Hosting a Ski Mountaineering Race - FAQ  

The following FAQ is an abbreviated version of the International Ski Mountaineering Council (ISMC) guidelines for conducting a Ski Mountaineering race.  This information is suitable for planning and hosting local races in North America that intend to conform to international race standards.  This information is intended for the most popular format of Ski Mountaineering races – individual competitors, held in conjunction with a ski resort, having both a racing and recreational division, as well as male/female or other subdivisions and not being an ISMC sanctioned event.  This format of race is intended to test the competitors uphill and downhill skills on challenging terrain. 

For the unabridged ISMC version of how to conduct an official event, please visit the ISMC section of the UIAA website at: http://www.uiaa.ch/?c=217  

It should also be noted that these race requirements are a form of homologation to ensure that ISMC style races are basically the same no matter where they are held.  Just as Giant Slalom, Downhill and Slalom courses have a required number of gates, vertical drop and general look & feel, so do these Ski Mountaineering races.  The advantage of this is that as a growing sport, people are starting to travel long distances to race, and need to have some idea of what to expect.  While beacon searches, navigation skills and breaking trails are major aspects of ski mountaineering, they are inappropriate for this genre of race and belong more in the Adventure Racing arena.


The Top Three Most Common Race Problems
Race Officials
Course Design & Considerations
   Logistics
   Course Signage
   Course Marking Flags
   Alternative Routes
   Starting Areas
   Finish Area
Prerace Meetings
   Equipment
   Required Equipment
  Suggested Equipment Requirements
The Race
   Starting Areas
   Starting Sequence
   Checkpoints
   Finish Area
Rules of Conduct
The Environment
Disqualifications and Penalties


The Top Three most Common Race Problems
1) The trail is not broken.
  This creates an unfair competition.  At a minimum, the trail should be well broken and if possible, a parallel passing trail should be established as well.  

2) The course is not well marked.  When in doubt, it is better to over mark the trail rather than under mark it.  Racers are operating in a hypoxic state and need simple, clear markings.  In a ski area, be careful about using marking flags that are similar to the ski area trail markers.  Do not rely on racers being familiar with the terrain as it may be the first time they have come to the area or the weather may be poor.  

3) The racers are far faster than the event organizers anticipate.  This can lead to unmanned check stations, unmarked courses and general confusion.  The top racers can cover roughly 100 vertical feet per minute, which is only slightly less than old chairlift.  

Race Officials
Ski Mountaineering races would not be possible without a veritable army of volunteers.  To make the most of this charitable work, it is important to be organized and have people who can direct the effort, answer questions and resolve disputes.

Race Director – General Organizer and coordinator of the race.
Technical Director - Course Setter and course safety adviser.
Start/Finish Judge
– In charge of timing.
Two Judges
– People who can partake with the above to form a five person jury in case of disputes.

Course Design & Considerations
The course must be laid out such that racers are not interfering with each other.  The itineraries should avoid having ascents and descents on the same trail and allow all divisions to compete without interference.

  • The ascent and descent totals must be within 20% of each other.  For example:

5,000’ of ascent and 2,500’ of descent = a 50% difference.  Not acceptable.5,000’ of ascent and             5,750’ of descent = a 15% difference.  Acceptable.

  • The total ascent should be between 4,725’ and 5,775’ (1600m +/- 10%) for men and women in the racing category with a base time of 1.5 to 2 hours for the fastest racers.

  • The recreational division will be roughly 60 - 75% of the racing division’s total amount of ascent/descent.

  • If both racing and recreation divisions are taking place on the same course, they will be organized in a way that it is impossible for them to interfere each other.

  • If a booting section is included, it should be no longer than 500’ (+/- 10%) and competitors are required to carry their skis securely attached to their backpacks.

Logistics

  • It is advisable to plan passing areas before technical sequences and to ensure specifically against “traffic jams”.

  • Attention must be given to areas with little snow cover where the racers safety may be at risk.

  • If the removal of skis is necessary, a platform must be set up for this activity with a sufficient number of controllers.

Course signage

  • Forks between different categories must be done on ascending ground and be clearly marked.

Course marking flags

  • Surveyors tape tied to trees, alpine racing gate panels, bamboo tomato stakes with duct tape and ribbons, Nordic racing flags or roped/taped off corridors are all efficient ways to mark a course.

  • Ideally, the course should be marked every 50’.

  • If the race is taking place in or near a ski area, avoid using markings that are similar to the slope & safety markings, ie., bare bamboo poles, polyester rope or trail marking signage.

  • The ISMC regulations flag size is15 x 20 cm, rectangular or triangular.

Ascent flagging – preferably fluorescent green or blue

Descent flagging - fluorescent red or yellow

  • In normal weather conditions with adequate visibility, from each flag the following two must be visible. Poor visibility may require further flagging of the course on the morning of the race.

