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 IMT/NOR Division at U.S. Junior National Championships.

Divisional Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria are determined by the Intermountain/Northern Competition Committee. The INCC is comprised of representatives from all divisional member clubs and operates under the guidelines established by the United States Ski Association. The United States Ski Association is recognized as the National Governing Body for cross country ski racing and as such, sanctions the U.S. Junior National Championships.

1.       General Eligibility
Any athlete who wishes to be considered for selection to the Intermountain/Northern Divisional Team must meet all USSA National Eligibility Requirements as described in the USSA Competition Guide. Those requirements include, but are not limited to:

A.      Participant must be a citizen of the Unites States. A guest class at Junior Nationals is available for non-U.S. citizens.

B.       Participant must possess a current USSA Competitors License. The USSA Competition License Form is available from US Skiing Member Services in Park City, UT; (435) 649-9090. The USSA license must be purchased before the IMT/NOR entry is made to the Junior National Organizers – typically one week before the start of Junior Nationals. However, if the competitor wishes to be included in the National Ranking List (NRL) the license must be current before competing in a scored (sanctioned) race.

C.       Participant must possess a current IMT/NOR Competitors License. Only those competitors in possession of a current IMT/NOR license will be scored at selection events. An IMT/NOR license may be purchased on site, prior to any of qualifying events and those events will be scored. The Intermountain/Northern Competition License Form is available on the Intermountain Division web site (www.intermountainxc.com) or in the IMT/NOR Divisional handbook.

2.       Junior Nationals Team Regulations
The USSA has set the following rules for divisional team quotas and age classes that apply to all divisional teams attending Junior Nationals:

Junior National Age Classes: The age classes at Junior Nationals are Junior 2 (J2), Junior 1 (J1) and Older Junior (OJ). Consult the current USSA Competition guide for the current "year of birth" classifications.

A.      Age Class Quotas: The maximum number of participants in age given age class per division is 12 with the exception of additions that do not count against the limit of 12, as described section B.

B.       Maximum Team Size: The IMT/NOR Division is allowed a maximum team size of a total 21 boys and 21 girls with three exceptions:

I.         Any junior aged 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 J1 or J2 skier who was selected for, and attended, the U.S. Ski Team J1 Scandinavia Cup trip earns an automatic berth to U.S. Junior Nationals in addition to a division’s quota.

III.     Any junior aged team member of a NCAA Collegiate Team that qualifies for his or her NCAA Region’s quota to NCAA Championships, but is excluded because they are not among the top three skiers from their team, earns an automatic berth to U.S. Junior Nationals in addition to a division’s quota. Note: The rules for US Junior Nationals allow skiers in a collegiate program to represent either their home division or the division in which their collegiate program is located.

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 INCC conference, a qualifying race schedule is determined. Information on the date, location, distances and formats for the qualifying series is available on the Division web site and within the IMT/NOR Handbook.

A.      Scoring Method: Selection Races are scored using World Cup Scoring, a points by place system.                1^st = 100points, 2^nd = 80points, 3^rd = 60points, 4^th = 50points, 5^th = 45points, 6^th= 40points, 7^th = 36points,         8^th = 32points, 9^th = 29points, 10^th = 26points, 11^th = 24points, 12^th = 22points, 13^th = 20points, 14^th = 18 points, 15^th = 16points, 16^th = 15points, 17^th = 14points and so on until all skiers are scored in an age class.  (Pre-qualified skiers will not be scored at IMD qualifiers but will receive points reflecting their qualification order, beginning with 400 and using one point differentials between skiers.)  HIGH POINTS ARE GOOD! 

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.  

(I) Interval and Mass Start Distance Races:  Each class is scored with points awarded to all finishers completing the race
 
Sample Scored Distance Race

(II) Sprint Races: Sprint races are scored using the same point by place system. Skiers advancing to the elimination rounds are ordered using USSA sprint rules and race points are awarded according to place. For skiers not advancing to the elimination rounds, race points are awarded according to preliminary round results

Sample Scored Sprint Race

B.       Overall Series Ranking Within Each Age Class: A skier’s final overall point total for IMD ranking is determined by adding their best three (highest) point results from the selection events. A skier must complete at least 3 races, including one of each technique.  After the highest classic and freestyle result are determined, the next best result in either technique is added to get a point total. An overall ranking list, high points to low, is determined for each age class.  Any skier not completing at least 3 races in the IMD Selection Series will be removed from the final ranking list before selection begins. 

C.       Junior 1 and Older Junior Classes are Combined in a Single J1/OJ Overall Series Ranking List: For the purpose of establishing selection ranking, the OJ and J1 class are scored and ranked throughout the qualifying series as if one class. Race results will list combined J1/OJ finishers, but must still designate which age class a skier is in, OJ or J1. Updated Ranking Lists will be available after each competition on the Division web site.   

4.       Team Selection Procedures
Once the Divisional Qualifying Series is completed and the Overall J2 and Combined J1/OJ 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.B.  Remember that automatic selections from World Trials, World Juniors, J1 Scandinavian Series or the NCAA Region do not count against either the total quota of 21 in a gender or 12 in an age class.

B.       Name to the team all Older Juniors ranked in the top six overall of the combined OJ/J1 ranking list. 2^nd year OJ skiers must be ranked in the top six on the combined. 1^st year Older Juniors must be ranked 12^th or better on the initial overall OJ/J1 combined list, to be selected in step 4.E described below, if not selected in this step. Any 2^nd year OJ not ranked in the final top six on the initial combined OJ/J1 list is removed from the overall list. Any 1^st year OJ not ranked in the overall top 12 on the initial OJ/J1 list is also removed from the overall list.

A maximum of 6 Older Juniors per gender(not including pre-qualified skiers) will be selected for the Intermountain JN Team using the steps outlined in the selection procedure

C.       Name to team the next six highest ranked Junior 1 skiers from the combined OJ/J1 ranking list after the automatic selections have been removed in sections 4.B.

D.      Name to the team the nine highest ranked Junior 2 skiers.

E.       Select the next highest in points on OJ/J1 list not yet selected and continue this process until the quota of 21 skiers in total and not more than 12 in the J1 age class, have been selected. In the event of a tie the skiers’ best point results will be compared. If there is still a tie the next best will be compared and so on until the tie is broken.

F.       Continue step 4.E through the 22^nd, 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th positions to name four alternates.  Chose two alternates from each age class.   

This criteria has been developed as an objective means to select the best possible team to Junior Nationals. Selection of the JN team is especially challenging because of the limited quota as determined by U.S.S.A. 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-Northern Cross Country Ski Program. They are all deserving of our support.