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2007 Sierra Ski-O Week

2007 Sierra Ski-Orienteering Championships

The Sierra Ski-Orienteering Championships is a multi event ski-orienteering (ski-O) championships in which competitors' scores for each event are accumulated to determine the top skier of each competitive class. There are no residency requirements, so anybody using cross country skis or snowshoes can compete. Beginners are definitely welcome at all events.

Overview of the Championships

The following championship highlights are explained in detail in the sections that follow:

Qualifing Events

In 2007, the qualifying events for the Sierra Ski-O Championships are

If you finish a course at one of these events, you are automatically qualified for placement and medals (or ribbons) for the class you competed in. To increase your chances of placing well, you should compete in as many events as possible.

Competitive Classes

At each BAOC ski-O event, you can compete on any course, but your competitive class is determined by the course you ski or snowshoe, your gender, and your age. When there is a multi-event championship, your scores are accumulated for each class. Typically, your best chances of winning a medal occur if you race in one class, but people can switch classes.

For the Sierra Ski-O Championships, each fully competitive class determines the top ski-orienteer for a gender-age group. You can expect to be fully challenged physically and mentally for the expectations of that class. Gender-age groups that have greater physical ability do the longer and tougher courses. You can always opt to compete in a tougher class, that is, one that does a longer course than that offered for your class. Females can opt to compete in a male class, but males cannot compete in a female class. The fully competitive classes are as follows:

Class  Course Description
-----  ------ ------------------------------------ 
F-16   Orange Females up to 16 years of age.
M-16   Green  Males up to 16 years of age.
F-20   Green  Females up to 20 years of age (typically 17-20).
M-20   Red    Males up to 20 years of age (typically 17-20).
F-21+  Red    Females of any age (typically 21-39).
M-21+  Blue   Males of any age (typically 21-39).
Amazon Blue   Females of any age (typically 21-39) competing on the longest course.
M40+   Red    Males 40 years and older (typically 40-54).
F40+   Green  Females 40 years and older (typically 40-54).
M55+   Green  Males 55 years and older.
F55+   Orange Females 55 years and older.

If you are not up to the full challenges of a fully competitive class, you can ski an easier course by competing in one of the following less competitive classes:

Class-Course  Description 
------------  ------------ 
M-Red         Males aged 21-39 on the red course. 
M-Green       Males aged 21-54 on the green course. 
F-Green       Females 21-39 on the green course. 
M-Orange      Any males on the the orange course. 
F-Orange      Females 21-54 on the orange course. 
M-White       Any males on the white course (typically new skiers) 
F-White       Any females on the white course (typically new skiers) 

Less competitive classes are recommended for new and novice skiers or people who prefer to not ski the toughest trails used to challenge the top skiers for their gender-age group. Lots of people ski in these less competitive classes and have a wonderful time. Ski the course that best challenges your skills.

The Amazon class is unique to BAOC ski-O events. This class lets women compete with other women on the longest and toughest course (USOF doesn't provide a unique class for this). This class is used only for the Sierra Ski-O Championships, not for USOF or IOF championships. For events that are both Sierra Ski-O Championship events and US or international events, members of the Amazon class compete in the F-21+ class for US or IOF championships ranking and also compete in the Amazon class (on the red course for just those events) for Sierra Ski-O Championships ranking. Females competing in the F-21+ class compete in their class at all Sierra Championship events, but if any of those events are US or IOF championship events they also compete against women in the Amazon class for the US or IOF championship ranking.

Anyone can compete in one or more classes, but they can use only one result per event for the championships (for the first competitive course they do (with or without completing the course) at that event, unless they were accompanying a child on the white course). Additional courses skied at the same event are not included in championship calculations.

Courses

The Sierra Ski-O Championships events typically offer the standard four USOF ski-O courses plus one. USOF recommends using white, orange, red, and blue, but BAOC adds a green course (short advanced course), so nearly all the competitive classes can compete on advanced courses. Each course is designed so that an elite winner of the fastest class on the course can finish the course in a time specified by the USOF guidelines for ski-O courses. As a general guideline, the courses have the following general specifications:

Course  Short course  Long course (1)  Maximum climb (2)
------  ------------  ---------------  ----------------- 
White     2- 3 km         3- 5 km           60-100m
Orange    3- 5 km         5- 7 km          100-140m
Green     5- 7 km         7-10 km          140-200m
Red       7- 9 km        10-15 km          200-300m
Blue      9-12 km        15-20 km          300-400m

Notes:
  1. For two-day events with long courses on both days, the long courses are often reduced in length by 15-20 percent.
  2. Maximum climb is targeted for but not limited to 2 percent of the distance.

Point-to-point courses use the following design criteria:

Course Description 
------ ----------- 
White  Beginner and very easy intermediate trails. Each leg offers a single 
       route choice (or easy route choice) that typically includes an easy
       trail choice at a trail junction. Controls are typically placed on
       a trail out of sight from trail junctions.  

Orange Intermediate and beginner trails with moderate route choices. A 
       moderate route choice requires one major decision for an optimal route
       from two or more reasonable routes. Competitors need to master 
       intermediate skiing skills (typically, handling moderate hills) to 
       be competitive on the optimal routes and with control punching. 

Green  Expert, intermediate, and beginner trails with complex route selections.
       A complex route choice offers two or more routes, some of which have 
       significant sub-route choices to be made as well. Competitors need to 
       master expert skiing skills (typically, handling steep hills) for
       competitive times on optimal routes and control punching. The expert
       trails used for this course are often easier than the expert trails 
       used for the red and blue courses (no guarrantees on this).

Red    Same as green course, but about 40-50 percent longer. This course can 
       be a shortened blue course, a lengthened green course, or something 
       deliciously different. Expert trails used for this course are often 
       tougher than the expert trails used on the green course. 

Blue   Same as green course, but about twice as long. A 100-point elite skier
       should finish this course in 70-90 minutes. This course can be a 
       lengthened green or red course or something fiendishly different. 
       Expect anything and be ready to handle it. This course is not meant to
       be easy.

Score-O events typically use the same control setup for each of the four main competitive courses but use different time limitations for each of those courses. Typically, these courses allow for the following times (this is only a guideline--other times can be used):

The white course is typically a point-to-point course at score-O events. This prevents beginners from accidentally going after controls on expert trails when there are score-O courses.

Awards

The Sierra Ski-O Championships offer two types of awards for competition and participation. There are no residency or club membership requirements for these awards.

Scoring

The Sierra Ski-O championships are scored as follows:

Number of events   Number of allowed credits
       1                     0
       2                     0
       3                     1
       4                     1
       5                     2
       6                     2
       7                     3
       8                     3
       9                     3

To prevent people from manipulating the volunteer system after scoring has begun for the competition, volunteer scores are used for breaking ties only when the volunteer position was committed before the first competitive event.