ANNOUNCEMENT

ISU Shanghai Trophy 2017

An Invitational International Senior Competition

for

Men and Ladies

organized by

Chinese Skating Association

held in

Shanghai , China

November 24 - 26, 2017

under the authorization of the

International Skating Union

1. General Regulations

The Shanghai Trophy is an Invitational Competition for Short Track Speed Skating, Figure Skating and Synchronized Skating. For the Figure Skating and Synchronized Skating competitions, please refer to the respective Announcements.

The competition will be conducted in accordance with the 2016 ISU Constitution and General Regulations, the 2016 ISU Special Regulations and Technical Rules for Short Track Speed Skating and relevant ISU Communications. Participation is restricted to Skaters of ISU Members having been invited based on the criteria outlined in this Announcement.

Distances

Individual: 1000, 1500 meters Ladies and Men

International Mixed Gender Team Event: 444m, 777m, 2000m Mixed Gender Relay

2. Program/Schedule

As per Appendix A

3. Entries/Participation Short Track Speed Skating

3.1 Skaters of ISU Members ranked in the first 24 Ladies/Men in the 2017 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships will earn personal entry quotas and will be invited for the 2017 ISU Shanghai Trophy Short Track Competition. In case one or more invited Skater(s) cannot attend, the Skaters ranked from place 25 and onwards in the overall classification of the 2017 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships will be invited.

3.2 The Mixed Team Event will be composed by the 24 Ladies/Men in total. Each team will consist of two Men and two Ladies Skaters, preferably from the same country, but also of different countries, and take part in three events to score points towards an overall team classification. If it is not possible to form 12 teams due to illness or injury of some Skaters the number of teams will be less.

Team formation: Two Men and two Ladies Skaters from the same country. The teams will be ranked first based on their relay world ranking classification from the total of both gender. Mixed country teams to fill in the spot to a max of 12 teams of 4 Skaters each taking into consideration the principle of 2 Men and 2 Ladies as stated above.  These teams will be composed using a snake system based on the world ranking of the Skaters in the 500m. Skaters without a ranking will be placed after in order of best time over 500m. The ranking of those mixed country team will be made by draw and they will be placed after the ranked teams.

Every member of the teams will race over 444m and 777m in individual distances, and participate in the 2000m Mixed Gender Relay. The seeding for the 444m is based on the starting ranking (as explained in the first paragraph). Each team will rank his 2 Ladies as L1 and L2 and Men as M1 and M2.  All L1 will be placed in the first 3 races using a snake system and then all L2 will be placed in race 4-5-6 using the same snake system. The same applies for M1 and M2.

From the group of L1 there will be 3 first place finishes. The one with the fastest time is overall 1^st place, the second fastest winner of a race will be number 2, etc. From the 3 Skaters that will finish in second place in their race, the fastest will be overall in 4^th place, etc. until the 12^th position finish. Points are 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.  All points of all team members are added up to create a ranking. That overall ranking is what gives the points after one round (converted back to a max of 12 points down to 1)

Seeding for the 777m will be based on the ranking after the 444m with the same snake principle, again adding up all the results to create a ranking that will allow teams to collect another maximum of 12 points (maximum possible total after 2 distances will be 24 points).

For the 2000m Mixed Gender Relay, the teams ranked 12-11-10-9^th will race for 9^th position in the first relay final. The teams ranked 8-7-6-5 will race the B final for 5^th position. The top 4 teams will race in the A final for top 4 positions. A maximum of 12 points based on the overall Mixed Gender Relay classification is accessible. The overall classification which is the sum of all collected points will declare the winners.

3.3 Entries

a) Only ISU Members can register Entries using the ISU Online Entry System on www.isu.org, section Short Track Speed Skating.

b) Entries with the name of Competitor(s), one (1) Team leader and the requirements for accommodation must be submitted by September 22, 2017 (see Rule 295, paragraph 4).

c) ISU Members failing to comply in time with these requirements will not receive their final invitation by the Organizing Committee.

d) Final Entries must reach the Organizing Committee using the Online Entry System not later than October 20 2017 (see Rule 295, paragraph 4), and the following information must be communicated to the Organizing Committee:

- Names of the Competitors per category with their International Registration Numbers;

- Confirmation of participation in the Relay event.

Final entries that do not comply with these requirements are considered Post Entries, see Rule 115.

e) Competitors must be present in Shanghai at the latest at 18:00 hours on Thursday, November 23, 2017 or the Organizing Committee must receive documented proof that the Competitors are in transit and will arrive in due time for the ISU Shanghai Trophy Competitions. Competitors who do not comply with these requirements will be excluded.

f) Please note that for all persons entered by the ISU Members, the procedures regarding the Declaration for Competitors and Officials (all team Officials requiring an accreditation) entering ISU Events (Rule 131) as outlined in ISU Communication No. 1628 need to be strictly observed.

For more details please refer to Rules 115, 131 and ISU Communication No. 1628 and 1797 or any update of these Communications.

