2024 Week 1 News

IN THIS NEWS

COURSE COLORS

The course colors will be Blue and Red at Buck Hill this year.  These colors will be used to match the new Start Shack lights!  The Blue course will be on Racer’s Right (left looking up the hill) and Red course will be Racer’s Left (right looking up the hill).  Results posted on the NASTAR website will still show Orange and Green as course colors.

7/11 COURSE WEEK

This season all the course setters will be picking one week to have a 7/11 course week.  What this means is one of the dual courses will have 7 gates and the other 11.  We will give each league notice of when this will happen.  It most likely will be around week 5 or 6.  No need to wear different skis.  Your normal race skis should be able to handle each type of course!

MEET YOUR COURSE SETTERS

Andrey Ryvlin

  • What Leagues/Events do you set: I really enjoy setting courses. I set Wednesday afternoon Ski Challenge, other than Buck Hill I set for Masters, also set at some other areas around the state
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: about 5 years
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: When not setting courses I work as a software developer at Idemia Corp, I like to travel with skis and without, I am busy helping with remodeling projects at my church, I also enjoy playing tennis (when there is no snow on the ground)
  • What skis do you race on: Mostly on Atomic skis
  • Favorite wax to use: Mostly use FastWax (#1), Swix, and Toko
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: Best Ski Challenge experience was last year at Giants where our team won the big trophy.
  • Favorite Buck 54′ food/meal or Drink: At Buck 54 I like beer and good company.
  • About Me: Skiing and ski racing is a big part of my life. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid and will keep doing it as long as God allows me to.

Morgan Rapp (aka: Turd Ferguson)-

  • What Leagues/Events do you set: Thursday PM SC, Friday GS Clinics, SC State
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: 17
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: Senior Product Owner in digital marketing at Ameriprise Financial. Also, National Sales Rep, Fast Wax Ski Wax
  • What skis do you race on: Volkl Racetigers
  • Favorite wax to use: Fast Wax HS0
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: The old Friday night family leagues I set for many years, and sending kids from the bottom of the ramp too scared to go from the top
  • Favorite Buck 54′ food/meal or Drink:  Hot Chicken sandwich
  • About Me: “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing.” Motto serves me well in life, especially in coursesetting.

Scott Flanary

  • What Leagues/Events do you set: SUN PM
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: 8 years
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: Coach Breck Alpine Ski
  • What skis do you race on: Rossignol Hero 23m
  • Favorite wax to use: No idea…” Skiing Ian” (Ian Montgomery) is my ski tech.
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: Every Season that Premature Release Dominates the Thursday night SC League

Brent Wasti

  • What Leagues/Events do you set:  SUN AM 
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: I think at least 12. 
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: Woodworking or Underwater Basket weaving
  • What skis do you race on: Blizzard WC GS (25m)
  • Favorite wax to use: Dominator Rocket
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: Beating regional pacesetter Jack Miller at State Championships
  • Favorite Buck 54′ food/meal or Drink: Pizza
  • About Me: I’m not funny.

Reed Anderson

  • What Leagues/Events do you set: WEDS PM
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: 20+ (Grizzled vet)
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: Retired from working full time. Play golf, ski, and spend a lot of summertime at the cabin in Northern Minnesota.
  • What skis do you race on: Rossignol Master (23M)
  • Favorite wax to use: Toko
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: I’m too old to remember.
  • Favorite Buck 54′ food/meal or Drink: Surly Furious
  • About Me: I have enjoyed Ski Challenge since 1987 and hope my body holds out long enough to continue for years to come.
  • *Wednesday PM participants – I wish I could come out and set what I want every week, but sometimes with at least 2 other races on the hill before the evening race, I must set what the hill safely allows. Racer safety is the priority and I appreciate your patience!*

Thor Morales

  • What Leagues/Events do you set: MON PM, TUES PM, Ski Challenge NASTAR, Ski Challenge State (King of the Hel), Dabbling with Masters
  • Years Setting at Buck Hill: 16
  • What do you do when you are not setting courses: Account Representative at Power/mation (Industrial Automation). Attempt to play golf frequently.
  • What skis do you race on: Atomic RS 183 (24m)
  • Favorite wax to use: Fast Wax Thunderbolt+ 20 (Get it at Joes!)
  • Best Ski Challenge/Ski Racing memory: Got told by Daron Rahlves that the course I set for Pacesetter trials ‘Was Decent’.
  • Favorite Buck 54′ food/meal or Drink: Gotta be the Wings. I think I get them every night I am hungry there.
  • Funny lines to share: “Its Ski Challenge, Not Ski Easy” or “It’s Giant Slalom, not Mini Downhill”.

