Announcement 
WORLD SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS 1998 
and its QUALIFYING COMPETITIONS 
QUALIFYING COMPETITIONS FOR THE WORLD SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS 1998
will be held on Thursday and Friday March 26 and 27, 1998 in accordance with the 1996 I.S.U. Regulations and relevant Communications at:
ICE STADIUM "BRAULIO" Via Manzoni, 20 Bormio (Sondrio) Italy
PARTICIPATION
Participation is open to all I.S.U. Members.
Qualifying competitions will be held in two (2) separate competitions:
Group A
AUT, BEL, BIH, BUL, CRO, CZE, DEN, EST, FIN, FRA, GER, GBR, GRE, HUN, ITA, LAT, LIT, LUX, NED, NOR, POL, ROM, SLO, SPN, SWE, SWI, YUG.
Group B
ARM, AUS, BLS, CHN, TPE, PRK, HKG, ISR, JPN, KZK, MON, NZL, ROK, RUS, SAF, THA, TUR, UKR, CAN, USA, MEX.
The teams allowed to participate in the Qualifying Competitions may enter five (5) participants of which four (4) shall skate the 500 m, four (4) shall skate the 1000 m, two shall skate the 3000 m individual and four (4) shall skate the relay race, if qualified.
Teams with less than four (4) skaters will not be accepted.
By entering the qualifying event the Member concerned must take part in the World Team Championships if qualified.
The host country of the 1998 World Team Championships, Italy (both ladies and men) will not take part in the Qualifying Competitions. 
TRACK CONDITION
The Ice Stadium "Braulio" has an artificial, refrigerated indoor ice surface of 111,12 meters. The standard track, with a measuring curve of 8,50 meters, will be laid out meter apart which are moved to preserve good ice conditions. The starting lines for the 500 meters will be moved accordingly. All tracks may be used for all distances, including the 500 meters individual races. For all tracks one finishing line will be used. The Ice Stadium "Braulio" can accommodate up to 800 spectators. 
LIABILITY CLAUSE
The organizers accept no liability for injury or damage sustained or caused by participants, officials in accordance with rule 119 paragraph 1. Each member is solely responsible for providing insurance cover in respect there too. 
CONDITIONS OF CONTEST
The Qualifying Competitions for the World Team Championships will be held over the distances 500 m, 1000 m, and 3000 m, and a Relay race over 3000 m for ladies and 5000 m for men. For all distances there will be finals only. Four (4) team members shall skate the 500 m, four (4) shall skate the 1000 m two (2) shall skate the 3000 m individual.
There will be one Relay race. In this Relay race only four (4) team, ladies and men, having scored the highest total of points after the individual races, will skate.
In case of a tie, the number of victories, or if needed, the best places in individual races will prevail to determine the composition of the Relay race (see Rule 284. 4. c). If a further tie exists the best times in the 3000 m will decide the participating teams in the Relay race.
In case of ten (10) or less entries from Group A the present system used in the European qualifying competition in 1995 shall prevail. If the entries from Group A exceeds ten (10) teams there will be two (2) qualifuing sessions on from which three (3) teams from both sessions will proceed to the final on. In the final session the results scored in the qualifying session will not be taken into consideration. 
DRAWING
In case of eleven (11) or more entries from Group A there will be a draw to determine the countries to compete in Qualifying session 1 and Qualifying session 2. For this draw the contries entered will be placed in three (3) sections based on the results of the 1997 European qualifying event.
First Section : The highest ranked countries with a maximum of four (4) Second Section: The remaining ranked countries with a maximum of four (4) Third Section : All other countries entered
The countries in section 1 will be placed. The highest ranked and fourth ranked country will compete in section 1. The second and third ranked countries will compete in section 2. Section 2 and 3 will be drawn. Section 2 will be drawn first. The first country drawn will be placed in qualifying session 1. The second country drawn will be placed in qualifying session 2. The third country drawn will be placed in qualifying session 2. The fourth country drawn will be placed in qualifying session 1. The drawing procedure for section 2 also applies for section 3.
The drawing procedure of the races will be carried out in accordance with the 1997 Memorandum of the I.S.U. for Short Track Speed Skating Championships.
For all other qualifying sessions (Group B and Final session of Group A) the drawing will be carried out in accordance with the Memorandum of the I.S.U. for Short Track Speed Skating Championships. 
