NIAGARA  ADULT  RACING  PROGRAM                                                             R U L E S JANUARY, 2007 _________________________________________ 1.         ELIGIBILITY:   1.1       Every racer must be a member in good standing of the team for which he is racing to be eligible to compete in any NAR sponsored races.   1.2       All racers must be twenty one (21) years of age or older.   1.3       The responsibility to see that every racer on a given team conforms with the above rules                                     rests with the designated team captain and each team member.                1.4       Protests as to invalid members on a team must be made prior to or immediately following the publication of the race results for the race in which that person is involved.   1.5       Any team in violation of any of the above eligibility rules will forfeit all team points                                   for every race that the violation(s) occurred.   1.6       All team fees must be paid by the due date set by either the Treasurer or the NAR Chairman.  Any team that fails to meet its financial obligation will not be eligible for the next race or races until those fees are paid.  Any team still owing money by the NAR banquet will not be eligible for either team or individual trophies.   1.7      All NAR racers must have signed the NAR waiver form prior to racing.   2.0       TEAM REGISTRATION:   2.1       Team captains must submit a team roster consisting of: {1}      Racers name {2}      Racers handicap {3}      Racers class (handicap and class to be determined by the preceding years final ranking)   The date for submitting team rosters and all registration fees will be determined by the                           NAR chairman. 2.2       Racer registration cards are to be completed and submitted for each registered team member at the same time as team rosters.   2.3       A racer must be registered in order to race.  Failure to register a racer will result in that racer receiving a "DSQ" for that race.   2.4       Once a racer is registered on a team he cannot change teams during that season.  To                             do so will result in that racer receiving a "DSQ" for that race.   2.5       Only a total of 40 officially active racers may compete for a given team in one  (1) season.  All racers for a given team must be in good standing with NAR.   NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 2 _________________________________________   3.0       RACE REGISTRATION:   3.1       The total number of racers registered for any race shall NOT exceed 200 racers.  Each team may register up to 40 racers per race.  If this results in an excessive total number of racers, the teams that have registered more than 20 racers shall be ranked according to the last available team scratch standings.  A racer will then be deleted from the fastest scratch ranked team according to the team captains choice.  If needed, a second racer will be deleted from the second fastest scratch ranked team listed.  This procedure will continue until the racer limit is reached.   3.2       Team captains or their appointees will register their teams using the proper team registration race form, provided 2.3 is complied with.   3.3       Once registered by his team captain, a racer may NOT at any time trade bibs with another racer or use a different bib number than assigned by the registrar under penalty of "DSQ" from the race.   3.4       A team captain or racer may NOT change any registered racer (s) bib number (s).     4.0       RACE SPONSORSHIP:   4.1       After the race schedule is fixed, race sponsorships will be established as follows:   (1)        NAR Chairman will ask for volunteers (2)        NAR Chairman will assign any vacancies (3)        NAR Chairman will resolve any conflicts over sponsorship as he deems                                                 necessary to complete   assignment of sponsorships.                                                                   5.0       RACING ORDER:     5.1       Racing order for each of the season's races will be determined by the Class Rotation                  Order.  The Class Rotation Order will be established as follows:         At the LGM the NAR Chairman will determine the first class seed of the Class Rotation Order in the following manner:  A number for each class (1-7 plus Unassigned) will be put into a draw and ONE (1) number will be drawn.  This class number will be the first class seed of the Class Rotation Order for the first race and will be followed for the remaining classes in consecutive ascending order.  For subsequent races the second class seed of the preceding race become the first class seed for the current race followed by the remaining classes in consecutive ascending order.  Thus the first class seed from the previous race will be the last class seed for the current race.         NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 3 _________________________________________   5.0       Racing Order (Cont.):   FOR EXAMPLE;   If Class 4 is drawn by the NAR Chairman at the LGM as first class seed, the seasons                Class Rotation Order would be as follows:   RACE #1         RACE #2         RACE #3 -------->    RACE #8   CLASS 4               5               6                    4 5               6               7                    5 6               7               UNASSIGNED           6 7               UNASSIGNED      1                    7 UNASSIGNED      1               2                    UNASSIGNED      1               2               3                    1 2               3               4                     2 3               4               5                    3                                   The Unassigned Class will always follow the last class of Assigned Handicap racers (i.e. Class 7).   