This article is for those that will be working or volunteering at the Finish Line as a timing official. Please remember that if you sign up, we need a firm commitment from you.
Logistics
For away races (>60 miles), please arrive in city the night before the race (lodging will be provided). On race days, be at the timing tent 2 hours before the first heat. Most festivals will provide parking and lunch for both of us on race days (check in advance). Also note that if the race is delayed, you may stay an hour or more after the scheduled end time.
Bring the following:
- Proper clothing -- check the weather, but note the tent may be colder than outside due to shade or wind. Consider rain gear, warm clothes, sun glasses, hat, and sunblock. Ear plugs are useful if the tent is next to loud speakers.
- Comfortable shoes -- good for walking/running or standing. While the majority of your time will be spent seated, you may need to quickly use the restrooms/honey-bucket.
- Cell phone -- to reach each other throughout the day.
- Snacks/food/drinks -- bring things to eat and drink. However, avoid anything that is messy as you may be typing while you eat.
What to expect:
- We will be in a 10x10 tent most of the day (should have 3 sides to block the rain/wind/sun). Lots of sitting/standing.
- The day can go by fast: you may be busy and in constant motion. You'll need to be 100% focused on the timing tent, but if there's a delay, we may be idle for a while.
- Bathroom breaks depend on the schedule. I prefer to have two fully trained staff there at all times, although one person can run the entire setup. Politely explain that you are a race official and cut into the front of the line if necessary.
- Don’t bring in any guests into the tent and surrounding area unless you clear it with the timing tent lead.
Duties:
- Help set up/tear down the timing tent and move equipment.
- Run the timing software (below).
- Provide runner with printouts/USB key of race videos after each heat, and advancements as needed.
- Communicate with the starter and race director.
- Maintain proper radio protocol and minimize idle chatter.
- Ensure starter knows when we are ready.
- Maintain confidentiality and professionalism. Do not share any results, protests, or any other information with the public. Our goal is to provide timely, accurate results with high confidence. Sometimes emergencies happen, and we do not share this with anyone outside the tent.
- Provide feedback on the process/software. Look for ways to improve; focus on simplicity/speed, accuracy, and value-add.
During a race:
- Listen for the start gun over the radio and start the timer in VRT Nikon.
- No talking, leaning on the table, or extraneous movement during recording (especially if we are a floating platform, since the video will shake).
- Press the bookmark button to capture approximate times as the teams cross the finish line.
- Analyze video frame-by-frame to determine precise race times using VRT Timing.
- Compare and verify times with the other timing official.
Priorities for the Timing Tent:
- Safety – the good news is that we really can’t cause any issues, but safety is nonetheless the top priority.
- Correct ranking/advancements – semis and finals must have the right teams and accurate rank order.
- On schedule – we need to be ready when the starter has the teams lined up.
- Accurate time results – we want accurate time deltas between teams (e.g., first place is 0.21 faster than second place), but the absolute time for all teams is less critical. For recreational festivals, if we have accurate relative times, we will not re-race even if the absolute time is slightly inaccurate. For certified festivals, accurate time results are more important that being on schedule.
- Paddler enjoyment – we want teams to come back. If we can accommodate a grid change by the race director without compromising the above priorities, we will do so. If the media package has issues, we will not delay the race.
- Public enjoyment – keep the public entertained.