Ski Mountaineering Race FAQ

	Ski Mountaineering Race FAQ
	What is a Ski Mountaineering race? What kind of equipment is required? How will I know what equipment is required? How much do the races cost to enter? What are the courses like? Where do the races take place? How long do the races take? What kind of physical shape do I have to be in? How will I know where to go? What happens at the prerace meeting? Can I miss the prerace meeting? Will we be traveling in avalanche terrain and should I be concerned about avalanche danger? What happens if it snows heavily the night before the race or the day of the race? How do the starts work? How will I know where to go? Can I have outside assistance during the race? Can I discard gear along the way and retrieve it later? Do I have to follow the marked trail? What happens if I can’t finish the race? What do I do at checkpoints? Is any equipment prohibited? How do you pass someone on uphill skin tracks? Do races have age or equipment divisions? Is it possible to get disqualified? How are the winners determined? What are the secrets for being fast? What constitutes a World Cup event? How can I get an ISMC / World Cup License? Hosting a Race
	What is a Ski Mountaineering race? A Ski Mountaineering race is a timed event that follows an established trail through challenging winter alpine terrain while passing through a series of checkpoints. Racers climb and descend under their own power using backcountry skiing equipment and techniques.
	What kind of equipment is required? This may vary with the races, but the mandatory basics will always be: - Avalanche beacon. Must be working and transmitting on the 457 kHz frequency - Shovel. Backcountry shovels with handles. - Avalanche probe or probe poles - Ski brakes or leashes (at the ski areas discretion) Equipment that may be required (usually for World Cup Events): - Sunglasses or goggles - Gloves - Lightweight jacket - Helmet - Crampons
	How will I know what equipment is required? The race organizers will post this information well in advance (weeks/months) of the actual event. There will be no surprise equipment requirements the day of the race.
	How much do the races cost to enter? The races are generally $35 to $50 to enter. This usually includes the race, the prerace meeting, a t-shirt and/or items from sponsors and often a post race party. If the race is held at a ski area, racers will often be required to purchase a discounted lift ticket. Depending on the event sponsor, cash or equipment prizes may be awarded to the top finishers.
	What are the courses like? There will usually be at least two categories per race – a recreational division and a racing division. The racing division will be roughly 5,000’ to 6,000’ of climbing and descents with 3 – 5 climbs involved. The recreational division will be approximately 3,000’ of climbing and descents with 2-3 climbs involved. The racing division will cover approximately 7 – 10 miles with the recreational division going about 4 – 7 miles.
	Where do the races take place? In North America, races generally take place within the boundaries of a ski area. This is mainly due to the logistics involved with getting volunteers in place, controlling avalanche terrain and the issues involved with holding events on public lands.
	How long do the races take? The fastest times will be around 2 hours for both divisions. There will often times be a cut off time of 4 – 5 hours.
	What kind of physical shape do I have to be in? This will depend on the race. In general, the effort is similar to a half marathon trail running race in the mountains, both in terms of time and energy.
	How will I know where to go? The race organizers should post a topographic or schematic map of the course well in advance of the race as well as hosting a prerace meeting the night before the race. The course will be marked with color coded flagging for the ascent/descents and the checkpoints will be manned with people who can give you directions to the next checkpoint if needed. In the event of new snow, a trail will be broken.
	What happens at the prerace meeting? The course details will be discussed, as well as any last minute changes to the schedule. Racers will be issued their bibs as well as advised of the forecasted weather. Liability and insurance forms are usually signed at this time.
	Can I miss the prerace meeting? Due to travel or logistics, it is often not possible to attend the prerace meeting. Most often, if you contact the event organizer prior to the race they will allow you to pick up your race material the morning of the race, although you will miss out on the course briefing.
	Will we be traveling in avalanche terrain and should I be concerned about avalanche danger? Avalanches and avalanche terrain is an inherent part of Ski Mountaineering races. The event organizers will assess the terrain and current snow stability before starting the race. If they feel the avalanche danger warrants a change of venue, that will most likely be announced at the prerace meeting. Even if the event is held entirely inbounds at a ski resort, there is always a chance of avalanches and thus avalanche safety equipment is required (beacons & shovels).
