Intermountain Junior Nationals Team Selection Criteria
The intent of this criteria is to objectively select a team of junior male and female competitors from the Junior National Qualifying Series to represent the IMD at U.S. Junior National Championships.
Divisional Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria are determined by the Intermountain Competition Committee. The IMDCC is comprised of representatives from all divisional member clubs and operates under the guidelines established by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSS). The USSS is recognized as the National Governing Body for cross country ski racing and as such, sanctions the U.S. Junior National Championships. The intermountain division is authorized by USSS as a divisional governing body for cross country ski racing.
1) General Eligibility: Any athlete who wishes to be considered for selection to the Intermountain Divisional Team must meet all USSS National Eligibility Requirements as described in the USSS Competition Guide. Those requirements include, but are not limited to:
a) Participants must be a citizen of the United States and Eligible to Earn Championships Awards: A guest class at Junior Nationals is available for non-U.S. citizens. Intermountain often has guest class skiers participate in Intermountain Junior Qualifiers, but they may not score selection points. Guest skiers residing within the Intermountain Division may also attend US Junior Championships as part of the Intermountain Team, in addition to our divisional quota. See the USSS COMP Guide for additional clarification rules pertaining to foreign skiers. Skiers who possess dual citizenship including a U.S. passport may only represent the United States in a competitive year in order to be eligible to participate at U.S. Junior National Championships. If a skier possessing dual citizenship represents a country other than the United States in a competitive year, they are deemed ineligible by USSS rules to be considered for qualification for U.S. Junior National Championships. They may attend as a guest skier.
b) Participants must possess a current USSS Competitors License. The USSS Competition License Form is available from US Skiing Member Services in Park City, UT; (435) 649-9090. It is the responsibility of the competitor to ensure their USSS membership is complete and active prior to the conduct of a JNQ to be eligible for scoring. Note skiers with a USSS general membership can compete at USSS sanctioned events but must have a USSS competitors license to be eligible for the JN’s selection process.
c) Participants must possess a current IMD Competitors License. Only those competitors in possession of a current IMD license will be scored at selection events. An IMD license may be purchased on-site, prior to any of the qualifying events and those events will be scored. The Intermountain Competition License Form is available online for head coaches of IMD teams to register their athletes.
2) Junior Nationals Team Regulations
The USSS has set the following rules for divisional team quotas and age classes that apply to all divisional teams attending Junior Nationals:
a) Junior National Age Classes: The age classes at Junior Nationals are U16, U18, and U20. Consult the current USSS Competition guide for the current "year of birth" classifications. Note that
b) Maximum Team Size: The Intermountain Division is allowed a maximum team size of a total 25 boys and 25 girls with these exceptions for skiers who prequalify for Junior Nationals by below described methods in addition to our base quota.
i) Any junior skier placing in the overall top twenty ranking from the world junior selection series earns an automatic berth to U.S. Junior Nationals in addition to a division’s quota.
ii) Any junior skier who was selected for the US Team for Cross Country World Junior Championships
iii) Any U18 or U16 skier who was selected for and attended, the USSS Nordic Nations trip earns an automatic berth to U.S. Junior Nationals in addition to a division’s quota.
iv) Consult the USSS Competition Guide for the current NCAA qualification process for U.S. Junior National Championships. NCAA skiers eligible to attend Junior Nationals are in addition to a division’s quota. Note the rules for US Junior Nationals allow a qualified skier in a collegiate program to represent either their home division or the region in which their collegiate program is located.
v) Any junior aged skier who qualifies for the IOC Youth Olympic Games, Junior Worlds Nordic Combined Championships, or World Youth/Junior Biathlon Championships.
c) Scoring Procedures regarding Pre-Qualified Skiers: Skiers who pre-qualify for the US Junior National Championships are listed at the top of their respective age group ranking list and are designated as “PQ” so as to clearly delineate that they are pre-selected to the Junior National Team. Skiers who are Pre-Qualified prior to participating in the Intermountain Junior National Selection Series are NOT AWARDED JN RANKING POINTS IN ANY RACES IN WHICH THEY SUBSEQUENTLY PARTICIPATE. Additionally, in the event that an Intermountain Skier does Pre-Qualify for Junior Nationals after the completion of any number of Intermountain JN Qualifying races, those age categories in which the pre-qualified skier has participated are RESCORED AS IF THE PRE-QUALIFIED SKIER DID NOT PARTICIPATE. This is to ensure that the selection process affords the same standard of competition for all skiers not pre-qualifying.