GENERAL PROGRAM
In case of eleven (11) or more entries from Group "A" Qualifying Competition of the Group "A" countries will be held on two days Thursday and Friday, March 26 and 27, 1998. In case of ten (10) or less entries from Group "A" the competition will be held on one day Friday, March 27, 1998. The competition for the Group "B" will be held on one day, Friday, March 27,1998. 
POINTS SCORING PROCEDURE
Points are awarded as follows in the Qualifying Competitions for the World Team Championships.
500 and 1000 meters 1st place 5 points 2nd place 3 points 3rd place 2 points 4th place 1 point
3000 meters individual 1st place 8 points 2nd place 6 points 3rd place 5 points 4th place 4 points 5th place 3 points 6th place 2 points 7th place 1 point
Relay races 1st place 13 points 2nd place 7 points 3rd place 5 points 4th place 3 points
No points are awarded to teams or skaters in case of disqualification or failing to finish the race concerned. Points awarded for the individual races over 3000 m are subject to change in consultation with the Representative of the I.S.U. Technical Committee for Short Track Speed Skating depending on the number of entries. 
ENTRIES
Preliminary entries, with provisional names if possible, must be sent to the Organizing Committee by February 26th, 1998 and should contain the following information: *Name of the I.S.U. Member making the entry *Number of competitors *Support staff *Team Doctor's name & Fax number *Required hotel accomodation. Final entries, must be sent to the Organizing Committee by March 21st, 1998 and should contain the following information: *Name of the I.S.U. Member making the entry *Surname, Christian name and sex of the competitors and accompanying officials *Travel details (date, place, flight number and time of arrival and departure) *Colour specification, team colors and biography. 
DOPING CONDITIONS
Doping tests will be made in accordance with Rule 139 and Communication 911. 
TRANSPORTATION
The Organizing Committee would like to help providing, no charge, the transportation from Vienna - (Austria) to Bormio by coach, and for the departures from Bormio to Milan's airports. Transportation between the hotel and the Ice Stadium "Braulio" will be provided by the Organizing Committee for competitors on their respective days of competition. 
BOARD & LODGING
Group "A" Teams
The Organizing Committee will be responsible for board and lodging for the competitors, maximum five (5) ladies and five (5) men, and for one team leader from each participating country, beginning with lunch on:
For Eleven Teams or more from
Wednesday, March 25, 1998 until Friday, March 27, 1998 including lunch if the team leaves in the afternoon, for the teams which do not advance to the Final Qualifying Competition. For teams which are qualified for the Final Group "A" Qualifying Competition on Friday, March 27, 1998 the Organizing Committee will be responsible for board and lodging through Saturday, March 28, 1998 including lunch if the team leaves in the afternoon. (Rule 137, p. 3).
For Ten Teams or less from
Thursday, March 26, 1998 until Saturday, March 28, 1998 including lunch if the team leaves in the afternoon. (Rule 137, p. 3).
Group "B" Teams
The Organizing Committee will be responsible for board and lodging for the competitors, maximum five (5) ladies and five (5) men and for one team leader from each participating country beginning with lunch on Thursday, March 26, 1998 until Saturday, March 28, 1998 including lunch if the team leaves in the afternoon. (Rule 137, p. 3). For board and lodging on days not paid by the Organizing Committee the same reduced rates will be charged. 
TICKETS
Competitors
Competitors will be given a free pass to the rink. These passes will be accepted for the duration of the entire Championships (Qualifying and World Team Championships) whether or not the team advances to the World Team Competition.
Parents of Competitors
Two free tickets to the rink, for the respective competition, may be given to the parents of competitors. Parents who wish to receive tickets should request these at the latest three weeks before the first competition. Parents are kindly requested to identify themselves when collecting the tickets.
Representatives of Members
One teamleader and the President of each participating Member will be given a free reserved seat in the rink and a free ticket for the closing dinner of the World Team Championships. 
AWARD DINNER
Only for the World Team Championships a closing dinner will be organized. For members of teams who did not qualify for the World Team Championships a limited number of tickets for the closing dinner of the World Team Championships may be available at reduced rates.
