Who Will You Race Against

Racers are grouped by ability, age and gender. Each participant will have the opportunity to take two race runs but only their best run will be used for placement. Depending on conditions, additional race runs may be offered to racers.

The best handicap earned determines the competitors’ final results. The 32 adult and 32 junior racers that score the most NASTAR Points during their divisional race will be invited to compete in the Final-Race of Champions. The head-to-head single elimination race will award prize money to the top three adults and the top three juniors in each division. Racers carry their winning handicap into the race to level the playing field and racers are seeded by their NASTAR Points. This system allows young and veteran racers to have an equal opportunity to win and become the overall NASTAR National Champion for their ability division.

Racers compete within the age, gender and ability division in which they qualify. Participants will be placed in their division based on their NASTAR handicap. 

Participants have the option to move to a higher, more competitive division than their qualifying division during the registration process but they cannot move to an ability division below the division in which they qualified.

There are four ability divisions for all racers, regardless of their discipline. Alpine, Snowboard, Telemark and Adaptive racers will compete together within their ability group:

  • Platinum Division

  • Gold Division

  • Silver Division

  • Bronze Division

Snowboarders, Telemarkers and Adaptive racers are placed in their division based on their qualifying handicap and medal earned. The handicap discount is applied to Snowboarders, Telemarkers and Adaptive racers. For race day awards, sub-divisions for the Adaptive Division are used to differentiate racers according to their disability.

Cognitive adaptive racers will compete with the Bronze Division.

There are a total of 46 possible age & gender categories (23 male, 23 female) in each division (i.e. Platinum Division, Gold Division, Silver Division, Bronze Division. Age categories are as follows: 1-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-20, 21-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95+. Racers will compete in the age category in which they qualified for the National Championships as determined by their age as of December 31.

For additional information on NASTAR age categories and divisions or to find out your competitor status go to your Race Record at nastar.com.
 

Making the Cut or The Breakout Rule

National Championship competitors will be bumped up to a new divisions if they break out of their qualifying division. Competitors that earn a handicap/medal that is above their qualifying division will make the cut and they will earn a start position to compete the next day.

  • Bronze Division racers that earn a silver, gold or platinum medal handicap will make the cut and move to the Silver Division to compete the next day.

  • Silver Division racers that earn a gold or platinum medal handicap will be moved to the Gold Division race the next day.

  • Gold Division racers that earn a platinum medal handicap will be moved to the Platinum Division.

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be presented to the first, second and third place finishers in each age & gender category following the race. Racers that "make the cut" we be recognized and they will be entered in the divisional race the next day.

The winner of each age and gender category within each division and discipline will be rewarded and recognized with a National Championship Title!