	What happens if it snows heavily the night before the race or the day of the race? The event organizers will either have a back-up course or an altered version of the course.
	How do the starts work? Roughly one hour before the race starts, racers will be checked for the required safety equipment and will not be allowed to start without it. Ten minutes before the start, racers will line up behind a starting line according to their category. Depending on the event organizers, racers may start with their equipment on, or be required to do a Le Mans running start. There will be a five minute warning, then a one minute warning, then a thirty second warning, after which the starting gun/horn will sound. The will be no last second count down.
	Can I have outside assistance during the race? No. You must finish entirely under your own power and not receive assistance from other people or mechanical means.
	Can I discard gear along the way and retrieve it later? No. You must finish will all the equipment you start with.
	Do I have to follow the marked trail? The course should be laid out such that it would be slower and inefficient to deviate from the main track. Slight variations to pass other racers or climb at a different angle are acceptable, but you must pass through all checkpoints.
	What happens if I can’t finish the race? If for any reason you can not complete the course, you can withdraw from the race at any checkpoint or at the finish line by clearly telling the gatekeeper your name, bib number and that you are withdrawing. This is important as otherwise a search party may be sent out for you.
	What do I do at checkpoints? The checkpoints will be manned by volunteers who will be checking off your number as you pass through. To make sure you are not missed, you should wear your bib on your front right thigh and call out your number as you pass through.
	Is any equipment prohibited? You must ascend using skins or by hiking if specified. Snowshoes and/or hiking the uphills is not allowed. Telemark, Alpine Touring and Nordic ski equipment as well as split snowboards are permitted. Ski crampons may or may not be allowed and will be stated well in advance.
	How do you pass someone on uphill skin tracks? Ideally, there will be two trails broken which will allow racers to easily pass. If this is not the case, the overtaking racer has the right of way but must signal their intention to pass by clearly stating “Track” to the racer they are overtaking. It is the responsibility of the racer who is being passed to let the other racer by.
	Do races have age or equipment divisions? This will depend on the race. Most often it will be Men’s & Women’s divisions within the Racing and Recreational categories.
	Is it possible to get disqualified? Yes – you can be disqualified for missing a checkpoint or colliding with the public within a ski area’s boundaries. It is also possible to be assessed a time penalty for poor sportsmanship and/or unintentional rule violations, such as littering. This will be determined by the race officials who will have the final say.
	How are the winners determined? Places are determined exclusively by order of timed finish. There are no subjective judged aspects, such as descent style.
	What are the secrets for being fast? Ski Mountaineering races are a blend of many skills, including endurance, uphill technique, downhill technique and efficient change-overs. The uphill portions usually make up the bulk of the race and are the most important. Maintaining an even pace throughout the race is a good strategy. On the descents, avoiding falls while shedding vertical as fast as possible is vital. While the change-overs only take a few moments, there can be quite a few of them and developing a system for switching from skiing to skinning or visa versa and managing your gear is critical. Equipment should be as light as possible yet also able to handle backcountry abuse. Experienced racers develop a variety of strategies to suit different courses and conditions. One of the best of these is to remember that races have many turns of events and that they are never truly over until you have crossed the finish line, so it is important to never give up.
	What constitutes a World Cup event? World Cup events are very similar to national races, but adhere to a strict set of race format rules. World Cup events must be sanctioned beforehand and the results count towards overall international standings. To compete in the World Cup division of a race, you must hold an International Ski Mountaineering Council (ISMC) competitors license.
	How can I get an ISMC / World Cup License? World Cup Licenses are only required if you are interested in competing in World Cup events and want to be internationally ranked. To apply, download the application form here and follow the instructions.
	Is there any information available about how to host a race? This will be covered in a separate FAQ. For immediate information, contact Andrew McLean.
	Are there any other recommended websites? The UIAA has an excellent website that covers ISMC events and rules. It can be found at http://www.uiaa.ch/index.aspx
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