Ski for Light Event Planning Manual

June 2011

23. Race/Rally Coordinator

Race/rally coordination involves preparation for the time trials and ski race/ski rally. The role of the Race/Rally Coordinator will change from year to year depending on the availability of on-site resources. Even if the race and rally is primarily being managed by the ski area, the Coordinator and the Event Chair should approve the selection of the trails for the race/rally.

In an effort to provide challenging opportunities for both competitive and recreational skiers, SFL offers both a ski race and a ski rally. The ski rally asks skiers to equal a predicted time over a gentle, measured course approximately 5km. The ski race should be moderately challenging on a 10km course. Skiers will be presented with awards in the rally for the person closest to his/her predicted time in predetermined classes and in the race for skiers with the best time in his/her race category.

Pre-Event

Planning Meeting

• Depending on travel distance, time and budget constraints, you may be asked to attend the planning meeting. If you do not attend, please ensure your responsibilities are carried out by someone who does.
• Meet with local Coordinators to plan volunteer support and special equipment needs.

November 1

• Consult with Event Chair and Vice Chair to decide upon the number and kind of medals/trophies/ribbons needed.
• With the Vice Chair, select and order supplies for medals/trophies/ribbons from suppliers.
• Trophies and ribbons (categories for race are):
  · Men and women in each group
  · Partially sighted and totally blind
  · Under median age and over median age (will vary from year to year)
  · For Rally, only degree of vision and gender
  · MIP program for Race/Rally
  · Ribbons for the second/third places in these categories
  

December 1

• Locate the equipment needed for race/rally.
• Race start/finish banner is in the SFL storage area.
• The Half-Mile Hailer is also in the SFL storage unit.
• Consult with ski site management on securing equipment, supplies and volunteers for race/rally.
• Decide with Event Chair and SFL President who the MC will be for race day.
• If bussing is needed, arrange an appropriate schedule with Transportation Coordinator.
• Arrange for the purchase of commemorative paper ski bibs. Traditionally, the supplier has been Reliable Racing Supply (see Appendix C).
• Equipment needed:
  · Start/finish banner
  · Flags
  · PA system and batteries
  · CD Player
  · National anthems CD
  · Flagging for trail marking
  · Sponsor promotion
  · Bibs
  · Markers
  · Bales of hay to establish start/finish area
  · Bullhorn
  · Stopwatches
  · Clipboards
  · Beverages (hot and cold)
  · Tables and chairs
  · Markings for road crossings, if necessary
  
• Crews and volunteers needed:
  · Safety
  · Course Marshals
  · Timing
  · Registration/Start
  

January 1

• Check with Event Vice Chair to be sure that CD of national anthems has been created and will be available to play at race/rally opening ceremonies.
• Arrange for a CD player on which to play the anthems.

One Week Prior to Event

• Tentatively divide volunteers into crews.
• Check with Event Vice Chair to be certain that we have flags and anthems for all nationalities present.
• The MC should be able to speak clearly and keep things moving during the opening ceremony. He or she cannot participate in the race.

International Week

Monday

• Become acquainted with ski courses and how to adapt to race/rally set-up. All participants, regardless of race/rally category should be started and finished within the visual range of the race/rally MC.
• Check on alternative race/rally site in case of little snow.
• Plan how to time, record, and seed skiers.

Tuesday

• Review first aid station needs and course with First Aid Coordinator.
• Discuss special bussing needs with Transportation Coordinator.

Wednesday

• Attend morning "sunrise" meetings throughout the rest of the week.
• Coordinate with Guide Training Coordinators to attend instructor/guide meeting to explain time trial procedures and race categories.
• Coordinate with Event Chair and SFL President what dignitaries should be asked to speak at the opening ceremony.

Thursday

• Meet with crew "chiefs" and review needs and responsibilities.
• Announce time trial procedures.
• Arrange for participant race category sign-up in evening. Information collected should include: age, gender, visual category and guide. Do not use the information on applications for this, since information has been transferred several times and may have errors. Visual category is specific to SFL race/rally purposes.
• When people are registering their time trial results, get their age, visual category, race category and guide.
• Test the audio system on which the anthem CD will be played to ensure that it is loud enough and free of distortion.
• Seed skiers according to times.

Friday

• Coordinate the presentation of trophies/ribbons with banquet MC.
• Arrange with Ski Site Coordinator to have trails groomed and signed.
• Plan the arrangement of the start-finish area. If possible, separate start and finish lines so that early finishers are separated from late starters.
• Try, if possible, to have at least four sets of tracks covering the last fifty yards of the race course. If at all possible, this section should be almost straight and level or slightly downhill.
• Get start/finish banner hung.
• After dinner, issue race bibs. Every skier receives a bib regardless of race or rally category.

Saturday Morning

• After breakfast, issue remainder of bibs.
• Move flags from dining room to ski site, if necessary.
• Coordinate work crews.
• Make sure that the MC has an accurate list of skier/guide pairs and bib numbers for all race/rally categories.
• Record start and finish times for racers and ralliers.
• Make certain that there is always someone exactly at the finish line to tell blind skiers when to stop.
• Make certain there is a safe and clear runout after crossing the finish line.
• Make sure that race/rally volunteers are given a medal as a thank-you.

Description of Race Crews

• Chief of Timing
  
• Crew of 8 (4 for each course, 1 to read time, 1 to record time, 1 to line people up, and 1 to stand at end to tell people they have finished)
  
• Equipment:
  · Bullhorn or PA system
  · 6 stopwatches
  · 6 clipboards and pencils
  · 3 seeding charts
  · Charts to record start, finish and elapsed times
  

Course Marshals

• Crew of 6-10 (depending upon the number of potential trouble spots)
• Equipment:
  · Radios
  · 6 shovels
  

Saturday Afternoon

• Move flags from ski site back to the dining room.
• Calculate the times of each person and place in order of finish.

Saturday Evening

• Help to award trophies/ribbons, use sighted Guide Trainers as runners.
• Post race/rally results.

Post-Event

• After event, send an electronic version of Race/Rally final results to SFL webmaster.