If Class 8 is added, an extra race should be added or the Unassigned Class will race at the end of class rotation order.   5.2       Intra-Class Racing Order:   1.         Racers with established handicaps:   Running order within each class is determined by the LAST AVAILABLE class ranking, starting with the first place racer running first, second place racer running second, etc.  This will be used in all Dual Slalom races.   2.         Racers WITHOUT established handicaps:   All racers without an established handicap and therefore NOT in a class, will race as a group after the last class of Assigned handicapped racers (i.e. Class 7). The racing order within this group will be determined by the LAST AVAILABLE LEAGUE RANKING.  Lowest (1 low) rated racer running first, any racer whose name does not appear on said ranking will have their name listed alphabetically after all other non-handicapped racers and will race in that order.   FOR EXAMPLE:   A racer ranked 12th races before a racer ranked 30th, who racers before a racer named                       "Jones" whose name does not appear on the ranking.                                                 NAR RULES                                                                                                               JANUARY 2007 Page 4 ________________________________________ 5.0       Racing Order (Cont.):   3.         Racers who change classes at the beginning of the race season or racers that gain their first class will be listed alphabetically after the ranked class members and will race in that order.   6.0      RACES WITH THREE  RUNS:   6.1.      All Classes (1-7)   NAR’s race format is to provide 3 runs through the same course. The total time for the best 2 runs is to be used for the racer's official time to determine the order of finish within the class.  If a racer fails to record two                                              valid times, zero class points will be scored for that race. The best of the 3 times is to be the racer's official time for determining  the individual handicap and for team scoring of scratch and handicap points.   6.2       2nd and 3rd race runs shall be started using the same starting order as the first run.   6.3       It is the racer's responsibility to appraise himself of the starting time of the 2nd and 3rd run. If for any reason, the 2nd and/or 3rd race run(s) are cancelled, a sign will be posted at the starting line prior to the first run and on the result board at the finish line.  Only the posting of such notification is to be considered as official.   6.4       Cancellation of a 2nd and/or 3rd race run can only be made by a vote of the Protest Committee (a majority is necessary for such a vote).  It is the Committee's responsibility to see that in event of cancellation, official notification is posted.   7.0    ADDITIONAL RULES FOR DUAL FORMAT  RACES:   7.1       Rules for Dual Slalom (including  Dual Giant Slalom) for All Classes                         (1-7) with 3 race runs. A Dual Slalom is scored the best time in the blue course plus the best time in the red course. The 3rd race run is  the racers’ choice of courses (blue or red).   7.2       Dual slalom pairings will be assigned according to class ranking (1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, etc.) and bib numbers will be assigned in consecutive order according to these pairings.                                                 7.2a Dual Slalom pairings: The highest seeded racer in the class will enter the start gate                                  in the appropriate color (odd bib number=red, even=blue).  All following racers                                     will fill alternate red & blue courses until the class is complete. The single final                                      racer in any class will run alone.  Missed numbers will be skipped.  It is possible                                     and likely that the odd bib numbers will go in the even/blue course on the first run.                                For the second run all competitors will run through the opposite course.                                (The time recorder needs to make sure that the correct color course is indicated on                                  the time sheet.  Every racer is now charged with studying both courses, prior to run                               #1.  There is no longer any assurance that a racer will run the red or blue course on                                 their first run.) NAR RULES                                                                                                               JANUARY 2007 Page 5   7.0          ADDITIONAL RULES FOR DUAL FORMAT  RACES: (CONTINUED)                                                       7.2b Dual Slalom pairings: In the third run, any racer may pair themselves with any other                                racer from the same class.  There will be no violation for running out of order within                               the class group on the third run.                        7.2c Dual Slalom pairings: In the third run, any racer may pair themselves with any other                                racer from any class. That pairing will go after the final racer for that race. The times                               will count. There will be no violation for running out of order at the end of the                                        event, on the third run.   7.3       Odd numbered bibs will run through one side of the course and even through the other.  For the second run they will run through the opposite course.     7.4       The courses shall be set so as to afford each racer nearly duplicate conditions on either             course.   