New Freestyle Selection Policy
The Freestyle Selection Policy has been the subject of a lengthy review over the past year and the new version will be used by the Selection Panel with effect from 13 January 2012. The main reasons for revision at this time are listed below.
- The British Freestyle Team is for the foreseeable future to consist only of those athletes awarded an A Licence. This is to ensure that British Team status accurately reflects that the athlete is engaged at the highest level of competition, that is World Cup, World Championships or Olympic Winter Games.
- The expectation of HP, SS and AE athletes' performances in order to compete at World Cup has been revised upwards, in line with observation of the general levels of performance in those events. It is intended that those levels will be kept under constant review, especially in new events such as SlopeStyle where the practice of the sport within FIS is rapidly evolving.
- A complete new set of criteria has been drafted for SX, reflecting the particular entry path to that event from Alpine and using British Alpine as well as FIS Points for evaluation.
Sections have also been added to deal with Youth Olympic Winter Games and World Junior Ski Championships. A section has also been added setting out the information required from athletes about their intended training and competition schedules when applying for a Licence. As this has been introduced rather late in the season, athletes should note the need to send details of their current plans to BSS as soon as possible, to kick-start this process.
The Panel expects to make further changes to the Policy during 2012, especially to reflect the need to have regard to measures other than just competition results for the evaluation of athletes' progress. Additional criteria will be developed under the guidance of the BSS Performance Director, and are likely to incorporate measures of each athlete's personal development and commitment to structured programmes of training and competition, to the extent that these can be objectively evaluated.
Iain Mackay
Chair, Freestyle Selection Panel
To view the new Selection Policy please follow the link below or go to the Selection page on the website.
