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RACER AGE CATEGORY CHANGES

BACKGROUND

1. FIS has recently approved changes to the Alpine Ski Racer age categories and designations. The changes come into force for the Winter Season 2012/13 and some of the changes require us to consider the impact on the British Ski Racing Rules (BCR and BACR).

2. The British TD Forum is the rule-making body for Alpine Ski Racing in Britain. The normal position is that the British Rules follow the International ones unless there is good reason to make a change. With regard to the Age Category changes, there may be reason to make separate British rules.

3. To enable the TD Forum to make an informed decision, we are seeking views from the Alpine Ski Racing community at large: racers, parents, coaches, officials, clubs, Home Nation organisations. The decision will be taken at the November 2011 meeting of the Forum. Details of how to let us have your views are at the end of this document.

FIS AGE CATEGORIES

4. The new Age Categories from season 2012/13 onwards are:

Category           2012/13                 2013/14                   2014/15

U14 (CH1)         2000                        2001                      2002

                           1999                        2000                      2001

U16 (CH2)         1998                         1999                      2000

                           1997                         1998                     1999

U18 (Jun 1)         1996                         1997                     1998

                           1995                        1996                      1997

U21 (Jun 2)         1994                        1995                      1996

                           1993                         1994                     1995

                           1992                        1993                      1994

Licensed              1996 & earlier         1997 & earlier        1998 & earlier

4.1. These changes apply to FIS organised races and will be adopted for the BASS and BACR races unless there are any compelling reasons not to.

4.2. Uxx designation replaces CH1, JN1 etc

4.3. Entry into FIS and National seeded racing is delayed by one year compared to existing rules and that delay continues through the categories

4.4. Athletes are therefore one year older than before at each stage

IMPLICATIONS

5. FIS does not recognise or organise racing by athletes under the age of 12. FIS places the onus on National Ski Associations to decide whether and how to run races for athletes under the age of 12.

6. GBR recognises that there is an active athlete community under the age of 12. Equally, GBR recognises that there are significant concerns about the impact of racing on young bodies. There is growing evidence of lower limb and back conditions in teenaged racers, arising from the age at which training and ski racing starts, and the type of training. Consequently, a balance needs to be struck.

7. At present, athletes may enter suitable GBR races on snow and artificial surfaces from the age of 7. FIS has acted upon concerns about the potential impact of racing on young bodies and has changed the rules to delay the entry into International competitions until age 12, rather than 11 at present. GBR could simply reflect that change and raise the age at which athletes may enter National races by one year to age 8.

8. Alternatively, there is an opportunity to adopt a more radical approach which recognises the widely held view that:

     8.1. The early years of skiing should comprise learning how to ski in all conditions and terrains

     8.2. Skiing should be fun and ‘training’ should develop that fun and love of the sport

     8.3. The formal start of competition should reflect the need to give young bodies time to grow and strengthen

     8.4. Early racing should be fun, combination competitions combining varying radius turns, some formal gates, some ‘stubby’ gates, combi type challenges

QUESTIONS

9. Should GBR raise the age of entry into formal races to 8?

10. If not 8, at what age should entry into formal racing be allowed?

11. What should ‘racing’ comprise in the U12 Categories:

        11.1. On snow?

        11.2. On artificial surfaces, including indoor snow?

        11.3. On indoor snow, if you think it should be different to plastic?

12. Should there be a formal restriction on the number of races that U12s may enter each season:

        12.1. If so, what should be the maximum number of races per season?

13. Should there be more than one U12 category, perhaps U12 and U10?

14. At what age should formal seeding of races start?

LETTING US HAVE YOUR VIEWS

15. Please email your comments on the questions and any other views on this subject to tdforum@gbski.com . The deadline for your views to be taken into account is 31 October 2011.

Many thanks

Ian Roberts

Chair, GBR TD Forum