Wasatch Citizens Series

Wasatch Citizens Series
Wasatch Citizens Series
The Wasatch Citizens Series (WCS) ski races have been Utah's premier nordic
skiing events since 1979. When the US Ski Team moved its coaching staff to
Park City in the 1980's, the WCS became a training ground for many of the
country's top skiers. The Park City Nordic and The Utah Nordic Alliance ski
teams have launched several young athletes to national recognition, and some
of our older participants have consistently won National Masters titles.
Members of recent U.S. Olympic Teams, Laura McCabe, Wendy Wagner, and Rosie
Brennan, began their skiing careers in our races.
The WCS consists of five events held each year at the major cross country ski
areas along the Wasatch Front and Back. Two classic technique and three
free technique races are included, some with interval and some with wave
starts, to provide the balance local athletes need to prepare for national and
international competition.
In addition to our 20 age categories for each gender, the WCS includes shorter
distance recreational/novice classes for adults and children, to encourage
beginners to get involved in the sport. There are also expert (Open) classes,
for University and US Ski Team skiers and those who wish to compete at that
level, as well as Open50+ classes for skiers over 50 who wish to race the full
distance and start with the Open group. Disabled athletes are welcome to
enter our sitski classes. Awards are given to the top three finishers in each
of these groups at each race. Participants' ages typicaly range from less
than 5 to more than 80, and many families regularly attend the races.
Points are awarded to each racer according to finish place in their class.
(Details of WCS scoring is explained below.) Points are accumulated over the
entire season, and special prizes are awarded to the top three skiers in each
class. To see points lists for the current and past winters,
click here
. To see results
for the current and past winters,
click here
In 2013 Bruce Schroeder suggested that we create an award for all those who
have participated in at least 100 Wasatch Citizens Series races. At that time
we knew of 10 skiers who had done that many WCS events. Since limited data is
available for the years before 1985, there probably were more than that. If
anyone has information from the late 70's or early 80's, please let Dave
Hanscom know.
Click here
to see the a list
of the top 50 WCS partipants.
In past years various local retailers have acted as individual event sponsors:
White Pine
Wild Rose
REI
and
Wasatch Touring
An energy bar has been donated by
Clif Bar
for each of our participants at each race. Due to COVID restrictions, we won't
be serving lunch at our races until further notice.
A number of companies have provided products that are given out after the
races by random drawing:
Alpina
(boots, gear),
Atomic
(skis, boots, poles, gear),
Chums
(accessories),
Fischer
(poles, gear),
Jan's
(ski grinding),
Kuhl
(clothing),
Madshus
(boots, poles, gear),
Rossignol
(gear),
Salomon
(skis, boots, poles, gear),
Scheels
(gift certificates),
SportHill
(clothing),
Swix
(wax, ski poles, gear),
Toko
(wax, clothing),
Ultimate Direction
(packs),
and
Wild Rose
(ski grinding).
Race Schedule
The WCS races during the 2025/2026 winter are planned as follows:
Note that the schedule has been changed due to lack of snow.
date
technique(distance)
location
Sat,Jan 3
classic (5/10k wave start)
Soldier Hollow
Thu, Jan 29
free (lap challenge)
Solitude
Sat,Jan 31
skiathlon (5/10k wave start)
Soldier Hollow
Sat,Feb 21
free (5/15k wave start)
Soldier Hollow
March
Ski Your Own Race
White Pine
The schedule for most all races in Utah and vicinity that are popular with
local cross country skiers can be found
here
For more information about cross country ski racing in Utah, check
The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA)
website, or send email to me at hanscom 'at' cs 'dot' utah 'dot' edu.
Registration
There is no day of race registration for WCS events.
To purchase your
season or individual race pass, go to
the TUNA online store
All participants in TUNA programs must have signed the online waiver.
To do that, simply click on the link at the bottom of the
TUNA webpage.
A season pass costs $125 for adult members of The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA),
$175 for adult non-members, and $50 for all kids 19 and under. There is a
special rate for adult skiers who choose to ski in our Recreational/Novice
Class, which go shorter distances. That group can purchase a season pass for
$75 (TUNA members) and $100 (non-members). The entry fee for individual events
is $40 for adult TUNA members, $50 for adult non-members, $27 for member
Rec/Nov, $36 for non-members, and $15 for all juniors.
Lycra bibs are handed out at each event, starting 90 minutes before and ending
30 minutes before the start, at a designated location.
In order to be
assigned a race bib, skiers have to sign up on the TUNA website at least 2
days in advance of their first event (season pass holders) or of each event
for those who choose to enter individual races.
Information is posted in the registration area relative to the course and
approximate start time for each class.
Race Rules
A skier who overtakes another on the track must go around the slower skier.
No "tracking" is allowed in Wasatch Citizens Series races.
In
classic technique events, at least two tracks are available around the
entire course wherever possible. In all events, slower racers should stay as
far to the right as possible to allow faster skiers to pass. Intentional
interference with another racer will be cause for disqualification.
Complaints should be taken to the Wasatch Citizens Series race director.
