Ski-running Part 13

9. The Judges are appointed by the Council; the appointment is for the season only. Judges and Emergency Judges must be of British nationality.

10. The Council also appoints an emergency committee, any one of whom shall have the power to appoint temporary judges for the season only, to act with a Judge elected by the Council. Such temporary judges shall only be qualified to judge such tests as they have themselves pa.s.sed. The appointment of an Emergency Judge will not be recognized by the Council unless the appointment is notified to the Secretary of the Council.

CROSS COUNTRY SKI-ING TESTS.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.

The following definitions may be taken as applying to the three tests:

_Stemming Turns_.--For the purpose of these Tests, Judges must insist that candidates shall adopt that type of stemming turn known as the "lifted stemming turn," that is to say, the stemming turn which is finished by lifting round the inside ski.

_Telemarks_.--In the Telemark the back ski should drop behind, and the bend of the back ski should not be ahead of the ankle of the leading foot and should not be allowed to come forward till the turn is completed. Candidates who start the turn with a mixture of ordinary stemming should not be pa.s.sed.

_Christianias_.--The Christiania may be done _either_ by separating the points of the ski and completed by bringing them parallel--the so-called "open Christiania"; _or_ by keeping the ski parallel throughout and jerking them round, the "jerked Christiania"; _or_ by a very slight stem, the ski being immediately brought parallel after the turn has started, the so-called "Closed or Stem Christiania."

In every case the essence of the Christiania is that the swing should be rapid, and that the preliminary stemming or diverging of the skis should be as slight as possible.

A turn started by p.r.o.nounced stemming and completed as a Christiania should not be pa.s.sed.

_Continuous Turns_ are sometimes known as "downhill turns." They are used to connect one tack with another, and differ from stop or uphill turns in that the turn is made away from the hill instead of up towards the hill. Candidates must not stop between two continuous turns.

_Hard Snow_.--For the purpose of these tests, any well-beaten down practice slope from which all traces of soft snow have disappeared may be considered as hard snow. Hard crust superficially softened by the sun cannot be considered as hard snow.

_Soft Snow_.--For the purpose of these tests, a deep layer of powder snow resting on hard crust, or hard crust superficially softened by the sun, but not breakable, may be considered as soft snow.

_Form_.--The Judges must consider the "form" of the runner, as well as his speed and steadiness. The distinguishing marks of good "form" are an easy balance without dependence on the sticks (see below), an erect position, except on steep slopes, and a narrow single spoor in soft snow.

_Use of the Sticks_.--Candidates should carry sticks throughout these tests, but the sticks should not be used to reduce speed nor to help out a turn. On the other hand, a candidate may be allowed a prod with a single stick at the end of a turn provided that he is carrying a stick in each hand, or in the event of the candidate using a single stick that this stick is only held in one of his hands. _He must not put both his sticks together, nor hold a single stick in his two hands, during any of these tests, unless expressly directed to do so by the Judge_.

THE THIRD CLa.s.s TEST (CROSS COUNTRY).

The Third Cla.s.s Test consists of three parts, which may be pa.s.sed on different days, and before different Judges.

Part (a).--_The ascent of 1,500 feet in not more than 1 hour 30 minutes, and the descent of the same distance within a time which shall be decided by the Judges. This time shall not be less than 7 minutes, nor more than 20 minutes, and shall not exceed 12 minutes unless sanctioned by a Second Cla.s.s Judge or member of the Emergency Committee who is present and judging_.

Part (b).--_Four continuous Lifted Stemming turns on a slope of hard snow or hard snow covered by a shallow layer of soft snow. The angle of the slope to be between 15-20 degrees_.

Part (c).--_Four continuous Telemarks in soft snow on a slope of similar gradient_.

INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.

1. The course selected for Part (a) should include at least 200 feet of moderately difficult ground. Courses such as the Lauberhorn at Wengen, which is an unbroken descent of 1,500 feet that a good runner could take straight, should not be chosen. No part of the course should be along a road.