RACER CONFIRMATIONS

A confirmation email will be sent out to all rostered racers.  This confirmation will include race dates, times, check in information.  It will also include links to registration status, running orders and schedules.

ROSTERS AND RUNNING ORDERS

Rosters and running orders for the season are posted online.  Rosters are updated periodically and show registration, waiver and payment status.  We do not show personal information online.  Each captain has received an updated roster that includes personal information for each team member.  Captains will also receive a Captain Packet at the first race of the season.

Running orders will be posted at check in and at the top of the race run each week.  These running orders rotate each week with each team moving down one slot each week.  The bottom team on each side will rotate to the top each week.  Running orders were determined by the order that team deposits were made.

GO HERE TO SEE ROSTERS & RUNNING ORDERS

PACESETTING FOR 2024

NASTAR is not holding any Regional Pacesetting Trials this season.  And, with the mild December, we did not have an opportunity to run a trial.  We will be using last year’s pacesetting numbers for the start of the season.  We will periodically review numbers and see if any adjustments need to be made.

Because we are participating in NASTAR again this season, we are required to use pacesetters that have been approved by NASTAR.  If you are currently a pacesetter in our system and do NOT want to be, please notify Ski Challenge and we will take you off the list.  If you are not a pacesetter currently and average a 12 or less for handicap and want to become a pacesetter, contact us and we will get you a number.

GO HERE FOR THE CURRENT LIST OF PACESETTERS AND HANDICAPS.

GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PACESETTING

SKI CHALLENGE SCORING SYSTEM

A handicap system is used to determine medals.  A new handicap is achieved for each race run and is strictly the percentage slower than the par time (zero handicap).  The par time is determined by picking a pacesetter for each run and determining a par time based on their established pace handicap and their time.  Each racer’s best handicap of the two runs is used to determine medal and team points. Medals are awarded at each race at an awards ceremony. Refer to the official Ski Challenge Scoring Chart for details on the scoring system. The top six scores from each team count for team points. These accumulate weekly through Race 7 to determine team placement in league standings. Racer points for  #7, #8, #9 racers (and bonus points, how many points a medal is achieved by) will be accumulated each week to determine any tiebreakers at the last race.

GO HERE FOR MORE SCORING INFORMATION

GO HERE TO SEE THE SCORING CHARTS

GUEST RACING

You are allowed to guest race two times per regular season race league. The fee is $15.  We recommend that all guests register and pay online at least TWO hours before course inspection.  If you are unable to do this, you can show up at the hill and pay and sign up there.  Follow this link to register:  GUEST REGISTRATION.

BUCK HILL INFORMATION

Lift Tickets – must be worn at each event.  Tickets will be periodically checked.  Buck Hill offers online tickets deals and offers a late night lift ticket deal each night starting at 7 pm.  Check it out here:  BUCK HILL LIFT TICKETS

Event Center – NO Outside Food or Beverage allowed in the Event Center or Buck ’54 Restaurant.  You will have an opportunity to purchase food and beverage at each of our race events.

GENERAL RULES

Ski Challenge has a list of rules to keep things fair and running smoothly.  Here are some highlights of the rules concerning roster changes and substitutions.

Roster Changes
Additions or changes to teams (up to the roster limit of 10) can be made at any time until race 5.  Re-entry of participants is not allowed.  Open spots may be filled at any time.  You may not switch racers in and out of a roster.

Your week 5 roster will be the set roster for Championships.  No Changes after week 5.  You can only make one roster change per bib number.  Once a change is made, it remains for the remainder of the season*.

Substitutions
Roster substitutions are NOT allowed.  Guest racers may race with a particular team, but cannot count for the team scores or take the place of a missing rostered member for the week.  Each racer number is assigned to a rostered participant and all of their information (ie birthdate, gender, age, previous week’s handicap).  This is permanent until an official roster change has been made.

Switching Teams or Guest Joining Teams
If a member switches from one team to another in the same league, all race results before the switch will remain intact on the original team.  If a guest racer joins a team, his or her race results from his or her guest race in that league will be added to the team they joined.

GO HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST OF RULES