News Reports - Timing issues at 2002 Sea Otter

Two of my teammates on the GoCyclingMaui Racing Team just got back from Sea Otter this morning. They said the Champion Chip was being used.

My teammates are not timing guys, but from what they saw and heard, they said evidently the scoring & timing problems were a combination of poorly written software, hardware failure in the receiver mats, and the pure staggering chaos of 45,000 riders entered in the various road & mtn events.

The Champion Chip stuff, like pretty much all timing equipment, is very sensitive to proper setup. When it works, it can be great, but configuring it isn't like setting up a toaster. Champion Chip has attempted to combat some of their reception problems caused by RF noise with a device called "The Ear", but unfortunately, my
teammates don't know enough about the technology to have observed whether or not the vendor was using it.

Sea Otter's scoring & timing budget is tiny relative to its size, so it is no surprise that their vendor had problems. A surprising (and frustrating) number of events don't realize there is a difference between well-trained, well-equipped professionals and "Timers-For-Less". Rest assured that had Sea Otter hired - for example - Phoenix Sports, or MatSport (another Skunkware licensee which does the scoring & timing for the Tour de France and the Dauphine Libere) things would have gone smoothly.


Originally posted 26 Mar 2002 by James Broder
james@skunkware.tv

The PST operated website www.veloresults.com has an explanation of our view on these systems.

http://www.veloresults.com/technology.html


Originally popsted 28 Mar 2002 by Fred Patton

We are the Irish agents for the Champion Chip system, and have used it with great success for the last three years around Ireland, although at Marathons.Triathlons Etc. but not yet at mass start bike events. However we have experienced no difficulties with bikes going through at triathlons.We put in a lot of ground work with
tuning the system and the software. We did not attempt any big events unless we were fully prepared and the equipment well tested.

The ChampionChip system works very well if the manufacturers instructions are carried out exactly i.e. The positioning of the mats in the correct configuration, tried and tested software and the tuning of the "Ears" Etc. (I am not aware that the system works without the "Ears")

Champion Chip have launched a bike clip recently which is attached to the bottom front fork of the bike, and into which you just clip in the chip, this will keep the height and movement of the chip constant thereby eliminating the rotational movement of a chip while on a cyclists ankle.

Any events that we have worked on up to now have been a great success and the organisers have insisted upon having us back with the system.

To do the job correctly is not cheap, our experience is that race organisers are happy to increase the entry fee accordingly and the competitors are not complaining.
Probably because quality is worth paying for.


Originally posted 2 Apr 2002 by Brian Price
timing@eircom.net

From Canada:

By the way, I saw your posting on the Sea Otter. My friend was down there for his online magazine, Canadian Cyclist. He was also complaining about the lack of results. His partner up here was typing in the results so that they could be posted on their site. I was exploring the ChampionChip option based on our experience
racing in the Ice Man event in Michigan. I ran into some roadblocks with the Canadian Distributor before I could even get pricing, but after Sea Otter, I think I'll pass! My events can't compare in size with Sea Otter, but the lack of results at any event large or small is a big issue for everyone. I'm glad I wasn't assigned as one of the Commissaires!


Originally posted 28 Mar by Fred Patton

From Velonews letters to the online editor

Technology is not always a solution

Can somebody please explain to (Sea Otter race director) Rick Sutton that relying on technology to work perfectly is a recipe for disaster. We all read last week that there were problems with the final results due to the sensor chips not being read at the finish line. This delayed the posting of the results, which left teams, and
fans, wondering what in the heck happened.

Now they may have improved after the first couple of days, but it seems the improvement was only for the Pro's. I have a dozen or so friends that went down to Monterey and raced. Of these, 2 results were lost due to the same errors. Two friends finished second in the tandem class (defending champions), but they're official
'non-finisher' because the chip didn't record them at the line. Another lost an 8th place finish due to the same problem. I simply cannot fathom how a spotter was unable to record the second tandem crossing the line. They're just not that hard to miss.

Rick, you put on a huge festival. Yeah, it's great that you fixed the scoring problems for the Pro's. But c'mon, it's the amateurs that are footing the lion's share of the bill for your party. The first two days clearly showed the problem. It was obvious that the finish line required spotters to act as back-ups to the technology. But somebody made the decision to rely on the (faulty) technology, and the amateurs got screwed. Hopefully, you've learned from this little experiment, but I know a few racers that won't be going back next year to see if you make the appropriate changes.

Scott Oakland, CA


Originally posted 1 Apr 2002 by Fred Patton

I'm sorry but there was no excuse for the timing problems at the Sea Otter Classic. To put it bluntly, the organizers, the timing "officials", and the USA Cycling "officials" f*cked up beyond belief.

The Sea Otter Classic is supposed to be a professionally run racing event. Being a racing event, timing of the athletes is one of the most important factors. I do not have to go into why.

I raced in three events at the Sea Otter. In my first event, the road race, I received no result. During the protest period I brought this up to the USCF official. He wrote down my name and number and said it would be passed on to the timing officials.

After waiting for 30 minutes the final results were posted. Again, my result was not posted. I again asked the official about my missing result. He explained, rather gruffly, that the results were final and the timing officials had decided I did not finish! After questioning further he said there was nothing else I could do and that I
would not get a result. He was very terse and showed no interest in helping.

On Saturday I decided to speak with another official. I also wanted to be sure the "timing chip" was functioning. I did not want to race that day and the next with the same chip if the problem was with the chip.

Luckily, I was able to speak with another official. She was very helpful and looked up my result. She was unable to find a time from the chip but was able to find a manual time. She then guaranteed that I would get a result and that it would be posted. I also had her check the chip and it verified as working.

I raced later that day and luckily received a timing. This was especially important since I placed 6th in the circuit race.

Sunday's race came and after finishing, I waited for the results. Again, no result! Another round of hanging around and dealing with the official. This required 30+ minutes of waiting and waiting. The official finally came back to me and explained that they didn't have a chip time for me but they did have a manual time. He also
promised that I would have a result and it would be posted.

Well, I'm sure you know the story now. No result.

So after promises from the officials, to use the term loosely, I have received no results for either of those races.

I am bitter at the organizers, the timing "officials", and also with the USA Cycling "officials".

There is no excuse. They failed to deliver, broke promises, and showed no regard for the sport and its athletes.


Originally posted 1 May 2002 by Hans hanskellner@yahoo.com

Well put. Having done two Sea Otter races myself I can understand your frustation. I have forwarded your post to the officals and the USCF. Believe me, the officials you mentioned are more embarassed about this then you are. They were the ones who got really hoodwinked and signed off on that fiasco a month before it happened. The Suttons will continue to fool around with you and others if you let them. Vote with your wallet! Do not race unless the promoters and the officials
provide the level of service you demand. I hope you will race in one of the USCF national championships. The USCF, PST, D&L Sound and Event COnstruction take a great deal of pride in the service level provided.

Also, write to Bicycling Magazine, Velonews, etc.


Originally posted 5 May 2002 by Fred Patton

I appreciate your response and for your insight into the timing fiasco at Sea Otter.

Northern California, and I'm sure elsewhere, has seen a demise in mountain bike events. The Knobular series here was extremely popular. It died, I believe, because the promoter saw dollar signs in the World Cup races and ignored his bread and butter amateurs.

Here's a report from one of his last races where he focused on his World Cup and not his xc race:

http://www.teamwrongway.com/1999/results/squaw99.htm

Why the major cycling magazines have turned a blind eye on the Sea Otter timing problems alludes me. Advertising revenue is the only explanation I can find.

- Hans


Originally posted 7 May 2002 by Hans hanskellner@yahoo.com