2. Throughout the Test candidates must carry rucksacks, which should weigh about six lbs. for men, and three lbs. for ladies. The ski must not be removed during the test, except to clean or repair them.

3. The Judges should, if possible, appoint two time-keepers. During the descent not more than six candidates must be judged in one batch.

4. Not more than three attempts at Part (b), and not more than three attempts at Part (c) are allowed on the same day.

5. The attention of the Judges is directed to the General Instructions. The gradient on which Third Cla.s.s candidates are expected to do their turns is gentle, as the intention is to secure that candidates should master the proper methods, so as to be able later to make real use of the turns on steep slopes. Judges are therefore urged to insist that the stemming turns and Telemarks are done correctly and in good style. Each turn should be short, well defined, and not a mere change of direction.

QUALIFYING TEST FOR THE SECOND CLa.s.s (CROSS COUNTRY).

No Candidate may enter for Parts (a), (b) and (c) of the Second Cla.s.s Test until he has pa.s.sed the Qualifying Test, and no Candidate may enter for the Qualifying Test until he has pa.s.sed the Third Cla.s.s Test.

The Qualifying Test consists of three parts, which may be pa.s.sed on different days and before different judges, but which must all be pa.s.sed in the same season.

Part (a).--_Four continuous Lifted Stemming turns on a slope of hard snow at an angle of 25-30 degrees_.

Part (b).--_Four continuous Telemark turns on a slope of soft snow at an angle of 25-30 degrees_.

Part (c).--_Christiania swings to a standstill (right and left) from a direct descent at a fair speed_.

INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.

1. Not more than three attempts at any one part should be allowed on the same day.

2. The Christianias should be done on the level or on a gentle slope after a descent from a steep slope, as a stop Christiania is more difficult on the level than on the slope.

3. The Judges must require a considerably higher standard of steadiness and certainty than in the Third Cla.s.s Test. The object of the Third Cla.s.s Test is to ensure that candidates learn the correct methods of making the turns. The object of the Second Cla.s.s Test is to ensure that candidates can make practical use of these turns on moderately steep slopes.

THE SECOND CLa.s.s TEST (CROSS COUNTRY).

The Second Cla.s.s Test consists of three parts, which must all be pa.s.sed in the same season, and should, if possible, be judged by the same Judges.

Part (a).--_A descent of not less than 2,500 feet, mainly on soft snow. The course selected should provide opportunities for straight running on reasonably steep slopes_.

Part (b).--_A descent of not less than 1,000 feet on hard snow, such as unbreakable crust or snow which has been thoroughly beaten down_.

Part (c).--_A descent of at least 500 feet of woodrunning, dense enough to prevent straight running, but not too dense to prevent continuous turns_.

1. A Second Cla.s.s runner may be defined as a runner who can run at a good speed on hard or soft snow of unvarying quality, and who is, above all, thoroughly steady on his turns. A runner who runs recklessly without judgment, and who shows little power of selecting a safe line, should not be pa.s.sed even if he takes slopes straight at the expense of frequent falls. _The Second Cla.s.s Test is, in the main, a test of steady controlled ski-ing at a good, but not at a racing speed_.

2. Candidates must not use their sticks to control speed nor to help out a turn except under very exceptional circ.u.mstances and with the express permission of the Judges. The Judges must, however, satisfy themselves that the Candidates understand the use of the stick, and could, in emergencies, where speed is vital, increase their speed and steadiness on difficult snow by the use of the stick.

QUALIFYING TEST FOR THE FIRST CLa.s.s (CROSS COUNTRY).

No candidate may enter for Parts (a), (b) and (c) of the First Cla.s.s Test until he has pa.s.sed the Qualifying Test that ent.i.tles him to be judged for the First Cla.s.s Test, and no candidate may enter for this Qualifying Test until he has pa.s.sed the Second Cla.s.s Test.

The Qualifying Test consists of five parts, which may be judged on different days and before different Judges, but which must all be pa.s.sed in the same season.