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Officials and Volunteers

Officials Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I become a race Official?

A: To become an alpine race Official one must join a ski club or in some provinces join the provincial sport organization (PSO). PSO contact information is available on the Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) web site www.canski.org – About ACA – provinces and territories. Ski club contact information is available on the PSO web sites.

Ski clubs provide Officials courses starting with the Level 1 course. An outline of the Officials program and Officials course information is on the ACA web site - Officials section – Course Material – Level 1 manual – Chapter 2.

When you take the Level 1 course you become a Level 1 alpine race Official.


Q: What is a certified race Official?

A: All race Officials must be a member of a ski club or PSO in order to be certified and officiate at race events. As a ski club or PSO member race certified Officials are covered with liability insurance to volunteer at ACA sanctioned races.


Q: What if someone wants to help at a race but does not belong to a ski club or PSO and is not a race Official? Will they be covered by liability insurance while helping with the race?

A: Volunteers can help out at a sanctioned race for a maximum of two times and be covered with ACA liability insurance on those two occasions. If the volunteer wants to continue helping at ski races they must become a member of a ski club or PSO to be covered with ACA liability insurance.


Q: I recently volunteered at the Nor Am race in as a course worker. How do I register as an Official so my credentials will be tracked for events I work?

I have a Level II, with quite a bit of experience in running K1 & K2 level races.

A: Documenting names/ volunteering race data of Officials in each province is a PSO (Provincial Sports Organizations) responsibility (see Level 1 manual – Officials Program chapter page 10-11). I would suggest you contact your PSO Officials Chair and ask about the database specific to your province. A list of PSO Officials Chairs in on the ACA web site, Officials section ~ National Officials Committee or check the PSO web site for further info.


Q: Is there any insurance reason that K1 cannot race with K2 + ?  We have decided to separate them here for developmental reasons, but some board members feel it is for insurance purposes

A: There is no reason including insurance that K1 and K2 + can not race in the same event. Separating the age groups for what ever reason, development or ++ number of competitors to name acouple is a decision made by the PSO or ROC.


Q: Forerunners.  Is there an insurance reason that states forerunners must be the same age as the race they are forerunning in (i.e. K1 race – forerunner must be 11 or 12, K2 + race forerunner must be 13 yrs old +)?

 A: In National races, there is no age restriction for forerunners but they must have the ability to ski the course in a racing manner and meet all the regulations similar to participating competitors.


Q: Forerunners. Is there an insurance reason that states forerunners must be a carded athlete?

A: In National races, forerunners do not have to be carded racers.

In FIS races, forerunners must have a FIS card.  In both cases, they must be a member of a ski club or PSO so they are covered by ACA insurance while on the race course and/or involved in the race.

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