National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

May 12, 1997

Skiing committee reduces judging jury from five to four

In an effort to streamline the jury used to judge events, the NCAA Men's and Women's Skiing Committee voted to eliminate the chief of course from that body during its annual meeting April 21-23 at Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The change, which will be effective for both Nordic and Alpine competition, reduces the jury to the following members: the technical delegate, who serves as chair; the chief of race; the referee; and the coaches' representative.

In another rules issue, the committee will recommend to the NCAA Division I Management Council that juries be permitted to make a decision on whether an Alpine skier will be permitted to attach a lost ski and continue the race based upon safety factors at the given site. Currently, there is no rule permitting or prohibiting such a practice, despite the danger it could create on a crowded slope.

Factors considered in the jury's decision will include weather, visibility and number of competitors on the course. In championships, where only one skier at a time races, reattachment of a ski would be permitted, barring unforeseen factors that might force a jury to reconsider.

Mandatory helmets

The committee also voted to recommend to the Division I Management Council that helmets be made mandatory for the giant slalom.

Virtually all competitors wear helmets now because slopes require such protection for insurance purposes. The NCAA rule, if approved, would read: "Helmets manufactured for ski racing are required in all giant slalom races. The NCAA neither specifies nor recommends any helmet design or brand name. It is the responsibility of the competitor to select an appropriate helmet."

The committee did not recommend helmets for slalom because of the difference in speed. Top speed in giant slalom is roughly 60 miles per hour; top speed in slalom is about 25 mph. Unlike many sports, student-athletes who participate in skiing provide their own equipment, so no cost to the institution is involved.

The committee also reacted to a directive to sports' rules committees from the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

The skiing committee recommended that language be added to its rules book banning the use of tobacco by referees, technical delegates and all other meet personnel. Under the recommendation, these individuals would be prohibited from using tobacco at the meet site, with violations to be addressed by the event administrator.

Championships

Addressing championships issues, the committee reaffirmed that regional advisory committees are responsible for submitting nominations from their respective region, with the understanding that the skiing committee determines the participants in the championship based on those nominations.

The committee will require each region to submit its selection criteria, noting that any differences should be based on regional issues. Those issues include membership, geographical location and schedule of regular-season competition.

Each regional advisory committee must submit its respective selection criteria for the 1998 championships to the national office by September 30.

Other highlightsMen's and Women's Skiing Committee

April 21-23/Hilton Head, South Carolina

  • Reviewed NCAA policies prohibiting the use of tobacco during competition. The committee will continue to discuss the impact of the disqualification of a student-athlete caught using tobacco during the events and/or official functions.

  • Reviewed sponsorship information from each region, with particular notice given to new programs emerging in both the Central and West regions. It was agreed that the committee will request feedback from coaches regarding future allocation of championships berths to accommodate the new programs.

  • Recommended that Bates College host the 1999 championships March 10-13.

  • Established February 1 as the annual deadline for written proposals to be received by the national office for championships that will be conducted two years after the current year. It was agreed that the committee will continue its efforts to rotate the championships among the three regions, contingent on the receipt of acceptable proposals.

  • Created a subcommittee that will develop a report on the effects of altitude on performance and how those effects might relate to future discussions pertaining to championships site selection.