3) Selection Event Scoring Procedures: The Selection Criteria is designed to provide an objective assessment of competitors’ race results in a series of designated qualifying events. Each year at the annual spring IMDCC conference, a qualifying race schedule is determined. Information on the date, location, distances and formats for the qualifying series is available on the Division website.
a) Scoring Method: Selection Races are scored using the following, points-by-place system.
The top 30 skiers are scored in an age class. (Pre-qualified skiers will not be scored at IMD qualifiers and will be listed at the top of the Intermountain Selection List as Pre-Qualified.
b) Only IMD licensed competitors are scored. For example, if a joint RMD and IMD qualifier is held, the IMD licensed skiers are scored as if only they were in the competition.
c) Interval and Mass Start Distance Races: Each class is scored with points awarded to the top 30 finishers in the IMD
Sample Scored Distance Race
d) Sprint Races: Sprint races are scored using the same point by place system, however, final points are a sum of a skier’s points based on place in the qualifier divided by 2, plus points based on final place in elimination rounds divided by 2. Skiers advancing to the elimination rounds are ordered in the heats using USSS sprint rules. For skiers not advancing to the elimination rounds, race points are awarded according to preliminary round results if less than 30 skiers are moved into elimination rounds.
Sample Scored Sprint Race
e) Overall Series Ranking Within Each Age Class: A skier’s final overall points total for IMD ranking is determined by adding their best three (highest) point results from the selection events. A skier must complete at least three races, including one of each technique, in the age class in which they intend to be selected for the JN Team. After the highest classic and freestyle results are determined, the next best result in either technique is added to get a skiers three race point total. An overall ranking list, high points to low, is determined for each age class. Any skier not completing at least three races in the IMD Selection Series will be removed from the final ranking list before selection begins.
f) U16 Standings are Compiled on a U16 List While U18 and U20 Standings are Combined in a Single U18/U20 Overall Series Ranking List: For the purpose of establishing selection ranking, the U20 and U18 class are scored and ranked throughout the qualifying series as if one class. Race results will list combined U18 and U20 finishers, but must still designate which age class a skier is in, U20 or U18. Updated Ranking Lists will be available after each competition on the Intermountain Division website.
4) Team Selection Procedures
Once the Divisional Qualifying Series is completed and the Overall U16 and Combined U18/U20 ranking lists are established, JN team selection proceeds in order of the steps as described below for both the male and female teams.
a) Name to the team any skiers that pre-qualified for U.S. Junior Nationals using one of the methods listed in section 2.c. Remember that automatic selections from World Trials, World Juniors, U18 Scandinavian Series or the NCAA Region do not count against either the total quota of 25 in a gender.
b) 1st year U20s must be ranked 12th or better on the Final U20/U18 combined list before any selections are made and 2nd year U20's must be ranked 5th or better on the Final U20/U18 combined list before any selections are made to be eligible to selected in step 4.e described below, if not selected in this step. Any 1st year U20 not ranked in the final top 12 on the Final combined U20/U18 list and any 2nd year U20 not ranked in the final top 5 on the Final combined U18/U20 list is removed from the overall list prior to the start of the selection process
c) Name to the team the ELEVEN highest-ranked U16 skiers. ( 14 quota spots remaining)
d) Name to team the EIGHT highest ranked U18 skiers from the combined U20/U18 ranking list (6 quota spots remaining)
e) Name to the team the next SIX unselected U20s or U18s in order of ranking on the U20/U18 list not yet selected and continue this process until the quota of 25 skiers in total and not more than 14 in the U18 age class, have been selected. In the event of a tie, the skiers’ single best point results will be utilized to break the tie. If there is still a tie the next best will be compared and so on until the tie is broken.
f) Chose one alternate from each age class per gender. Any first-year U20 previously removed from the overall ranking list for the combined U18/U20 class for failing to be ranked in the top twelve, is reinstated for the purpose of alternate naming and is available for selection if they are the next non-selected athlete in the event that an alternate is required.
g) For the purpose of assigning points in the selection process, only official results may be considered.
h) There is no element of discretion included in this selection process.
i) Any Intermountain competitor has the right to appeal the selection process if in their assessment the selection process was not followed as described. An appeal is made to USSS cross country sport committee.
This criteria has been developed as an objective means to select the best possible team for Junior Nationals. Selection of the JN team is especially challenging because of the limited quota as determined by USSS and the requirement to compare and select athletes from different age classes. The selection process can be confusing to new skiers and parents. All skiers are encouraged to discuss the procedure with their coach for additional clarification. We encourage all parents and coaches to support and encourage the skiers regardless of their performance in the selection series. Youth athletics should be primarily focused on participation, skill and fitness development and teaching of the traits of commitment and dedication. Let us applaud the efforts of all the junior skiers who participate in our Intermountain Cross Country Ski Program. They are all deserving of our support.