---
title: "Creating a FIS or USSA Start List"
summary: "A walkthrough of seeding a cross-country ski race off FIS and USSA points: points fields, seeding functions, seed group order, racer numbers and the seeding report."
categories: [cross-country-skiing]
updated: 2026-11-11
---
This is a walkthrough of building a start list for a cross-country ski race seeded off FIS or USSA points, from start groups through to a published seed list. It uses an interval start race seeded with the **USSA Interval Start** seeding function as the example. Other FIS, USSA and Nordiq Canada formats follow the same steps with a different seeding function.

For the general start list tools this builds on, see [Create a Start List](/kb/create-start-list/). For the federation rules each seeding function follows, see [Cross Country Skiing Seed Order](/kb/cross-country-skiing-seed-order/).

> [!WARNING]
> **This describes the new start list tools at [admin.zone4.ca/startlist](https://admin.zone4.ca/startlist), which aren’t on zone4.ca yet.** The start list tools you reach from your race on zone4.ca look and work differently. To follow these steps, open your race from [admin.zone4.ca/startlist](https://admin.zone4.ca/startlist).

## Before You Start

Your race needs its racers, and each racer’s points and licence numbers, before you seed it.

- **If you use Zone4 registration**, create your race by importing it from the registration. The racers’ licence numbers and points come across with them. See [USSA Validation](/kb/ussa-validation/) for checking USSA licences at registration.
- **If you don’t**, you can create the race by importing a CSV of your racers, with a column for each points list and licence number.

You will need a number field for each points list you seed off (for example **FIS Distance** and **USSA Distance**), and a field for each licence those points belong to (for example the racers’ USSA licence number).

It is best to wait until registration has closed before seeding. Racers added after racer numbers are assigned won’t be seeded with the others.

## Creating Start Groups

Find your race at [admin.zone4.ca/startlist](https://admin.zone4.ca/startlist) and open it.

![The Start List & Seeding Configuration page, with seven start groups from U20/Senior F to U12](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/start-list-page.png)

First, create your start groups, and put them in the order they will start. A typical split is by category and gender, such as **U20 Female**, **U20 Male**, **U16 Female** and so on. Merge any categories that start together, such as U8 and U10.

See [Creating Start Groups](/kb/create-start-list/#creating-start-groups) and [Re-ordering and Merging Start Groups](/kb/create-start-list/#re-ordering-and-merging-start-groups).

## Checking Your Points Fields

The seeding functions read each racer’s points from **points fields**. Check these are set up correctly before you seed.

1. Click **Assign Racer Numbers**.
2. Open the **⋯** menu at the top right of the panel and choose **Points Fields…**.

   ![The ⋯ menu of the Assign Racer Numbers panel, with Points Fields… and Set Options for Each Start Group](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/assign-menu.png)
3. In the **Manage Points Fields** window, check the row for each points field you will seed off. For USSA distance points, for example:
   - **Data Type** is **number**.
   - **Sort Direction** is **Lower is Better**.
   - **Licence Field** is the field your racers’ USSA licence numbers are stored in. With the **USSA Interval Start**, **USSA Sprint Qualifier** and **Nordiq Canada Interval Start** seeding functions, a racer’s points only count if they have a licence in this field.
   - **Zero Number** is **990**. USSA stores a racer with no points as having 990 points; setting this makes those racers count as having no points, rather than as the slowest racers with points.


   ![The Manage Points Fields window, with FIS Distance and USSA Distance set as number fields, Lower is Better, each linked to its licence field, and USSA Distance’s zero number set to 990](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/points-fields.png)
4. Click **Save Changes** to go back to the seeding options.

A field only appears in the seeding options once it is a number field with a sort direction set.

## Choosing the Seeding for Each Start Group

Different categories are usually seeded differently: the older categories off points, the youngest at random. To set seeding for each start group, open the **⋯** menu and choose **Set Options for Each Start Group**, if it isn’t already checked.

The panel then shows a table with a row for each start group. In the **Seeding** column, choose one of:

- **Random**: randomizes the racers in the group.
- **Custom**: sorts the group by a field you choose, such as a ranking, in ascending or descending order. Use this for any field other than the points lists below.
- **FIS/NC/USSA Mass Start**: orders racers by distance points, best points first. Racers with no points are randomized after them. Example: [US Nationals, Anchorage 2025](https://zone4.ca/event/2025/usnationals/yeM1Ry/).
- **Nordiq Canada Interval Start**: puts racers with points into one to three seed groups (I, II and III) depending on how many have points, then a group for racers with a licence but no points (IV) and one for racers with no licence (V). Racers are randomized within each group. See [Cross Country Skiing Individual Start Seeding](/kb/cross-country-skiing-individual-start-seeding/). Example: [Canada Cup, Sovereign Lake 2024](https://zone4.ca/event/2024/mOrELO/VlanLy/).
- **FIS/NC Sprint Qualifier**: orders racers by sprint points, best points first. Example: [RMISA, Fairbanks 2025](https://zone4.ca/event/2025/mWQPB7/Wqbn1Z/).
- **USSA Interval Start**: puts the 20 best-ranked racers in group A, the next 20 in group B and the next 20 in group C, all randomized within their group. The rest of the racers with points go in group R in points order, and racers with no points in group Z, randomized. Example: [US Nationals, Anchorage 2025](https://zone4.ca/event/2025/usnationals/Z3mXLy/).
- **USSA Sprint Qualifier**: puts the 20 best-ranked racers in group A, randomized. The rest of the racers with points go in group R in points order, and racers with no points in group Z, randomized. Example: [US Nationals, Anchorage 2025](https://zone4.ca/event/2025/usnationals/ZpAQgV/).