7.5       A racer shall be disqualified for skiing on the same side of consecutive gates.     7.6       The first gate must always be taken on the high side or the racer will be disqualified.   7.7       A racer will be disqualified during a run for skiing into or interfering in any way with the opponent on the opposite course.     8.0      RACER RULES:   8.1       Any individual on a team shall be disqualified for failing to observe the rules below:   (1)        Not passing between the timing devices (2)        Skiing into or disturbing the timing devices (3)        Skiing parallel to or "shadowing" the course (within twenty feet) (4)        Skiing down through any gate except when racing (racers may sidestep anywhere in the course, including the gates) includes any unauthorized run(e.g. 4th race run) and any skiing in any of the gates after the race has concluded.   8.2       During the race a racer may ski across the course when it is clear but observing the other rules.   8.3       Racers will be started with the command "when you are ready!" for all electronically timed races.  The command for dual slalom races will be "three, two, one, go!".  Until then, the racer's boots must remain behind an imaginary straight line between the starting poles.  The racers ski poles must be planted ahead of the line.     NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 6   8.0      Racer Rules (Cont.):   8.4       Any racer who is not in the starting gate when THEIR bib number is called, may race as             soon as it is convenient after the last racer in THEIR seed, but they may not interfere with the running of a class.  Therefore, a racer must wait until the end of the class running AND the end of his seed.   Seeds are defined as follows: Seed #1 = Racers 1 through 25 Seed #2 = Racers 26 through 50 Seed #3 = Racers 51 through 75 Seed #4 = Racers 76 through 100 (or last racer if less)   In dual slalom races, the racer will race alone on the assigned course.  However, a racer who is a member of the protest committee or is a team captain (or designated co-captain) is exempt from Rule 8.4 in that, if he misses his starting time WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES, he may race as soon as convenient.   8.5       Any racer racing through the course must wear a bib.   8.6       If a racer fails to go through a gate properly as defined in rule 9.3, he is to be disqualified.   8.7       It is the racer's responsibility to watch out for obstructions on the course and to avoid them in case of danger.  This includes the case of one racer overtaking another.  If the racer finds the course obstructed by another racer, a spectator, a gatekeeper or any object, the racer is entitled to a rerun.  A racer is obstructed only if the object causes him to slow down or alter his intended path through the race course.  Once obstructed, the racer must immediately leave the course, and call attention to the obstruction to any protest committee member and/or proceed to the finish area and request a rerun from a protest committee member.  If a racer proceeds down the course beyond the point of obstruction, he forfeits his right to a rerun.   8.8       If a gate pole is missing (out) when a racer passes by the gate, the racer must proceed as if the pole were in place for a valid run. The racer must properly pass through the missing gate and properly through the course following. To be entitled to a rerun, the racer must leave the course at the point of the missing gate or immediately after.   8.9       A racer is entitled to rerun for these reason only:   (1)        obstruction (8.7) (2)        missing gate (8.8) (3)        loss of time or invalid time recorded   Any protest committee member may grant a racer to a provisional rerun if he feels that the racer may be entitled to a rerun.  If a racer elects to take a rerun granted to him, his first run is automatically thrown out.  If the protest committee following the race denies his provisional rerun, the racer is disqualified for that run. NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 7   8.0       Racer Rules (Cont.):   8.10     If a racer is disqualified on his run prior to or following any incident which normally would entitle him to a rerun, the "DSQ" takes precedence and a rerun is not allowed.         8.11    Racers not making a run must stay away from the finish line, and must not talk to the                         timekeepers.   8.12     Racer's bibs must be turned in at the end of the race.  Failure to do so will result in a racer being ineligible for future races until either the bib assigned is returned or a ten (10) dollar fine is paid.   8.13     All racers must be aware of Section 9.0 - Official Rules.   8.14     No hiking rule.  Once a racer has passed through the electronic finish, that racers run is                          completed. Any missed gate(s) disqualifies the racer.   9.0      OFFICIAL RULES:   9.1       A team is disqualified in a race for not providing officials.   9.2       Infractions of Rule 8.1 by a racer will be presented at a protest committee meeting immediately following the race. The protest committee will review and make a determination either qualifying or disqualifying the racer’s run.   9.3       A racer has passed through a gate properly when both his feet have crossed over an imaginary line between the two inner poles of the gate.  A racer many go through the gate either way and in any order.  If he misses a gate, he may back up through the gate and then proceed.                        Single Pole Slalom (single racer)   (a)        Upon passing through the starting line timing device, the racer must always pass the first gate on the high side (both feet) or the racer will be disqualified.   (b)        Each following consecutive gate must be passed (both feet) on the opposite high side or the racer will be disqualified.  A racer must break with both feet an imaginary line between that pole and the previous pole.   9.4       NAR employs an “on your honor system” regarding whether a racer has passed through a gate properly, as defined in Rule 9.3. It is the racers’ responsibility to notify registration (the Head Gatekeeper) in the timing area, if a run is completed and given a time, when a racer knows that a gate was not passed through properly. This is to mean that when a racer misses, hooks or straddles a gate and then continues through the course and receives a time, the racers’ run must be disqualified by the racer notifying registration in the timing area.   9.5       Any racer that incurs a binding release of one or both skis will receive a mandatory "DSQ" and should leave the course immediately. NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 8 Official Rules (continued)     9.6       Reruns shall not be granted for protests involving verbal instructions from spectators.   9.7       All officials must be aware of Section 8.0 - Racer's Rules.   10.0     PROTESTS:   10.1     The Protest Committee will be composed of the following people:   NAR CHAIRMAN                                          (CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE) NAR VICE-CHAIRMAN                               (VICE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE) HEAD GATEKEEPER (REGISTRATION) RULES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN RESULTS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CAPTAIN OF SPONSORING TEAM (S) OR REPRESENTATIVE   10.2     Protests must be made to the Protest Committee at the finish line immediately following the run if a rerun is to be considered.   10.3     One member of the Protest Committee must be at the bottom of the course ready to hear protests throughout the race.  For decision making purposes, a quorum will be considered as three (3) members of the Protest Committee.  The decision of this committee is final.   10.4     A provisional run may be granted by any member of the Protest Committee and the validity of the run will be decided by a quorum of the Protest Committee following the race.     11.0     RACE CANCELLATION:   11.1     A decision to cancel a race must have the majority vote of the Protest Committee.  This vote can be a telephone vote and the responsibility for conducting this vote rests with the NAR Chairman.  If a race is cancelled, the team captains must be notified as soon as possible.   11.2       If a race is cancelled, the class that would have raced first for that race will do so at the       next scheduled race.  Race cancellation is to have no effect on class rotation order.     12.0     RULE CHANGES:     12.1     The Rules Committee will consist of at least three (3) team representatives and a chairman, all appointed by the NAR Chairman.   12.2     NAR members may submit proposed rule changes to the rules committee  in a timely  manner to comply with the following subparagraphs 12.4 & 12.5. NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 9   12.0     RULE CHANGES: (Continued)   12.3     The Rules Committee will prepare the recommendations.   12.4     Proposed rule changes will be presented to the NAR officers and team captions in writing by the Rules Committee at least two (2) weeks prior to being voted upon.     12.5     Proposals will be voted on no later than the meeting prior to the LGM.     13.0     RACER STATUS:     13.1     Active racers are racers who are currently registered and who enter at least one (1) race in the current season.   13.2     Inactive racers, for handicap purposes, are racers who have raced in NAR but do not enter any races during a given season.  They are carried officially as inactive members for two (2) seasons after the season of their last completed race.  An officially inactive racer does not count toward the team racer limit.   14.0     TEAM POINT COMPUTATIONS:   14.1     Single Race Scratch Points:   A team is awarded scratch points equal to the sum of the scratch points of the five (5) fastest handicapped starters from the team racers.  NO TEAM POINTS ARE AWARDED IF A TEAM HAS LESS THAN FIVE (5) STARTERS.   14.2     Single Race Handicap Points:   A handicap time (HTIME) is computed for each racer who finishes the race as follows:   HTIME = T - (H x ST) where T is the time for that racer, H is his handicap as defined in Rule 17.0 and ST is the winning time for that race.  A team handicap time is computed as the sum of the five (5) lowest handicap times among the team racers. Each time will be reported to the nearest .01 second.  The place of each team is determined by the reverse order of the team handicap times.  In case of ties, all tying teams are awarded the highest place.  A team is awarded points equal to the number of teams in the program for the current season plus one minus its place.  NO TEAM POINTS ARE AWARDED IF A TEAM HAS FEWER THAN FIVE (5) STARTERS.   14.3     Season Scratch and Handicap Team Standings   If there are seven (7) or fewer races in a season, all races are used to determine team scratch and handicap standings.  If there are eight (8) or more races in a season, each team's highest seven (7) team scores in both scratch and handicap will be used to determine team scratch and handicap standings.       NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 10   15.0     INDIVIDUAL POINT COMPUTATIONS:   15.1     Racers Handicap:   A racer is assigned a handicap (H) prior to each race which will be used to compute his handicap time in that race.  