1. PARALLEL SL EVENTS: Non-Scored & Scored
(Refer to ACR Precisions to verify all event and course specifications.)
rev Oct 17

2. BACKGROUND
U.S. Ski & Snowboard 2018 Congress appointed a Task Force to edit existing rules and establish procedures for Parallel SL events – both non-scored & scored
Season will be the start of a 2-year implementation for scored Parallel SL. Season events will follow current rules and specifications for SL.
Rules for non-scored Parallel SL have been approved and will be published in the Precisions to the current ACR
Goal is to provide a “fair and equal” opportunity for all competitors
FIS Office has appointed a Task Force to study staging FIS- scored Parallel events. Full implementation is planned for season

3. U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
PARALLEL SLALOM

4. What is a Parallel SL Event?
A Parallel SL event is a competition where two competitors race simultaneously side by side down two separate but identical courses:
A RED COURSE and a BLUE COURSE
The setting of the courses, the configuration of the ground and the preparation of the snow are as identical as possible
The competitors ski one run on each course
Competitors may then qualify for and compete in bracketed heats
Slalom equipment rules are valid!

5. EVENT SPECIFICATIONS Vertical drop of the course:
Minimum of 60 m / maximum of 100 m
Number of turning gates – not counting start/finish:
Minimum of 20
Distance between gates:
Current course setting matrix for distance between turning
poles will be followed – no requirement for combinations
Minimum vertical drop/combined time – Scored Events (Season ):
- Minimum vertical drop and/or minimum two-run
combined time standards should remain as published
- Penalty adder for Parallel SL events that do not meet
either standard will be confirmed

6. PARALLEL SL EVENT: JURY & COURSE SETTER The Jury is as follows:
Technical Delegate
Referee
Chief of Race
Assistant Referee (non-voting) or other officials (Eyes of the Jury) may be appointed if required for control of both courses)
The course setter is designated by the Jury of the competition (if not selected by US Ski & Snowboard National or Regional Office).
Before setting the Parallel SL course, the Course Setter must conduct an inspection and study of the course in the presence of the Jury and those responsible for the course.

7. PREPARATION OF THE COURSE
Chosen Slope:
wide enough to permit two courses (permitting view of whole course from any point)
minimum of 10 m between the courses
appropriate separation from protection installations
terrain variations should be the same across the surface of the slope
course layouts should have the same profile and the same difficulties
Slope Surface:
Snow must be consistently hard over full width (similar to course preparation for Slalom)
Slope should be prepared so it is possible to offer equal race conditions on both courses
Transportation:
Organizer must provide transport back to the start in the shortest time possible for all athletes competing in the brackets.
Course Security:
Entirely closed off by barriers
Recommended the Organizer fence off reserved places intended for trainers, competitors and service personnel

8. THE COURSE
Designated by a series of gates; each gate is composed of two Slalom poles * with a homologated Giant Slalom gate panel stretched between them and fastened in such a way so as to tear or break away
Poles and panels are red for the course on skier’s left and blue for the course on skier’s right
Bottom of the panel must be approximately 1m above the snow.
* NOTE: Parallel Slalom may be set as single-pole
Same Course Setter establishes the courses. Duties include:
makes sure they are identical and parallel .
ensures the course flow is smooth
that there is variety in the curves (very pronounced curves)
that the course causes rhythm changes (event should not be a long, straight top-to bottom run)
verifies first gate in each course is placed no less than 8 m and no more than 10 m from the start
after the last gate and leading into the finish area, the separation between the two courses is well marked so each competitor is directed towards the middle part of the respective finish
horizontal distance between the courses (from turning pole to turning pole) should be m
distance between starting gates should be the same as between the two courses

9. PREPARATION & CONTROL OF THE START
Recommended to use two gates:
Capable of simultaneous opening and
Connected to the timing devices during the bracketed elimination rounds
Scored qualification runs must have independent timing on each course where the start impulse is received by means of a start wand
It is acceptable to use other start gates that do not ensure simultaneous release provided that the timing system is set to measure net times on each course.
Preparation of the Start:
Install start platform or start shelter, start ramp, starting pads, and posts for timing equipment
Level and close off start area, prepare and maintain same as rest of course, install protection for timing equipment
Control of the Start:
Jury and the starter together will control the start.
Start signal can only be given after Jury has given the competitors permission to start.

