SELECTION CRITERIA

2013 FIS SNOWBOARD JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 9-17 2013 Erzurum, Turkey

1. PHILOSOPHY:

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) will select only the most qualified athletes with the GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR WINNING MEDALS at the 2013 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS.  Selection criteria will be based on world-class performances during a period of elite-level competition. 

2. QUOTAS:

Athletes will be selected from Alpine, Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Snowboardcross disciplines.  The total number of athletes will be restricted to the start quota as determined by FIS.  The maximum number of athletes may be up to thirty (30) athletes total, with a maximum of twenty-two (22) per sex/country and six (6) per sex/discipline.  Disciplines included at the FIS Junior World Championships are PGS, PSL, HP, SBS, SBX and Big Air.

3. ELIGIBILITY:

The age limit for the 2013 FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships will be by year of birth: from 1993-1997 for Alpine and SBX events and 1993-1999 for Halfpipe and Slopestyle.  The top 20 male and top 20 female riders off the USSA Points and Ranking List, who have a FIS license, a current USA passport and meet the age limit, are eligible for consideration.

4. NAMING OF THE PARTICIPANTS:

The U.S. Snowboard FIS Junior World athletes will be named by February 15, 2013.  They will be announced at the USSA offices and posted on the US Snowboarding web site at www.ussnowboarding.com

5. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION RULES:

All qualifying competitions are governed by the international federation rules of competition.  The international federation for snowsports, as recognized by the IOC, is the FIS.  All criteria as they relate to rules, regulations and competition calendars are subject to changes based on changes by the FIS, the USOC and the IOC.

6. SELECTION PROCEDURES – Summary of Objective Selection:

1. Selection criteria will be based exclusively on performances during the period from November 1, 2012 through February 15, 2013.  Athletes in each discipline shall be selected based upon their competition results for each discipline in selection events during the selection period.  A maximum of two (2) spots will be determined by coach’s discretion.  Start positions in Parallel Giant Slalom, Parallel Slalom, Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Snowboardcross disciplines, men and women, will be filled objectively using the following:

-Alpine Riders  - Two (2) Highest ranking athletes per sex from Alpine Selection events listed below will be nominated to the team as follows: 

Athletes will score selection points, using the FIS World Cup point scoring system (1000 point scale), in each selection event.  Only athletes from the United States who are USSA members in good standing and who hold a valid United States passport, and were born between 1993-1997 will be included when assigning selection points.  At the end of the selection period each athlete's best (highest) two (2) scores will be averaged to create a ranking list for nomination in each discipline. USSA will use the following tie-breaking mechanisms in priority order:

Best Result (from the ranking list)

Third Best Result (from the ranking list)

Fourth Best Result (from the ranking list)

Total selection points (total points earned in all selection events)

The selection list will be created by averaging scores from each athlete’s two best finishes even if one or more selection events are cancelled due to weather or other circumstances beyond the control of USSA.

The selection events will include the following:

Copper RTTC PGS, November 14, 2012

Copper RTTC PSL, November 15, 2012

Steamboat Springs RTTC PGS, December 14, 2012

Steamboat Springs RTTC PSL, December 15, 2012

Giants Ridge RTTC PGS, January 4, 2013

Giants Ridge RTTC PSL, January 5, 2013

-Halfpipe Riders – Top 3 Men and 3 women ranked in the World Ranking list as of February 14, 2013.

-Slopestyle Riders – Top 3 Men and 3 Women ranked in the Working Ranking list as of February 14, 2013

-SBX Riders – Two (2) Highest ranking athletes per sex from the selection events below will be nominated to the team as follows: 

Athletes will score selection points, using the FIS World Cup point scoring system (1000 point scale), in each selection event.  Only athletes from the United States who are USSA members in good standing and who hold a valid United States passport, and who were born between 1993-1997 will be included when assigning selection points.  At the end of the selection period each athlete's best (highest) two (2) scores will be averaged to create a ranking list for nomination in each discipline. USSA will use the following tie-breaking mechanisms in priority order:

Best Result (from the ranking list)

Third Best Result (from the ranking list)

Fourth Best Result (from the ranking list)

Total selection points (total points earned in all selection events)

The selection list will be created by averaging scores from each athlete’s two best finishes even if one or more selection events are cancelled due to weather or other circumstances beyond the control of USSA.

The selection events will include the following:

Northstar Revolution Tour January 13, 2013

Copper Hole Shot January 24-25, 2013

Killington Hole Shot February 4-6, 2013

One (1) Highest ranked athlete per gender from the Telluride World Cup December, 2012.  If athlete is already qualified from above, the next highest ranking athlete will be selected.

     B.   Discretionary Selection Policy

The USSA may select additional athletes to the Team using Coach’s Discretion, for any age athlete, using factors other than objective criteria such as the following:

1. Opportunities previously provided to an athlete in relationship to results
2. Attitude and commitment
3. Outstanding results
4. Physical fitness level
5. Injuries

        2) Any riders chosen to compete in Big Air only will be selected on a purely discretionary basis.