General

Pacesetter Handicaps and Regional Pacesetter Information

The Ski Challenge uses the NASTAR system to determine handicaps for our league series. What is NASTAR? NASTAR stands for The National Standard Race or the time to which everyone is compared. This National Standard is set by the fastest ski racer in the United States as determined EACH year by members of the U.S. Ski Team who participate in the National Pacesetting Trials prior to the start of the race season. The fastest racer at this event receives a "0" handicap - the handicap from which everyone is compared, also known as the par time at any given race. This year the “0” is Steve Nyman..

Ski Challenge Team WINS 1st at Regional Pacesetting Trials in Devils Head, WI.  Dave Everson, Scott Schultz and Danielle Dziedzic took first place honors at the race on Monday, December 20th while representing The Ski Challenge! 

AJ Kitt is the traveling pacesetter for this year.  AJ was set at a 1.98 for the Regional pacesetting trials.  This means AJ is skiing 1.98% slower than the National Pacesetter would have skied at the trials.  Our Pacesetters went against  AJ at the Regional Pacesetting Trials at Devils Head on December 20. The race works exactly like our races work. AJ takes a run on each course. A "par time" based on his best run was determined.  Our pacesetters take three runs each. Their best time was taken and compared against the Par time. This determined their pacesetting handicap for the season.  Any pacesetter that did not make it to Devils Head got their handicap December 28 at Buck Hill against a pacesetter who got a handicap at Devils Head.

This trial is to be done every year. Thus, our basis for handicaps can change from year to year depending on who the National pacesetter or "0" is. You can't always compare your handicap from year to year.  So, your handicap this season is the percentage slower you would be at your hill versus Steve Nyman. If you get a 22 handicap that means that you skied 22% slower than the National Pacesetter would have skied.