10. FALSE STARTS & START COMMANDS
Penalties will occur:
if the competitor goes through the gate before the start command or starts more than 2 seconds after the “GO” command
if the competitor does not have both ski poles set behind the closed gate (in the case that start devices designed for simultaneous starts are used)
Start Command: After Starter ensures the competitors are ready, he/she:
Gives command of “Ready - Set”
Gives the starting signal (“Go”) which opens the start gates
NOTE: In the case that start devices designed for simultaneous starts are used, if one or both start gates fail to open, the start must be repeated.

11. PREPARATION OF FINISH The Finish Areas:
Fenced in and symmetrical with sufficient length, width & proper egress
Timing equipment protected
Prepared and maintained as well as rest of course
Additionally,
Line into the finish must be parallel with the line of the start posts
Finish lines marked by two sets of slalom gates with giant slalom gate panels stretched between and fastened to tear or break away
- each finish line set at least 7 m wide
- inside poles of the areas are placed side by side with no more than 1 m
between them
Approach into Finish:
Set up visually separate finish approaches
After the last gate and leading into the finish area,
- separation between the two courses is well marked
- each competitor is directed towards the middle part of the respective finish
Keep the courses separated after the finish line

12. TIMING Two competitors racing side by side, it is possible to measure:
either the difference in time (at Finish) or
the individual run times (Start to Finish)
If run times are measured,
the difference in time has to be calculated from the run times (in 1/100th seconds)
Jury has to announce at the applicable Team Captains Meeting, which timing method will be used
NOTE: For some special events (NTE) running times may be used to determine rankings (break ties or the award of prizes).
Where start gates capable of simultaneous or delayed opening are not available, individual run times must be used.

13. EVENT EXECUTION
Each heat between two competitors consists of two runs, the two competitors change courses for the second run.
A Scored Parallel SL must always be decided by two runs (one run on each course).
A Scored Parallel SL will:
consist of the skier’s combined-run net times on the red course and the blue course
sum of each competitor’s net times will be their combined time and the
Official Results of a Scored Parallel SL will be decided by ranking athletes based on their combined time.
Results of the Scored Parallel SL may be used as the qualification runs for the seeding of bracketed heats.
NOTE: If the event continues with formation into bracketed heats, the results of the bracketed heats will not be considered for scoring to the U. S. Ski & Snowboard National Points List

14. CONTROL OF THE RUNS
Gate Judges are situated on both exterior sides of the courses.
Each Gate Judge is supplied with a flag which corresponds to the color of the course being controlled (blue or red)
Flag is to be used immediately to notify the Jury of a gate fault in his/her section of the course.
A Jury member located half way down the course, judges whether a Gate Judge’s raising of the red or blue flag was justified or not
A Jury member confirms disqualification of the competitor.

15. BRACKETED HEATS

16. FORMATION INTO BRACKETS (HEATS)
Sixteen heats of competitors are formed by grouping together (see table):
the 1st and the 32nd
the 2nd and the 31st
the 3rd and the 30th
the 4th and the 29th
the 5th and the 28th
the 6th and the 27th
the 7th and the 26th
the 8th and the 25th
the 9th and the 24th
the 10th and the 23rd
the 11th and the 22nd
the 12th and the 21st
the 13th and the 20th
the 14th and the 19th
the 15th and the 18th
the 16th and the 17th
NOTE: These pairings are based on brackets of 32 competitors; if fewer or additional athletes are allowed into the brackets, pairings are adjusted accordingly.

