Home: Racing: Race Types

The Champaign Ski Club has three types of racing: NASTAR, CMSC Leagues, and masters series racing. If you can comfortably ski a (midwest) blue run, then you have what it takes to ski a race course.

NASTAR: Many of the CSC's Midwest and Western trips include a NASTAR race or two. Here you try to get gold, silver, and bronze pins for beating set times (handicaps) for your age group. All ages are welcome to race NASTAR. The youngest handicap group is ages 1 to 4, and the oldest is for the 80+ skiers. NASTAR courses are typically on blue runs and are always set up as a very regularly paced Giant Slalom course.

As part of NASTAR, the club runs a team contest called Turtle and Toblerone, where teams of two compete for food (Mmmm. chocolate). Each team consists of a male and a female racer. After a NASTAR race, the team with the lowest combined handicap gets Toblerone chocolate. The team with the highest combined handicap gets Turtle chocolate. (You can't go wrong either way) Teams can be any boy/girl pair. You can race with the same teammate twice a season, but no more than that. An end of year award (larger chocolate bars) is presented at the Spring Banquet.

CMSC Leagues: CMSC consists of a number of ski clubs centered around the Chicago area. The Champaign Ski Club is a member in this ski council. CMSC sponsors a number of weekends with league races with both Slalom and Giant Slalom courses. Once a year, a Super-G course is set up. CMSC is open to all skiers who are at least 18-years old. There are both Vet (35 and up) and Masters (50+) classes for older racers. Skiers are grouped into Elite, A, B, C, and D classes, so you only compete against people of your own ability. There are separate classes for male and female skiers. A first, second, and third place trophy is awarded at the end of a two-run race, and  overall trophies are awarded at the end of the year CMSC Banquet.

Masters League: Masters is a national racing system, where you compete with other people in your age group. This is a new area of racing for the Champaign Ski Club.