoreboard. It is the responsibility of each skier and coach to verify the accuracy of this information prior to certification of the race results. Failure to comply with this rule shall result in disqualification and may result in additional team or individual penalties, as determined by the BOG.
C) The Course is set and inspected by the Chief of Course, and Okay is given to the Chief of Race.
D) Skiers and coaches shall inspect the course. Any skier who "skis" or "races" the course during the inspection period shall be disqualified.
E) Personnel take positions
F) Forerunners ski course
G) Chief of race confers with T.D. and OKs race start
H) Racers ski course per running order

I)  Any athlete that is racing at a GS race that is conducted in the dark, under artificial lighting,  will be disqualified (DSQ) if he/she comes to a complete stop during their run.  Athletes will also be DSQed  if they come to a complete stop at GS races that are conducted as parallel “dual” course races. 

Hiking after coming to a complete stop IS allowed at races that are single set races held during daylight hours as long as the  hiking athlete does not knowingly interfere with the next racer on course.   A race official may DSQ a hiking athlete in this instance.  Interference rules listed below shall apply to the racer that was interfered with.

J) A skier who believes he/she is entitled to a re-run due to interference from another skier or person(s), shall IMMEDIATELY ski out of the course and notify the closest gatekeeper. He/she shall then ski down adjacent to the course to the vicinity of the finish and request a re-run from the Finish Referee.  He/she must also exit the course WITHOUT crossing the finish line.  Failure to comply with this rule may result in disqualification.

K) Provisional and permanent re-runs are skied, if necessary  
L) Course is closed

M)Code of Conduct:  Good sportsmanship from all athletes is paramount to the functioning of the league.  Ski areas require all skiers to abide by their rules including safe skiing practices to appropriate language.  Any athlete that has their lift ticket pulled for conduct reasons will be DSQed from the race(s) for that day.  

In addition, all athletes must refrain from profanity.  Any athlete that swears in a blatant and obvious manner during a run or at the finish area shall be DSQed from that race.
 
4) Post Race
 
A) Chief of Race gathers defaults from gatekeepers
B) Coaches record protests, if any, and notify Chief of Gatekeepers, COR and scorer ASAP and prior to the certification of the race results (see item "f"). Failure to comply with this rule may result in disqualification.
C) Jury meets if necessary
D) Jury notes are recorded and delivered to the Chief of Race
E) Changes, if any, are made to the scoreboard
F) Scorer certifies race results and removes posted score sheet

JURY AND ADMINISTRATORS

Race Officials

• Technical Delegate is a USSA official and assigned by the sanctioning group i.e.:Ski East BOG, USSA, BWD, NCAA. His or Her role is to guide and help race administration to a legal and safe race.
• Chief of Race is a USSA official and usually is the Host Team Coach. Role is to run the race and make sure all issues are attended to.
• Chief of Course is appointed by the Ski East BOG. His or Her role is to make sure the course is safe and within the parameters of the race. i.e.: GS vs. Slalom.
• Referee is appointed by the coaches or team captains and is outside the host organization. Reviews the course and represents the competitors on the jury.
• Assistant Referee is the referee assistant and shares the same duties and responsibilities.
• Race Administrator / Chief of Timing responsible for the recording of timing and faults
• Start and Finish Referees. They are appointed by the League President and are represented by their voice only.

 1) The Jury - Any jury decision will include at least three of the following officials:

• TD (if available)
• Chief of Race
• Start ref
• Finish ref
• Chief of timing / race administrator

2) Because the rules are sometimes subject to interpretation, we have the jury to make these interpretations if necessary. Because of the limited time and personnel, disputes will be handled as follows:
 
A)  "Fast Track" jury to arbitrate disqualifications on the mountain will consist of at least three officials as described above. A hearing will take place as soon as feasible, or at the conclusion of the race. A skier should have their coach appeal the findings of this hearing and request that the dispute will be taken before the formal jury.
B) Formal jury will consist of one coach from each participating team. After the initial vote, in case of a tie, the TD will be the tiebreaker. If the TD is also a coach, the TD may vote twice.
C) The TD will be the head of the Jury, but the COR will be responsible for bringing all information bearing to the decision to the meeting.
 
3) To run a race fairly, safely, and within the parameters of national ski racing, a race administration group is necessary to run, oversee, and act as the eyes and ears of the race. This administrative group would consist of the following:
 
A) TD who would oversee and guide the race. Recommended that he or she be appointed for the season for Ski East to help things run fairly and smoothly throughout the season. He/she is a member of the "Fast Track" Jury.
B) Chief of Race who would be appointed weekly from the participating teams and could staff and execute the race.
C) Chief of Course who would inspect the course and report to the COR on course safety, etc. Recommended that he/she be a permanent position or rotated through the season but come from the veteran ski racer core. Member of the "Fast Track" jury.
D) Start Referee who may rotate with an assistant through the season. Duties are to watch the starts and first few gates if necessary.
E) Finish Referee who also may rotate with an assistant. Duties are to watch the finish line and possibly the last few gates. Responsible for awarding reruns.
F) Chief of Gatekeepers organizes and oversees the gatekeepers who have been assigned to officiate the race. Collects gatekeeper score sheets and delivers them to the scorer immediately following each heat. Member of the "Fast Track" jury.
 
4) It should be noted here that a coach-as-an-administrator's primary duty is to the race and the league as a whole. We assume a coach will not accept this role without some assistance of other coaching staff within his/her organization. We expect to have some members of the administration be jury members.

Starting in the 2017-2018 season, the league is revising slightly the method for assigning gatekeepers.  Rather then having a single team provide all gatekeepers on the days that they host, parents from any school can volunteer for any available gatekeeping shift, over the course of the season.  Over the course of the season, each school should contribute a number of gatekeepers relative to their team size.  Parents can claim volunteer sessions using the DIBS feature of this site. 

That said, the host team is still ultimately responsible for ensuring that 4 gatekeepers are available at Blue Hills' races, and 6 gatekeepers are available at Ragged Mountain races.  

A penalty of 1 point will be added to the host team's score for EACH absent gatekeeper (no exceptions). The Chief of Gatekeepers is responsible for assigning such a penalty and notifying the Scorer.

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