Montane "Fling" - Electronic Timing?

[murdo]

As promised, here is a specific thread asking for advice. The "Fling" 's exponential growth is bringing a conflict between two of our major shibboleths - the desire to keep the race as cheap as possible and the need to be properly organised.

I suspect folk wouldn't mind paying a bit more to get electronic timing. If so, what is the best system for a race like the "Fling". I've already asked Iain and Sarah Ridgway who suggested the wrist chips used at the High Peak Marathon. I'd be grateful for advice from the rest of the family.
Cheers
Murdo

[rogfi]

I don't mind not having electronic timing, it almost seems part of the nice ethos of the race to be more about the experience than worrying re exact time and splits, that being said if it made the marshalls job easier esp if numbers grow then I would pay for it and not mind it.

Roger

[Keith Hughes]

Happy to go with the flow, but from a running point of view I don't need the electronic chip or timing, but if it makes the recording easier as numbers increase then would pay more.. It does seem a little against the ethos, but as popularity increases, this is something that maybe needs to be dealt with..

[Elizabeth]

As a marshall electronic timing would be a nessesary improvement in my opinion and I am sure the other marshalls will agree. It would mean that vital information would reach us at the finish almost instantly, it would give us more safety, security and generally more efficiency. It is a more reliable way to go as the numbers increase.

[satan]

;D Electronic tagging is common in Ayrshire; so are time limits

[johnk]

These are the guys you need to speak to,

www.sportident.co.uk

Yes i would happily pay a little more to have electronic chipping and to free up marshalls.

JohnK

[Tim]

Apr 27, 2009 21:11:45 GMT johnk said:

These are the guys you need to speak to,

www.sportident.co.uk

Yes i would happily pay a little more to have electronic chipping and to free up marshalls.

JohnK

I've already dropped them a line. Be interesting to see what it costs but I think they have a good system.

[slang]

Apr 27, 2009 21:18:01 GMT Tim said:

Apr 27, 2009 21:11:45 GMT johnk said:

These are the guys you need to speak to,

www.sportident.co.uk

Yes i would happily pay a little more to have electronic chipping and to free up marshalls.

JohnK

I've already dropped them a line. Be interesting to see what it costs but I think they have a good system.

You might get a better deal from your local orienteering club. Most of them have SI equipment.

Generally, it will make live easier for the Marshalls. It's rare but they can fail, in which case you would have to revert back to manually recording numbers.

[Tim]

Apr 28, 2009 12:54:03 GMT @slang said:

Apr 27, 2009 21:18:01 GMT Tim said:

I've already dropped them a line. Be interesting to see what it costs but I think they have a good system.

You might get a better deal from your local orienteering club. Most of them have SI equipment.

Generally, it will make live easier for the Marshalls. It's rare but they can fail, in which case you would have to revert back to manually recording numbers.

Good suggestion. Do you know of any Scottish clubs in particular that have the kit?

I'm guessing that we'd have to buy/hire a lot of extra "dibbers".

[Fred Hamond]

Sportident is the system used here in NI for orienteering and for any mountain marathons I've done. Martin Stone is the man to ask. The cost won't be in the boxes but in the dibbers, which it will probably be cheapest to hire. You can also tie the results into Route Gadget which allows you an armchair view of competitors running head-to-head along the actual route. This facility is all the more realistic if those wearing GPS devices download their data into the recording system.

[Drama Queen]

Hmmmmm. After careful consideration I would say that I have absolutely no problem with the cost of Fling entry trebling...especially if it assists the Marshalls.

I don't think there is a need for Chip timing outside of this assistance.

I would rather see the money spent in another way that will help the Marshalls and the growth of the Race and that is in the Race providing food and fluid to supplement drop bags. Yes folks, I am suggesting that the way forward might be to ban Support Teams. Take support teams out of the equation and the Race can continue to grow as much as it likes.

I do believe that a number of support teams caused trouble on Saturday. Unfortunately, that is going to happening when you have so many people trying to get into a restricted space. Particularly where someone is trying to earn a living.

I think the Race should provide food and fluid. This means much fewer people trying to access these checkpoint areas, which will also make it easier for Marshalls to do their job as they won't be off trying to sort out parking difficulties caused by some inconsiderate sod.

I know that it is different and many won't like it as they won't be able to get their specific thing but can I remind everyone that drop bags will be available for those indespensible nick-nacks.

Support Teams, cars and checkpoint access are the only things that could lead to a restriction on numbers in the Race.

[Tim]

Apr 28, 2009 13:44:44 GMT @Drama Queen said:

Hmmmmm. After careful consideration I would say that I have absolutely no problem with the cost of Fling entry trebling...especially if it assists the Marshalls.

I don't think there is a need for Chip timing outside of this assistance.

I don't think we're really talking about need though DQ. I think Murdo just wants to provide a better service.

No recording system is perfect but an electronic system would take some of the strain off of the marshals. It also would make it easier should race numbers continue to grow.

I would rather see the money spent in another way that will help the Marshalls and the growth of the Race and that is in the Race providing food and fluid to supplement drop bags. Yes folks, I am suggesting that the way forward might be to ban Support Teams. Take support teams out of the equation and the Race can continue to grow as much as it likes.

I think that's a topic for another thread.

flingrace.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=118

[robsanderson]

we have use this type in our event and it is the best and can be set up so that the CP'S can be unmaned all you would need is an orienteering flag so the racer can find the CP and the dibber box which you chain to a post or tree and your off at the finish line each runner dibs in the finishing box and then you down load to pc and it tells to all you need to know about the runner . if you need contact details for sportident let me know

[Tim]

Apr 28, 2009 15:15:19 GMT robsanderson said:

we have use this type in our event and it is the best and can be set up so that the CP'S can be unmaned all you would need is an orienteering flag so the racer can find the CP and the dibber box which you chain to a post or tree and your off at the finish line each runner dibs in the finishing box and then you down load to pc and it tells to all you need to know about the runner . if you need contact details for sportident let me know

Thanks for the info but a little punctuation would have made it easier to read!

From what I've gleaned so far, the runner's splits are recorded on the chip they carry *and* in the fixed box at the check point. Is that correct?

Is there any way to interrogate the boxes at the checkpoint to provide real time updates of when runners pass through checkpoints? Does this require a PC/laptop with it's own power supply or are there other systems for transmitting the data?

[Bony Peter]

I find all I need from the timing is a start time and a finish time. Splits times are nice but not essential. But I do see that the marshals need to know that a runner has passed them and is not lost or fallen by the wayside like the second part of Loch Lomond.

I ran this unsupported and used the drop bag systen as I do in all ultra races that I do including the 153 mile Spartatlon.