What does it take to be a race official?

Race officials perform a necessary and vital role in conducting our races. We are very grateful for the time and effort our race officials dedicate to enabling us to put on US Ski and Snowboard sanctioned races. We are short of certified race officials, hopefully this article will help you determine if you would like to be an official and encourage you to consider it.

Our agreement with the ski areas is to provide the Technical Delegate and Referee for all of our races, and an Assistant Referee for speed events. These officials are all members of the race jury, which is responsible for all technical matters in the race arena. Some of these matters are to determine that the hill is adequately prepared, the safety features are in place, and that the course is properly set. The jury also deliberates and acts on any protests. The sponsoring race department supplies the Chief of Race, who is usually a senior member of the race department and is also a member of the race jury.

Officials are asked to be on the hill early on race day, at least before inspection opens, and sometimes when the course workers are preparing and setting the course. They inspect the course and work with the Chief of Race to make any necessary adjustments or corrections. After each run, the Referee works with the Time Keeper and the Head Gate Judge to prepare the Referee’s Report listing any disqualifications. The Referee’s Report must be posted as soon as possible near the score board, and the Referee must wait in the vicinity for 15 minutes to allow for racer protests.

To become a Referee, you must attend a clinic which is coordinated by the Far West Alpine Officials Chairman. These clinics have typically been held at Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley in the fall. This year the clinic will be held at Palisades Tahoe October 31st-November 2, 2025. The clinic includes an open book test which is conducted and assisted by the clinic instructor.

Check the Far West Skiing website, www.fwskiing.org, for updates and registration information. After completing the clinic, you must upgrade your US Ski and Snowboard membership to include Alpine Official status, you will also be required to complete SafeSport training, a background check, and avalanche safety training. Once completed you will then be listed on the US Ski and Snowboard web site as a Certified Referee. After working as a referee for a number of races, you will be eligible to take more clinics and tests to become a Technical Delegate. In order to maintain your referee certification, you will need to attend refresher clinics at least once every two years, for Technical Delegate you must attend the refresher clinic every year. If your certification lapses, you will be required to attend a clinic and retake the test in order to get certified again.

Mark Mirviss, our VP of Officials, works with our Far West officials each fall to coordinate race assignments for the coming season.

Far West Masters will reimburse the cost of US Ski and Snowboard officials registration if you request it. Officials also get complimentary lift tickets for races they work and are reimbursed for the race entry fees for the races they work at.

If any of you think you have the time and inclination to try being an official, please contact Mark Mirviss.