The CCAK Competition Committee has revised the JO Team Selection Criteria to bring 8 (was 6) J2s of each gender and bring 13 J1/OJs (was 15).  Additionally, standards have been raised for OJs (Older Juniors) to make the team.  For full details click on article title.

Athletes may qualify to participate in Junior Olympics in three ways: 

1. Through performance in the Junior World Championships Trials held at Senior Nationals races in early Jan,
2. Through performance in regional NCAA qualification races, or
3. Through performance within a division, based on scheduled selection races. In Alaska these races are the Besh Cup Series.

Qualification for Participation in Junior Olympics Through National Competition

On a national basis, skiers may qualify in one of these ways. The rules below are quoted from the USSA Junior Olympic Rules.

• 070.1.2 Skiers ranked in the first 20 men or the first 20 women on the final ranking list at the Junior World Championships team trials are automatically qualified to enter JOC as part of the team from their home division, but are not counted against their Division's or District's quota specified in rule 074.
• 070.1.3 Skiers who qualify for and attend the J1 Scandinavian Cup with the US Ski Team are automatically qualified to enter JOC as a part of the team from their home division, but are not counted against there Divisions or Districts quota specified in rule 074.
• 070.1.4 The top-5 US juniors on the final NCAA East, NCAA Central, or NCAA West ranking lists are automatically qualified to enter JOC, but are not counted against their Division's or District's quota specified in rule 074.
• 070.1.5 Members of the World Junior Championship Team in Biathlon are automatically qualified to enter JOC as a part of the team from their home division, but are not counted against their Division's or District's quota specified in rule 074.

Qualification For Junior Olympics From Besh Cup Races

TEAM SIZE

The quota for the Alaska Team to the USSA Junior Olympic National Cross Country Ski Championships is 21 males and 21 females. Within each class, a maximum of 12 skiers may be entered by a single division. The quota and the maximum number per class are established by the US National Junior Cross Country Committee.

The Alaska Team selections are made based on points scored in the Besh Cup Series of races. Skiers who qualify by either of the first two methods (US Nationals or NCAA performances) DO NOT COUNT against the quota of 21 males and 21 females, nor do they count against the limit of 12 entries of one sex in one age class. CCAK will select a full team of 21 males and 21 females based on the Besh Cup series.

Class Quotas:
1.      There will be 8 Junior 2 skiers of each sex
2.      There will be a total of 13 Junior 1 and Older Junior skiers of each sex

Selection Standards for Older Juniors
1.      2nd year Older Juniors must be ranked in the first 6 on the combined J1/OJ ranking list
2.      1st year Older Juniors must be ranked in the first 10 on the combined J1/OJ ranking list

Note: First 6 and first 10 on the combined J1/OJ ranking list refer to a skier's ranking on the list published after the final Besh Cup event.  2nd year OJ skiers outside of the top 6 and 1st year OJ skiers outside the top 10 will not be removed from the final list, nor will other rankings below them change based on non-qualifying OJ's. 

Within each sex, the selection procedure followed (in the order listed below) to select 21 skiers for the Alaska Team to the Junior Olympics will be:
1.      Junior 2’s
1.1.    Select the 8 highest-ranked Junior 2 skiers on the final J2 ranking list not already qualified according to the national selection criteria.
2.      Junior 1’s and Older Juniors
2.1.    Select all 2nd year Older Juniors ranked in the top 6 on the combined J1/OJ ranking list in order from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked.
2.2.    Select all 1st year Older Juniors ranked in the top 10 on
the combined J1/OJ ranking list in order from highest-ranked to
lowest-ranked.
2.3.    After the Older Juniors have been selected, the number of Junior 1’s to be selected will be the number needed to make a total of 13 athletes for Junior 1’s and Older Juniors
2.4.    The number of Junior 1 skiers determined in 2.3 will be selected in order from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked.

Although there is no limit to the number of Junior 1 skiers selected, USSA Rules stipulate that not more than 12 selected skiers (not including pre-qualifiers) from a single division or district may ski in any one class at the Junior Olympics.  Using this method, it is remotely possible that 13 Junior 1 skiers would be selected for the team, in which case a Junior 1 skier may be required to ski as an Older Junior if he or she wishes to be a part of the Alaska Team.

The selection process may continue down the selection ranking list past the 8 the initially selected J2’s or the initially selected J1’s if a J2 or J1 skier declines to join the Alaska Team competing at Junior Olympics. 

ELIGIBILTY & POINTS

Only J2,J1, and OJ age class skiers with a valid USSA competition license will score Junior Olympic Qualifying points in Besh Cup races. Points are scored using the World Cup Points schedule: 1st place is 100 points, 2nd 80, 3rd 60, 4th thru 30th receives 50, 45, 40, 36, 32, 29, 26, 24, 22, 20, 18, 16, 15, 14, …, 1, respectively. In the case of a tie, both skiers receive the points of the higher place (i.e. if two skiers tie for 3rd place, both will receive 60 points, no skier will score 4th place points, and 5th place will receive 45 points).

