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First, CCAK maintains the Junior Olympic/Arctic Winter Games Qualifying Points List. Skiers in 3 classes - J3, J2 and combined J1/OJ - are scored for each sex. Only skiers with USSA licenses will be scored on this list. The list is based on the sum of a skier's best 4 results from any of the first 6 races in the Besh Cup Series. There is no minimum number of races required. Points are based on finish place order and the World Cup Points schedule.

Keep in mind that the two races of any weekend of racing represents up to 1/2 of the total points that a skier can score. This means that the final weekend can have a major effect on the ranking order. It may be as important to "maintain your position" by racing as it is to try to improve your points. It would be unfortunate to miss out on the JO team simply because you did not attend the final races.

If for some reason one or more of the Besh Cup races are cancelled, instead of the best 4 of 6 races, the number of races counted for calculating JO/AWG qualifying scores will become the best 3 of 5 races, or the best 3 of 4 races, or best 2 of 3 races, or best 2 of 2 races.

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A slightly different method is to be used this year for the Besh Cup Points List. Besh Cup points are scored for 12 age classes of each sex. The Besh Cup medals are based on the total points accumulated in all 6 races. Points in the J1 and OJ classes will be based on finish place with separate age classes. This list is NOT the same as JO/AWG Qualifying points that pick the best 4 of 6 races. Remember that the combined J1/OJ finish place scoring is used for JO Qualifying and it is also used to select the recipient of the Besh Cup Trophy (the inscribed traveling Besh Cup Trophy award) that is presented to the top male and top female skier (combined J1/OJ class) based on all 6 races.

Total points in 2 races will also be used to score the CCAK Championship Races, but the point scores will start again at zero for that final weekend. Points will be kept and awards presented for 12 age classes of each sex.

World Cup Points Schedule

The third ranking list is the CCAK Seed Points List. This is used to determine the Start Order position (seeding) of all athletes in all Besh Cup events. A method is needed to rank skiers across age classes so that skiers of the same ability are placed in proximity in the start order and therefore they are more likely to ski in close head-to-head competition on the course. CCAK uses a point calculation scheme (kept separately for men and women) that establishes a single ranking list extending across all age classes. The Seed Points rank positions of all athletes in those classes skiing a given course distance determines the Start Order with the lowest scored (fastest) skier starting last.

The seed point score for the race depends on each skier’s time (total seconds - not finish order), with the fastest skier for each course distance receiving 0.00 points. Each subsequent finisher receives points based on % time behind the fastest skier’s time. All skiers on the same course and distance receive points calculated irrespective of age class. Additional points are added to scale for relative course difficulty; 600 points are added for the J6 course, 500 for the J5 course, 400 for J4, 300 for J3, and 200 for J2. An exception occurs when, for example, if J4’s and J3’s ski the same course at a given race, the 2 classes are interspersed (seeded together in start position) and both the J4’s and the J3’s will be scored with the lower adjustment of 300 additional points. If a competitor has no previous CCAK seed points but instead has USSA National Ranking List (NRL) points, the NRL points (Overall category) will be used in place of the CCAK seed points to establish start position. CCAK seed points are not calculated for races other than the Besh Cup series and CCAK championship races held in Alaska. NRL points may not used in place of CCAK seed points if the athlete has raced in a previous Besh Cup race.

All of the Besh Cup races are USSA sanctioned, provided the host club completes and submits the race registration paperwork and pays the sanctioning fee. CCAK will submit the race results to USSA for scoring. NRL points are earned only by athletes competing at the longest male and female distance, therefore J3 and J2 athletes are not scored even if the race is sanctioned by USSA as a NRL race.

The formula used to calculate points is the same formula used to calculate FIS points and USSA National Ranking List points.

Points = 600 x [ (skier's time / winner's time) – 1 ]

The lower the number, the better the result. Time is total seconds.

CCAK Seed Point scores are based upon the average points from each skier's best 4 seed point results in the previous 12 months. Ranking/seeding points are recalculated after each pair of Besh Cup races, and at the end of the season. Points for skiers who have fewer than 4 results in a 12-month period are equal to the average points scored plus a penalty of 20%, but the penalty is limited by a minimum or maximum of 4 and 26 points. Points for skiers who have no results in a 12-month period but who were CCAK members with points in a prior year, then the previous year’s points will be used with the 20% penalty.

Best 4 of 6

Best 3 of 5

Best 3 of 4

Best 2 of 3

Best 2 of 2