Italian Ice Sports Federation
WORLD SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS 1998
will be held on Sunday, March 29, 1998, in accordance with the 1996 I.S.U. Regulations and relevant Communications at: ICE STADIUM "BRAULIO" Via Manzoni Bormio (Sondrio) Italy
PARTICIPATION
Participation is open to I.S.U. Members qualified from the qualifying competitions which will be held in Bormio - Italy, on Thursday and Friday, March 26 and 27,1998. From the Group A three (3) national ladies teams and three (3) national men teams will be qualified. From the Group B three (3) ladies teams and three (3) national men teams plus the host country (Italy) ladies and men. Qualified teams must take part in this Championships.
The teams allowed to partecipate in the World Team Championships may enter five )5) participants of which four (4) shall skate the 500 m, four (4) shall skate the 1000 m, two (2) shall skate the 3000 m individual and four (4) shall skate the relay race, if qualified.
Teams with less than four (4) skaters will not be accepted. 
CONDITIONS OF CONTEST
The World Team Championships will be held over the distances 500, 1000 and 3000 meters, and a relay race over 3000 meters for ladies and 5000 meters for men. For all distances there will be final races only. Four (4) team members shall skate the 500 m, four (4) shall skate the 1000 m, two (2) shall skate the 3000 m individual. There will be one relay race. In this relay race only four teams, ladies and men, having scored the highest total of points after the individual races, will skate. In case of a tie, the number of victories or if needed the best places in individual races will prevail to determine the composition of the relay race (see Rule 284, 4.c.). If a further tie persists the best times on the 3000 meters will decide the participation in the relay race.
DRAWING
The drawing will be carried out in accordance with the 1997 Memorandum of the I.S.U. for the World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships.
PROGRAM
Saturday, March 28, 1998
Official training Draw
Sunday, March 29, 1998
12.30 Warm up
13.30 Competition
1000m Ladies Men 500m Ladies Men 3000m Ladies Men 3000m Relay Ladies 5000m Relay Men
17,00 Award of prizes 19.30 Closing dinner
POINTS
Points are awarded as follows in the World Team Championships:
*500 and 1000 meters 1st place 5 points 2nd place 3 points 3rd place 2 points 4th place 1 point
*3000 meters individual 1st place 8 points 2nd place 6 points 3rd place 5 points 4th place 4 points 5th place 3 points 6th place 2 points 7th place 1 point *Relay races 1st place 13 points 2nd place 7 points 3rd place 5 points
No points are awarded to teams or skaters in case of disqualification or failing to finish the race concerned.
TITLES OF WINNERS
The winner of the 1998 World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships is the team having scored the highest total of points. The other teams will be ranked according to their total of points. In case of a tie the result of the relay race will determine the final ranking order.
The winners of the Championships will bear the title
WORLD SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING TEAM CHAMPION 1998
or
LADIES WORLD SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING TEAM CHAMPION 1998
and will receive four (4) I.S.U. gold medals. The second and third placed teams will receive four (4) I.S.U. silver and bronze medals respectively. A fifth medal shall be awarded only if that skater took part in the Championships. Prize money will be given in accordance with relevant I.S.U. Communication.
ENTRIES
Entries will be accepted automatically, based on the result of the Qualifying Competitions.
TRANSPORTATION
The Organizing Committee would like to help providing, no charge, the transportation from Vienna - (Austria) to Bormio by coach, and for the departures from Bormio to Milan's airportss. Transportation between the hotel and Ice Stadium will be provided by the Organizing Committee on Saturday, March 28, 1998 (for officials training session) and Sunday, March 29, 1998.
BOARD & LODGING
The Organizing Committee will be responsible for board and lodging for the competitors, maximum five (5) ladies and five (5) men and for one team leader from each participating country, following the respective qualifying competition until Monday, March 30, 1998, including lunch if the teams leave in the afternoon. (Rule 137 paragraph 3).
TICKETS
Competitors
Competitors will be given a free pass to the rink. These passes will be accepted for the duration of the entire Championships whether or not the team advances to the World Team Competition.
Parents of Competitors
Two free tickets to the rink for the respective competition, may be given to the parents of competitors. Parents who wish to receive tickets should request these at the latest three weeks before the first competition. Parents are kindly requested to identify themselves when collecting the tickets.
Representatives of Members
One team leader and the President of each participating Member will be given a free reserved seat in the rink and a free ticket for the closing dinner of the World Team Championships.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Equipment of skaters
All members of a team must be equally dressed. Teams which do not comply with this may be excluded from participation. The equipment of skaters must be in accordance with Rule 292.
Training
On request the organizer will provide ice for training for three days before the Championships at a reasonable price.
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