All entries should be simultaneously addressed as soon as possible to:

3.4 Citizenship/Residence Requirements and Clearance Procedure

In accordance with Rule 109 of the ISU Regulations and ISU Communication No. 2030 (or any update of this Communication), all Skaters who do not have the nationality of the Member by which they have been entered or who, although having such nationality, have in the past represented another Member, must produce an ISU Clearance Certificate.

3.5 Seeding Procedure

The make-up of the first qualifying round of each distance shall be based on the current distance ranking following the principles of Rule 296, of the 2016 ISU Regulations. Progression to subsequent qualifying rounds shall be according to Rule 295, paragraph 2.

3.6 Conditions of Contests

Distance Classifications shall be made according to Rule 295, paragraph 6) over each Individual and Relay Distances. No World Cup points can be earned at the 2017 ISU Shanghai Trophy Competition.

4. Track Conditions

The Crown Indoor Stadium has an artificially refrigerated indoor ice surface of 60 x 30 meters. Protective self-standing padding covers the boards in accordance with Rule 280, paragraph 5 and ISU Communication No.1726 (or any further update). The standard track will be laid out 111.12 meters to the lap.

5. Official Ice Training

The Organizing Committee will arrange free ice training at Crown Indoor Stadium from Monday, November 20, 2017 for all participating Skaters

6. Anti-Doping

Anti-Doping tests will be carried out in accordance with the valid ISU Anti-Doping Rules and ISU Anti-Doping Procedures (ISU Communications No. 1871, 1872, 1922 & 2100 or any further updates).

7. Official Hotels

The Organizing Committee will arrange hotel reservations for the participants at the following official hotel:

Hua Ting Hotel & Towers

1200 North Cao Xi Road, Shanghai, China.

Telephone: (86 21) 5151 7070

Fax: (86 21) 6255 2830

Hotel requirements must be communicated to the Organizing Committee ASAP but not later than October 20, 2017.

8. Travel Expenses, Accommodation and Meals

8.1 Travel Expenses

All travel expenses for the participating Skaters and their accompanying staff must be covered by the participating ISU Member itself.

The ISU will cover travel expenses for the invited Referees, Starters and Competitors Stewards at economy rates from their home to Shanghai and return. The flight bookings will be made through the ISU Secretariat.

8.2 Accommodation and Meals

The Organizing Committee will provide and cover the following expenses for the participating Skaters and one

(1) Team leader, Referee, Starters and Competitors Stewards as follows:

- Hotel accommodation and Meals (beginning with lunch on Monday, November 20, 2017 and ending with breakfast on Monday, November 27, 2017)

- Access to Closing Banquet

The schedule for additional training sessions will be arranged by the Organizing Committee.

Teams and Officials, arriving earlier or leaving later than the period as mentioned above need to cover the expenses by themselves.

All other Team Officials, Coaches and Medical staff should bear their own expenses for accommodation and meals.

The cost of a room (including three meals) at the official hotel is as follows:

· Single Room ( per person, per night): CNY1400

· Double Room ( per person, per night): CNY1000

The above prices include three meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

Payment: Cash; in Chinese Yuan or Credit card.

All arrangements for accommodation must be made through the Organizing Committee and all fees for accommodation must be paid directly to the Organizing Committee. All other additional costs (extras) must be paid directly to the hotel.

9. Transportation

The Organizing Committee will provide transportation between Shanghai Airport and the official hotel, starting Monday, November 20 until Monday, November 27, 2017.

The Organizing Committee will also provide transportation between the official hotel and Crown Indoor Stadium during the competition days and the training periods, starting from Monday, November 20, 2017.

The date, airline, flight number, expected time of arrival and the date and time of departure should be communicated to the Organizing Committee as soon as possible, but not later than November 3, 2017.

Please include the amount of special equipment (e.g. bicycles, massage tables, etc.) that needs to be transported.

10. Liability

In accordance with Rule 119 of the ISU General Regulations, the ISU, the Chinese Skating Association and the Organizing Committee assume no responsibility for or liability with respect to bodily or personal injury or property damage incurred in connection with the ISU Shanghai Trophy Short Track Speed Skating.

Each ISU Member is solely responsible for providing insurance coverage thereto. Such insurance must assure full medical coverage as well as the return to the home country by air transport or by other expeditious means of the ill or injured person.

11. The Organizing Committee

All Hotel reservation and Media accreditation requests, as well as other inquiries should be simultaneously addressed as soon as possible as described below:

12. Prize Money

Short Track Speed Skating

Prize Money will be awarded as follows:

Prize money will be transferred to the respective ISU Member by bank transfer. The current withholding tax of China will be deducted.

13. VISA

Organizing Committee and Shanghai Skating Association will provide necessary support to all participants for their application of entry visa of People's Republic of China. Requirements for Chinese visa is different, depends on your nationality, please contact Chinese embassy or consulate in your country to get more information.

Please return the official Visa Request Form with passport copy to OC as soon as possible but no later than Monday, October 23, 2017, it will take around 10 working days to issue the Visa Invitation Letter.