NASTAR Courses

What Does a NASTAR Course Look Like?

Participating resorts are provided with a race package that includes all the materials necessary for the successful execution of NASTAR (start/finish banners, directional signage, gate panels, race bibs, state-of-the-art scoring/registration software, etc.). Resorts are ultimately responsible for the location and set up of their NASTAR race venue but typically it is visible from a high traffic lift or lodge. Resorts have the option to set single or dual courses. Each course is essentially a modified GS course with anywhere from 12 - 20 gates that racers must maneuver around. Gates are set with 18-20 meters of space between gates vertically and 4-8 meters of offset. NASTAR encourages resorts across the country to standardize their course(s) to have a par time of 23 seconds and set courses so that no course is within 5% of the cap time. The "cap time" is defined as the time it takes a pacesetter to tuck from the start to the finish of their course without going around gates and is the fastest possible time the venue will allow. It's important to remember that due to a number of variables at each resort (terrain, pitch, overall conditions, etc.), the look and feel of each race venue will vary according to the resort. However, these standards should enable participants to compare race times as best as possible regardless of when and where they race.