  • Danger zones should be signed by rectangular yellow flags with a black stripe across. Danger flags are 40 x 60 cm minimum

Alternative Routes

  • The race organizers must have one or more alternative routes ready in the event of unfavourable weather or snow conditions.

Starting Areas

  • The race officials must organize a prerace safety equipment check area. At a minimum, racers should have fully functioning avalanche transceivers, shovels and any other equipment the organizers deem appropriate (clothes, probes, helmets, etc.)

Finish Area

  • The finish line must not be located on a steep slope.

Prerace Meetings
Prior to each event, there should be a course and safety briefing.  Ideally, this will take place the night before the event.  This pre race meeting should cover:

  • Route description through visual media (board or projector), indicating change and danger areas, checkpoint and sequence points, route technical peculiarities and provisioning points.

  • Weather and snow forecast: snow quality and quantity, predicted temperature, wind speed & direction and avalanche risk.

  • Competition day program: transportation information, starting procedures (racers briefing, avalanche transceiver control, warm-up area and procedures, start sequence),  procedure to follow if a skier does not complete the competition,   information regarding emergency medical procedures,  cut-off times (if any),  clothing drop off and pickup sites and awards ceremony time and place.

  • The same information must be posted in a public area immediately before, during and after the briefing.

Equipment
Required equipment:

1)  A 457 kHz  avalanche transceiver which will be checked between 30 - 45 minutes before the official time of the start. It must be worn under the clothing for the full duration of the race and be in working order if/when checked at the finish.

2) Skins for ascending.  No snowshoes.  Booting is only allowed where specified.

3) An avalanche shovel with a minimum blade size 8” x 8” that has not been modified once manufactured.

 Suggested Equipment Requirements:

  • Skis with metal edges or a splitboard.  160cm minimum for men, 150cm for women

  • A backpack of 20 litres minimal.

  • Helmets.  Must be worn properly.

  • Avalanche probe or probe poles.

  • Safety straps or brakes as required.

The Race
Starting Areas

  • Racers can leave leftovers at the start area and the organizer must provide garbage bags to carry and bring them to the finish area.

  • In mass start races, the fastest racers should have the most favourable starting position to help avoid collisions.

  • Racers should be organized according to racing divisions and/or categories.

Starting Sequence

45 minutes before the start – equipment & safety check

5 minutes before the start – general warning & starting line assembly

2 minute warning

30 second warning

Starting gun/horn.  No final count down is given to avoid barging.

 Checkpoints

  • Racers must pass through the checkpoints where their numbers (and possibly times) will be recorded.

  • Checkpoints should not be ambiguous and must have a definitive crossing point.

  • Transition areas should be spacious and ideally roped off from spectators.

  • After a ski descent, transition zones should be located in areas where racers can glide to a stop.

Finish Area

  • The finish area must be roped off and have enough room for multiple competitors to arrive and stop simultaneously.

Rules of Conduct

  • Any competitor who is caught from behind must immediately yield the trail to the overtaking competitor who says ‘’TRACE’’ or “TRACK.”

  • Any competitor in difficulty may abandon the race at his/her own initiative or be taken out of the race by decision of the Race Director or by one of the organization’s doctors.

  • Abandoning or being taken out of the race should take place at a checkpoint except in extreme circumstances.

  • If a racer abandons the race, it is their responsibility to inform a gate judge or race official of this decision.  Once a racer has officially withdrawn, it is not possible to rejoin the race and they must not interfere with other racers.

  • All racers are obligated to come to the aid of a person in danger. The Jury will take into account the time spent providing assistance.

  • No external material assistance is permitted, with the one time exception of an emergency gear swap for equipment that is broken during the start.  This will only take place within the first two minutes of the race.

The Environment
In order to help protect the environment in which the races take place:

  • Encourage minimal use of mechanical assistance (helicopter, snowmobile…)

  • Do not encourage the public to travel to environmentally fragile areas

  • No deforestation or harm to reforestation areas

  • Quick collection of markers and flagging

  • Collection of possible debris from spectators and racers

Disqualifications and Penalties
At the Jury’s discretion, the following time penalties may be applied:

  • Missing or abandoned equipment :  3 minutes

  • Receiving external assistance:  5 minutes to disqualification.

  • Littering:  5 minutes to disqualification

  • Walking without skis or skating on the parallel trail:  3 minutes to disqualification

  • Non respect of the land marking:  5 minutes to disqualification

  • Poor sportsmanship:  3 minutes to disqualification

  • Serious damage to the environment:  disqualification

  • If a competitor does not pass by a checkpoint:  disqualification

  • Failure to observe the security regulations at a checkpoint:  disqualification

  • Any action deemed dangerous or threatening the safety or proper running of the race:  disqualification.

For further questions or information, please contact Andrew McLean (amclean_at_xmission.com)