Ranking lists will be calculated as soon as possible after each Besh Cup weekend. Lists will be published and posted to the Cross Country Alaska web site within 48 hours after each of race weekend. The final list will be presented at the final team selection announcement in Fairbanks following Besh Cup Race #6.

TEAM SELECTION LISTS

Separate ranking lists will be maintained for:

1. Junior 3 Boys (for AWG),
2. Junior 3 Girls (for AWG),
3. Junior 2 Boys,
4. Junior 2 Girls,
5. Junior 1 / Older Junior Boys, and
6. Junior 1 / Older Junior Girls.

Selection points awarded in Besh Cup events may not be modified after the fact except in case of error occurring in the calculation of results or when points have been incorrectly awarded due to human error.

NUMBER OF RACES COUNTED

The Junior Olympic Team Selections is based on the first 6 races of the Besh Cup series. Normally all 6 races are conducted, however, due to weather or other problems, it is possible that less than 6 races will be held. The number of a skier's performances which will be counted toward selection will follow the specifications listed here:

• If 6 races are held, a skier's best 4 of 6 results will be counted.
• If 5 races are held, a skier's best 3 of 5 results will be counted
• If 4 races are held, a skiers best 3 of 4 results will be counted
• If 3 races are held, a skier's best 2 of 3 results will be counted
• If 2 races are held, a skier's best 2 of 2 results will be counted

It is not necessary to ski in more than one race to be considered for selection to the Alaska Team to Junior Olympics. A skier can qualify based upon results in any number less the maximum of results to be counted.

JUNIORS FROM OUTSIDE THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM

Skiers living outside the highway system in Alaska who are able to attend only one race weekend due to the difficulty and expense of travel, may double their points from those two races for purposes of ranking on the JOQ/AWG ranking list.

Skiers attending college outside of Alaska and who are able to make only 2 races in the Besh Cup Series may qualify for the Alaska Team based on their results in those 2 races. Their points will not be doubled. These skiers may also qualify for the Alaska Team by finishing among the top 20 males or top 20 females at the JWC team trials, or they may qualify based upon their ranking within their NCAA regions.

DISCRETIONARY SELECTION

An athlete who is unable to qualify through the Besh Cup selection races due to illness, injury or other forces, may petition the Cross Country Alaska Completion Committee to be selected based upon other considerations. This petition must be submitted to the Cross Country Alaska's Competition Committee for their consideration prior to January 25 of the competition year. In the petition, the petitioner must include:

• Reason that he/she was unable to qualify through the Besh Cup. Medical or other pertinent documentation would be helpful.
• Summary of other competitive race results during the season or during the prior season, and
• Any other pertinent and helpful information.

The Cross Country Alaska Competition Committee will decide on the petition at its final meeting prior to the final weekend of Besh Cup racing. The decision of the Cross Country Alaska Competition Committee is final and may not be reconsidered.

ARCTIC WINTER GAMES

A team is picked every even-numbered year for competition at Arctic Winter Games. Cross Country Alaska aids in the selection process by using the Junior Olympic/AWG points list. All team rules, travel arrangements, and costs for Arctic Winter Games are set by Team Alaska (State of Alaska) and not CCAK. Skiers become part of the larger Team Alaska that is organized by Alaska’s AWG Committee.

The team consists of 24 skiers; 4 J1 male, 4 J1 female, 4 J2 male, 4 J2 female, 4 J3 male, and 4 J3 female. No OJ may participate in Arctic Winter Games. The Junior Olympic Team is named first. The AWG team is then named. The AWG team consists of the next highest skiers in each age class, after the JO skiers, as sequentially ranked on the JO/AWG points list. Any skier may decline the JO team and chose the AWG team.

The Arctic Winter Games is a unique and worthwhile event that every skier should experience. Two positions on the AWG team are reserved for the top male and top female skier from Western Alaska Championships held the previous March. Depending on the age class of these athletes, the next 3, instead of 4, positions will be selected from the corresponding list.

Tie-Breaking Procedures

In the case of a tie, the higher place will be awarded using these steps, in the order listed below.

1. Best finish place in all races
2. Better 2nd-best finish place
3. Better 3rd-best finish place
4. Better 4th-best finish place
5. Better won-lost record in head-to-head competition in four best races
6. Better 5th-best finis
7. Better 6th-best finish
8. Better won-lost record in head to head competition in all races

Moving Up In Age Class

The Cross Country Alaska Competition committee strongly believes that each athlete should ski in their proper age class and should not "move up" to a higher age class. Longer races and more severe competition can be detrimental to optimal performance considering longer-term athlete development and goals. Skiers who desire to move up to an older age class must petition the CCAK board for permission to move up. In principle, only J3's who are in 9th grade will be considered for moving up into the J2 class. Other petitions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.