Make sure every start group has something chosen. For example:

| Start Group | Seeding | Field(s) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| U20/Senior F, U20/Senior M, U16 F, U16 M | USSA Interval Start | USSA Distance, FIS Distance |
| U14 F, U14 M | Custom | Rank |
| U12 | Random | |

![The seeding table for each start group: USSA Interval Start on USSA Distance and FIS Distance for U20/Senior and U16, Custom on Rank for U14, and Random for U12](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/seeding-each-group.png)

## Setting the Points Fields and Seed Group Order

When you choose a preset seeding function, it picks a points field for you if your race has one it recognizes. Check it, and set the order the seed groups start in, by clicking the start group’s **Field(s)** or **Order** column. This opens the **Modify Start Group Seeding** window.

1. Under **Points Field(s)**, check the right points fields are listed. Use **Select a Points Field** to add another, and **×** to remove one.

   If you list more than one, each racer is seeded on their best points across them. Listing **FIS Distance** and **USSA Distance** together seeds each racer on the lower of their FIS and USSA distance points, which is what the USSA rules ask for.

   ![The Modify Start Group Seeding window, with USSA Interval Start chosen and USSA Distance and FIS Distance listed as points fields](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/modify-start-group-seeding.png)
2. Scroll down to **Seed Group Order**, and use the **▲** and **▼** buttons to put the seed groups in the order they will start. USSA rules leave this to the jury, so check it with them first.

   By default, **USSA Interval Start** starts group B first, then A, C, R and Z, the order USSA Junior Nationals normally use. **Reset Group Order** puts the groups back in that order.

   ![Seed Group Order, listing Group B, Group A, Group C, Group R and Group Z with ▲ and ▼ buttons, and Reset Group Order](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/seed-group-order.png)
3. Click **Save Configuration**.

Repeat this for each start group seeded off points.

If all your start groups use the same seeding, you can instead choose **Set options for Whole Race** in the **⋯** menu and set it once, with **Order racers using a preset seeding function**.

## Assigning Racer Numbers

Below the seeding table, the **Racer Numbers** table lists each start group’s **Count** of racers, **First #**, **Last #** and **Spare** numbers. Enter a **First #** for any group that should start on a particular number, such as 101 for the second group and 201 for the third. **Spare** is how many numbers are left unused after a group, for late entries; when you set the next group’s **First #**, it fills in on its own.

![The Racer Numbers table, with each start group’s count, first number, last number and spare numbers](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/racer-numbers-table.png)

If you are using GoChips, enter your chip racks under **Timing Chips**. See [Assigning Timing Chips](/kb/create-start-list/#assigning-timing-chips).

1. Click **Preview Changes**. The **Preview Racer Numbers** window lists each racer’s new racer number and chip, with the points they were seeded on and their seed group (**Grp.**).

   ![The Preview Racer Numbers window for U20/Senior F, listing each racer’s racer number, chip, points and seed group](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/preview-racer-numbers.png)
2. Check the order. **Export this as CSV** downloads the preview if you want to check it in a spreadsheet.
3. Click **Assign These Racer Numbers**.

## Checking the Seeding Report

Once racer numbers are assigned, you are taken to the **Seeding Report**. It lists each start group’s racers in racer number order.

- **Download to CSV** downloads the report.
- **Publish this Report** posts the seed list on Zone4.ca. You can include a link to it on the event page, and choose whether it shows racer numbers.

If the seeding isn’t right, fix the settings and assign racer numbers again. You can come back to the report from **Seeding Report** on the start list page.

## Start Times and Publishing

Next, schedule the start times. Start times are assigned in racer number order, so do this after the racer numbers are final. See [Assigning Start Times](/kb/create-start-list/#assigning-start-times).

Then click **View the Start List**. **Customize Start List** sets which columns it shows. For a FIS or USSA race you may want to add year of birth, the racers’ USSA and FIS licence numbers, and their FIS and USSA distance points. Add a field from the list at the bottom of **Line 1 Columns**, and drag the fields into the order you want them.

![The Customize the Start List window, with Birth Year, USSA Licence, FIS Licence, USSA Distance and FIS Distance added to the Line 1 Columns](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/customize-start-list.png)

Click **Save Changes**. It can take up to a minute for the start list to show the new columns.

![The start list for U20/Senior F, with each racer’s racer number, start time, name and club, birth year, licence numbers and points](/img/creating-a-fis-or-ussa-start-list/start-list.png)

When it is ready, [publish your start list](/kb/how-to-publish-a-start-list/).