2010 Junior Olympic Qualification Process

RMN Junior National Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria for 2010 Junior Nationals

USSA Mandated Quotas — The RMN has a total of 42 (21 females and 21 males, not including pre-qualified athletes) for the USSA Junior Nationals (Junior National Championships). A maximum of 12 skiers can be named, per sex, in any oneage class (OJ, J1 and J2). There is no minimum per class. RMN will send twelve (12) OJ/J1 athletes and nine (9) J2 athletes per sex to Junior Nationals in addition to pre-qualified skiers.

Pre-Qualification — In addition to the RMN quota of 42 skiers, RMN skiers ranked in the first 20 men or the first 20 women on the final ranking list at the Junior World Championships team trials are automatically qualified to enter the Junior Nationals as a part of the RMN Junior National Team but are not counted against the RMN quota (USSA Rule 70.1.2). RMN skiers who qualify for and attend the J1 Scandinavian Cup with the U.S. Ski Team are automatically qualified to enter the Junior Nationals as a part of the RMN Junior National Team but are not counted against the RMN quota (USSA Rule 70.1.3). If an RMN skier is in the top 5 U.S. juniors on the final NCAA West ranking lists, they are automatically qualified to enter the Junior Nationals as a part of the RMN Junior National team and are not counted against the RMN quota (USSA Rule 70.1.4). RMN members of the World Junior Championships Team in Biathlon or Nordic Combined are automatically qualified to enter the Junior Nationals as a part of the RMN Junior National Team but are not counted against the RMN quota (USSA Rule 70.1.5).

Eligibility — A junior skier must me a member of Rocky Mountain Nordic to be eligible for the RMN Junior National Ski Team. Only races a skier participates in after they are an RMN member will be considered under the selection criteria. A skier must be a RMN member prior to US Nationals in order to pre-qualify at US Nationals. A skier must compete in four (4) RMN Junior National Qualifying races in order to be eligible to compete for RMN at the Junior National Championships.

RMN Junior National Qualifier Races — Eight races will be designated prior to the season as Junior National Qualifier races. These races will be posted on the calendar on the RMN web site. Eligible members who compete in these races will receive RMN JNQ points. To be scored in a RMN JNQ race a skier must be a member of RMN three days prior to the race in which he/she wishes to be scored.

Scoring Procedure — The FIS World Cup scoring method will be used to calculate RMN Junior Standings throughout the season. The scoring method awards points all eligible RMN skiers according to the table below. Those skiers who prequalify for Junior Nationals through their race results at US National Championships will be removed from any previously published point lists, and will not score points for the remainder of the season. All skiers finishing below 30th will receive 1 point. The points are awarded as follows:

Place     Points       Place       Points          Place      Points
1           100 11           24 21           10
2           80 12           22 22           9
3           60 13           20 23           8
4           50 14           18 24           7
5           45 15           16 25           6
6           40 16           15 26           5
7           36 17           14 27           4
8           32 18           13 28           3
9           29 19           12 29           2
10         26 20           11 30           1

Qualification Points List — The sum of a skier’s best four races at RMN JNQ races, regardless of technique or race format, will be used determine the skier's RMN points. Skiers will be ranked on the RMN Points List according to their RMN points in descending order.

Tie Breaking Procedure — Ties in the points list will be resolved using the USSA tie-breaking procedure. A skier will move ahead in the final championship or trials standings, and on selections lists, based on the following procedures until a tie is broken:
                1. Highest/higher single finish
                2. The second-highest single finish
                3. The third-highest single finish
                4. The fourth-highest single finish
                5. Lowest USSA points in an event

Naming of the RMN Junior National Team / Objective Criteria — Skiers will be named to the RMN Junior Nationals team in the following order:

A. All pre-qualified skiers, as described above, will be named to the RMN Junior Nationals Team.

B. After the elimination of pre-qualified skiers from end-of-season point’s lists the top twelve (12) OJ/J1 and top nine (9) J2 skiers of each sex on the final points list will be named to the RMN Junior National Team, with the following exception (C) ...

C. Second year OJ skiers must qualify in the top nine of the combined J1/OJ classes in the final RMN points list to be eligible for the RMN Junior National Team. Pre-Qualified skiers to the RMN Junior National Ski Team who do not count towards the quota will not be included in the count of the top nine. If a 2nd year OJ skier does not pre-qualify or finish in the top nine of the J1/OJ list they will not be named to the JN team and selection will move down the list until the quota of 12 has been met.

D. Alternates — 1st, 2nd, and 3rd alternates for each sex and class (J2 and J1/OJ combined) will be named to the team based on the final RMN points list. Second year OJs are not eligible to be named as an alternate. If a skier on the JN team, with the exception of a pre-qualified skier, cannot compete, or chooses not to compete at Junior Nationals the alternates will be giving the opportunity to join the team.

The qualification process does not allow for naming of skiers to the RMN Junior National Team on a discretionary basis. With opportunities for pre-qualification as described above, in addition to normal qualification through the eight RMN Junior National Qualifying races, there should be ample opportunity for skiers to attempt to qualify for the RMN Junior Nationals Team.

Appeals Process and Appeals Board — Skiers have the right to appeal a decision made by the RMN Junior National Selection Committee. This appeal must be made in a timely fashion, and it will be considered in a timely fashion as well. To appeal, a skier must submit an appeal in writing (e-mail is acceptable) to the RMN Executive Director, Justin Easter. The Executive Director will confirm to the skier the question that the appeal has been received and will convene an Appeals Board meeting as quickly as possible. This meeting may be held via conference call. The Appeals Board will consist of the following members: the RMN executive director, the Chairman of RMN Junior Competitions Committee, or the Team Leader for the 2009 Junior Nationals, and either the USSA Mountain Region Coordinator or the USSA Mountain Region Sport Committee Representative.