It is the responsibility of each skier to be at the start on time. A racer
who is late for the start will not receive any time adjustment.
The Wasatch Citizens Series is a non-fluro event. The WCS does not allow or
encourage the use of fluorinated waxes. Fluorinated waxes have been banned
from the highest levels of competition for environmental and health reasons.
The Wasatch Citizens Series supports this effort.
A special drawing for skis and other valuable prizes takes place at the final
event.
In order to be eligible for the ski drawing, and to be eligible for
a special participation prize that is awarded at the end of the season, a
skier must participate in four or more events, or purchase a season pass.
Racer Classes and Distances
Wasatch Citizens Series racers are divided into 28 classes for men and 28 for
women as shown below. Most of these are age groups. The others are called
Recreational or Novice (for those who are just learning to race, or who only
want to ski a shorter distance), Open (for advanced racers of all ages),
Open50+ (for skiers over 50 who wish to race the full distance and start with
the Open group), and SitSkier. Current and recent University and US Ski Team
skiers are required to ski in the Open class. The table shows approximate
distances for each class. The JN class is a fun "obstacle course" for kids 7
and under who do not wish to "race".
The "age" of a skier is that on December 31 of the current winter.
MALE
FEMALE
CLASS
AGE
DISTANCE
CLASS
AGE
DISTANCE
MJN
7 and under
"obstacle course"
FJN
7 and under
"obstacle course"
MU8
5-7
1 km
FU8
5-7
1 km
MU10
8-9
1 km
FU10
8-9
1 km
MU12
10-11
2 km
FU12
10-11
2 km
MU14
12-13
3 km
FU14
12-13
3 km
MU16
14-15
5-7 km
FU16
14-15
5-7 km
MU18
16-17
5-15 km
FU18
16-17
5-10 km
MU20
18-19
5-15 km
FU20
18-19
5-10 km
MOpen
any age
10-20 km
FOpen
any age
10-20 km
MOpen50+
50 and older
10-20 km
FOpen50+
50 and older
10-20 km
M20
20-24
10-20 km
F20
20-24
10-20 km
M25
25-29
10-20 km
F25
25-29
10-20 km
M30
30-34
10-20 km
F30
30-34
10-20 km
M35
35-39
10-20 km
F35
35-39
10-20 km
M40
40-44
10-20 km
F40
40-44
10-20 km
M45
45-49
10-20 km
F45
45-49
10-20 km
M50
50-54
10-20 km
F50
50-54
10-20 km
M55
55-59
10-20 km
F55
55-59
10-20 km
M60
60-64
10-20 km
F60
60-64
10-20 km
M65
65-69
10-15 km
F65
65-69
10-15 km
M70
70-74
5-8 km
F70
70-74
5-8 km
M75
75-79
5-8 km
F75
75-79
5-8 km
M80
80 and older
5-8 km
F80
80 and older
5-8 km
MRec/Nov
any age
5-8 km
FRec/Nov
any age
5-8 km
MSitSkier
any age
1-4 km
FSitSkier
any age
1-4 km
Race Starting Order
The youngest juniors (15 and under) and sit skiers complete their races before
any other classes start. The JN skiers can start any time they wish and ski
through the obstacle course as many times as they wish.
Some WCS races use interval starts. In these events, there is no pre-assigned
start time, but skiers are encouraged to line up in the approximate order of
classes listed below. Intervals between racers is approximately 15 seconds.
Other races use wave starts that consist of one or more classes separated by
one to three minutes. The waves and starting order of racer classes are
usually as follows:
YOUNGSTERS & SIT SKIERS
OTHERS
1 - MU16,FU16
6 - MOpen,FOpen,MO50+,FO50+,MU18,FU18,MU20,FU20
2 - MU14,FU14
7 - M20,M25,M30,M35,M40,M45
3 - MU12,FU12
8 - M50,M55,M60,M65
4 - MU08,FU08,MU10,FU10
9 - F20,F25,F30,F35,F40,F45,F50,F55,F60,F65
5 - MSitSkier,FSitSkier
10 - M70,F70,M75,F75,M80,F80,MRec/Nov,FRec/Nov
Scoring Procedure
Points are awarded to each racer according to finish place in the class as
shown below. Points are accumulated over the entire season, and special
prizes are awarded to the top three skiers in each class. To see points
lists for the current and past winters,
click here
Only the best four results are counted for each skier. Results of a fifth
race, if available, are used only to break ties.
A skier must
participate in at least three races to qualify for seasonal awards.
We recommend that recreational/novice racers move into the appropriate age
group if his or her per-kilometer time is within 10% of the third place
finisher in that group. When moving into an age class, a rec/nov keeps only
the points from the single best rec/nov finish.
No other class change
carries any points.
Racers are only allowed to change classes one time.
Once a racer moves to
a new class, they must stay there for the remainder of the winter.
PLACE
POINTS
PLACE
POINTS
30
11
10
28
12
26
13
24
14
22
15
20
16
18
17
16
18
14
19
10
12
20 or higher