Nordic ski racers to kick off -Wasatch Citizens Series Dec. 21 start of each race and closes 30 minutes before the start. No late entries en-tries will be accepted. " Racers will be divided into eight classes for men and seven for women. The classes in the groups are the same, in that each has a novice, under 14, 14-18, over 50 and open-age group for experts. The differences dif-ferences are that the men compete in 19-29, 30-39 and 40-49 age groups while women have 19-34 and 35-49 age groups. Races can start in three ways: 'overall mass start, mass start by , class on one- to three-minute intervals inter-vals or four skiers starting every minute. The starting procedure will be announced on race day and each skier may find out the appropriate start time upon registration, Points will be awarded to each skier according to the finish place in his class. First place is worth 30 points and each succeeding finisher is awarded two points fewer than the skier in front of him, to 11th place. The 12th-place skier gets nine points and then the points decrease by one as the places increase until the 20th finisher. Race rules will mandate that a skier who overtakes another on the track must go around the slower skier. No tracking is allowed in the . Citizens' Series races, since at least , two tracks will be available around the entire course. Interference with another racer will result in dis-J qualification. It is also the responsibility of each skier to start on time. A racer who is ;j late for his start will not receive any time adjustment. ft A novice racer must move into his 2 age group if his per-kilometer time? is within 10 percent of the winning . time for his age group. A novice car- ' ries with him only the points from his single best novice finish. No other class change carries any points. There will be no overall ' season award for the novice classes. The open class is intended for all expert racers. Any entrant who has been a member of a college team in the past five years must compete in ( this class. That is all wax 'em) be on time and have fun. by JIM SMEDLE Y ' Record staff writer , ' Jock Glidden started it. ti He slapped on the skinny boards u ' about 15 years ago at Snowbasin and '' started what has become the oldest cross country ski race in Utah. . A race popped up here and there' , and seven years ago the Wasatch " Citizens' Series was born. It is now the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Utah Wasatch Citizens' Series and organizers , recently '"'release tlfcMW? f-race schedule and Wasatch Telemark schedule. Glidden, who now teaches at Weber State College, is a former eastern collegiate ski racer. fjjgj race wui pec. 21 at the White Pine Touring Center, Park City. Ci-ty. There is no fee for the 5-kilometer . race that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. It will be preceded by a clinic at 10a.m. Dave Hanscom, chairman of the , Utah Nordic Ski Association, said last year there was a tremendous "l growth in the series about a 50 percent per-cent jump in skiers. .' : "I think a lot of runners got involv-311 involv-311 ed in cross country skiing last year and I think there will be even more , entrants in the series this year," ' f ' Hanscom said. "We'll give away a 1 merchandise-type prize to the top three finishers in each age group ' ? and this year, courtesy of Blue Cross ' ' & Blue Shield, we'll also be giving away one pair of skis at each race. "We'll have a drawing at the end -' of each race and all skiers who raced have an equal chance of winning the rJ skis," he added. ' i Registration for the Citizens' Series must be done on the day of the v ' race. Each racer must sign a ! waiver, agreeing not to pursue any form of legal recourse if injured. Registration will be $5 for adults and $2 for those 18 and under. Non-transferrable Non-transferrable bibs will be issued at the time of registration. Registration Registra-tion opens 90 minutes before the Wasatch Telemark Series , Date 4 Time Place Other sponsors Dec. 21 10 a.m. Park City White Pine Touring Center Jan 4 10 am Brighton Brighton Touring Center REI Jan. 18 10 a.m. Jeremy Ranch Holubar Mountaineering North Face Feb. 1 11 a.m. Snowbasin Ogden Touring Feb. 15 11 a.m. Mountain Dell Salt Lake City Parks (Mayor's Cup) March 2 Wasatch State Park Timberline Sports North American Telemark Series Date Location J"e Dec. 14 Alta 10 a.m. Jan. 5 Park City 10 a m- Jan. 26 Snowbasin 10 am- Feb.l . ' Snowbird 10 am- Feb. 9 Deer Valley . 1P m- Feb. 23 Snowbird 10 am- March 9 ParkWest 10 am- Aprill2 Snowbird 10am- April 13 Snowbird . 10 am-