Disabled Cross Country

Team Nomination Criteria

1. Athletes must attend two USSA sponsored training camps for the purpose of evaluating skiing skills and evaluating cardio-vascular conditioning.
   
2. Athletes must attend a training camp in which a time trial or race is scheduled.  The athlete's performance in the time trial will be evaluated by the coaching staff, and an invitation may be extended to the athlete to participate in the U.S. National Championships.
   
3. Athletes participating at the U.S. Nationals Championships must ski the designated kilometer pace and or the designated per cent back from the able-bodied field in two different races in order to be invited to a World Cup event in which to qualify for the National Team.

Sit-Ski Women pace times		Sit-Ski Men pace times
LW 12 - 4:43		LW 12 - 3:45
LW 11 - 5:00		LW 11 - 4:02
LW 10 - 5:30		LW 10 - 4:28
Standing Women pace times		Standing Men pace times
Classic		Classic
B3	55%	B3	30%
B2	60%	B2	45%
B1	65%	B1	50%
LW6/8	57%	LW6/8	42%
LW4	55%	LW4	38%
Freestyle		Freestyle
B3	55%	B3	30%
B2	60%	B2	45%
B1	65%	B1	50%
LW6/8	57%	LW6/8	42%
LW4	55%	LW4	38%

If an athlete achieves the proper kilometer pace and or percent back at U.S. National Championships, they will be invited to participate in a disabled IPC/SAEC sanctioned event in order to qualify for the National Team.

Athletes wishing to qualify for the National Team must ski a minimum of 10% percent back in an IPC/SAEC sanctioned competition from the average calculated finish time of the top three finishers in their respective class. (Three-class system) The 10% percent back must be achieved in two different races and in the same season (excluding sprint prologue).

Athletes wishing to qualify for the Development Team must ski a minimum of 15% percent back in an IPC/SAEC sanctioned competition from the average calculated finish time of the top three finishers in their respective class. (Three-class system) The 15% percent back must be achieved in two different races in the same season (excluding sprint prologue).

Proposed for 2005/2006 season:
Athletes wishing to qualify for the Paralympic Team must ski a minimum of 10% percent back in an IPC/SAEC sanctioned competition from the average calculated finish time of the top three finishers in their respective class. (Three class system) The 10% percent back must be achieved in two different races in the same season, within two years of the scheduled Paralympics. Qualification Period is January 04 – January 06. (pending USOC/US Paralympics evaluation and approval).

COACHES' DISCRETION

The U.S. Disabled Team coaches may select up to two athletes to the team using coaches discretion. If the coaching staff fills any available spots on the team with discretionary selections, then the coaching staff may consider any factors including but not limited to the following.

• Outstanding competition results
• Recent direction or trend of competition results (i.e. improving, flat, or declining)
• Attitude and commitment of the athlete

TEAM SIZE

The U.S. Disabled Cross-Country Team will be limited to ten athletes total on the Development Team and National Teams. If there are more than ten athletes vying for those available spots, the top ten athletes with the smallest percent back from the average calculated time of the top three finishers in their respective classes in two IPC/SAEC sanctioned competitions will be named to the team (Three class system).