17. CONTROL OF BRACKETS
Heats may be determined by one qualification run (all competitors start on same course) or by the ranking from combined net times of two runs (competitors must change courses for second run)
The start order for a single qualifying run can be determined by the National Points ranking or alternate seeding methods
The order and format of the qualification run(s) has to be announced in the Race Notice and confirmed at the Team Captains’ Meeting
Changes have to be communicated to the Team Captains not less than one hour prior to the scheduled start of the run(s)
Competitors may receive numbers (bracket position) based on alternate seeding methods: e.g. fastest single run, points list, accumulated series points, etc., which may allow for qualification-run DNF’s & DSQ’s to advance into bracketed heats
NOTE: Qualification with one run. All athletes of the same gender will take one run on the same course to determine the formation of the heats.
Start order - following the numbered order of the appended table, from top to bottom:
All heats race in succession their first run and then their second
First Run: Lower number starts on red course; higher number starts on blue course
Second Run: Courses are reversed
This same system is used for all rounds including the finals
The competitors may inspect the course once from top to bottom with skis on. Inspection time shall be at least 10 minutes
Competitors having a bye should be permitted one training run on only one of the two courses during the round

18. DISQUALIFICATION Causes for disqualifications are the following:
False start (Art )
Changing from one course to another
Interfering with an opponent, accidentally or not
Not passing through a gate correctly (Art )
Stepping back (Art )

19. ADVANCEMENT THROUGH THE BRACKETS
The competitor who is disqualified in, or who does not finish the first run of a bracketed heat will start the second run with a penalty time
The competitor who is disqualified in or does not finish the second run of a bracketed heat is eliminated
If both competitors do not finish the second run of a bracketed heat, the result of the first run counts
If both were tied, disqualified or did not finish the first run of a bracketed heat, the competitor who skied the furthest distance in the second run of the heat will advance to the next round
If both competitors are tied after the second run of a bracketed heat, the competitor who wins the second run will advance to the next round.
If both competitors are disqualified or did not finish the second run of a bracketed heat, the competitor who skied the furthest distance before disqualification or did not finish will advance to the next round
If both competitors are disqualified or did not finish at the same gate in the second run of a bracketed heat, the competitor who won the first run will advance

20. APPLICATION OF PENALTY TIME*
The Penalty time may be 5% of the fastest single run qualification time with a 1.5 second maximum
In all cases the maximum time difference for the first run of each pairing can never be higher than the penalty time.
The jury may set the penalty time in other ways up to the maximum of 1.5 seconds.
* Time penalty application is only valid for brackets!

21. FORMAT INTO BRACKETS: A Review
Suggested format for Parallel SL movement into brackets
All athletes will take two qualifying runs with combined times used to seed the brackets
The top 16 men and women will be advanced to brackets
Brackets: Penalty time shall be 5% of the fastest single run time with a 1.5 second maximum. (This is calculated separately for each gender or group racing.)
Brackets will be conducted as a two-run event with maximum time that can be won or lost in the first run as the calculated penalty time
Athletes change courses for the second run
Differential time will be used if start gates that have controlled release are available
Net times will be used if starts use a wand

22. ADDITIONAL POINTS
In the case of issues or items not covered in Art the Rules for Slalom (Art. 800) must be considered; Special Rules for Cups may also be applied
Official Results of a two-run qualification will be used to score a Parallel SL event to the National Points List
Results of bracketed heats may be used only for the purpose of awards; they will not affect scoring of a Parallel SL event
If one-run qualification is conducted in order to seed athletes into brackets, the results of the one-run qualification can not be scored to the National Points List
Non-scored Parallel SL Events must follow ACR Art – 1232 and Precisions
Scored Parallel SL Events – Season :
Seeding will be done by current Slalom National Points
Official Results of a two-run qualification may (if you meet Slalom specifications), be
used to score a Parallel SL event to the National Slalom Points List
Events must follow requirements for Slalom; e.g. course setting requirements, minimum vertical drop (100 m) or minimum two-run combined time (50 seconds), etc.
Slalom F-value (factor) 730 must be used to calculate race points/penalty
Scored Parallel SL Events – Season :
Seeding will be done by Parallel National Points
Results will be scored to the Parallel National Points List
Events must follow requirements for Parallel SL. In case of issues not covered in Art – 1232, the rules for Slalom (Art. 800) will apply
Parallel SL F-value (factor) noted in current Competition Guide may be adjusted