This handicap (H) is the average of the best two (2) prior race handicaps (defined as RH in rule 17.0) for that racer:  chosen from a maximum of his last seven (7) valid race handicaps in the current season or previous two (2) seasons. A racer must have at least four (4) race handicaps (RH's) to establish a handicap (H).  Racers without an established handicap (H) are assigned a handicap of .00 for a race.  All handicaps are computed to the nearest .01.    15.1.a  Establishing a Handicap If a racer does not have an established handicap (H), the racers handicap (H) will be established  using the best two (2) race handicaps (RH’s) after that racer has completed a minimum of four (4) complete runs. The racers handicap (H) will classify the racer at the start of the next race on the race schedule after successful completion of four (4) runs. Racer classification will occur at the start of the next race after successful completion of four (4)runs over a minimum of 2 races.         15.1.b.   Reestablishing a handicap:                                           Any classified racer may choose to withdraw their handicap history and in effect become an unclassified racer. Notification of this intention is required at registration  prior to the race.   15.2     Class Designations:   At the start of the race season, racers with established handicaps are placed in one of seven (7) classes according to the following table:   HANDICAP RANGE  CLASS .00 - .04         1 .05 - .08         2 .09 - .10         3 .11 - .13         4 .14 - .17         5 .18 - .19         6 .20 -  & greater       7   A racer who has no handicap established prior to the current season is placed in a class according to the above table at the time his handicap is first established.  Once a racer is placed in a class, he remains in that class for the duration of the season, unless the racer decides that class too low. Then if a racer desires he may move to a lower handicap class at any time upon notifying registration & results, w/o the reclassification process. Handicap history remains intact but any current season class points are lost.     NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 11   15.0     Individual Point Computations (Cont.):     15.3     Individual Scratch Points:   The place of each racer with a valid time is determined by the reverse order of the racer times.  In case of ties, all tying racers are awarded the highest place.  Scratch points are awarded to each finishing racer equal to 131 minus his or her finish place.  Any racer finishing after 130th place is awarded one (1) point.   15.4     Individual Class Points:   A racer who has an assigned class prior to a race and who finishes is awarded class points equal to 81 minus their finish place in the assigned class.  Racers finishing after 80th place are awarded one (1) point.  Any racer who does not finish will be awarded zero (0) points.   15.5     Season Point Totals and Standings:   If there are four (4) or fewer races in a season, all races are used to determine the season standings in the individual classes.  If there are more than four (4) races in a season, 2/3 of the total completed races up to nine (9) races or 3/5 of the total completed races when ten (10) or more races, rounded up, are used to determine the season class standings.  For each racer who is assigned a class prior to the last race of the season, class points for the season are computed by summing class points for each of their best races.  These totals are used to determine class standings at the end of the season.  The best racers are those in which class points are highest.    In the event of a tie in any of the final standings within a class, a series of tie-breakers will be used according to the following order to determine the official final standings:   TIE-BREAKER #1: Head to head competition in all  races in which both racers have competed; the number of times racer A beats racer B should determine the winner.   TIE-BREAKER #2: Winning the class;  The racer who has won the class more times during the season will be declared the winner.   TIE-BREAKER #3: The racer who has the most higher finishes will be declared the winner.               NAR RULES                                                                                     JANUARY 2007 Page 12   16.0     RACE HANDICAP COMPUTATION:   16.1     A race handicap (RH) is computed for every racer who posts a valid time (T) for a race.  This attempts to normalize the difficulty of the course, conditions of snow and weather and the quality of the fastest scratch time (ST).   The formula is: RH = SH + (T - ST) x HA      T - ST        40      Where:   RH = racer's handicap  T = racer's scratch time ST = winning scratch time  T = time of the 40th percentile finisher HA = season average handicap of the 40th      percentile finisher of the entire previous season.   SH is defined as follows:   The factor SH is computed using the handicaps and race times of the first 10% of the finishers who have established handicaps.  First, let the number of finishers equal N.  Then let .1 x N = n, where n racers is rounded to be an integer.  The time of the first n racers is averaged (TA) as is the handicap of the first n racers (HB).  The "average" handicap time is computed as follows:  HT = TA - (HB x ST).  If this time is greater than the winning scratch time (ST), or if more than half of the first 10% of the finishers do not have established handicaps, then SH is set to zero.*   Otherwise         SH = (ST - HT) x HA            (T40  -    ST)   This becomes the race handicap for the winning (scratch) racer.  (RH computed to the nearest .001).      *     Effective December 2006, the SH Factor will be set at 10.     17.0     THE LAST WORD:   Final interpretation of these rules and regulations, and judgments not covered by these rules, will rest with the NAR executive committee.