Time Trial Starts - Making it Easier with the TTStart Page

Post date: Feb 27, 2015 12:53:38 AM

Download the attached file, open it in a browser, then read on...

The attached file is a demo and its clock resets every time you open the page. In a TTStart page generated from CrossMgr, the page "knows" what the start time is and keep the clock running even when it is not open.

There is an old saying - when you solve Problem #1, you just promoted #2 ;)

Now that building a TT start list is trivial in RaceDB, and sending it to CrossMgr for execution is a simple drag-and-drop, we now get to the issue of setting all the riders off on time.

Having officiated at dozens of time trials over the years, I am familiar with riders getting started at the wrong time (usually after missing riders in front of them), or started out-of-order. This can cause havoc with the results. In the best case, start errors would be eliminated.

But, with DNS riders, different categories and different gaps between starts, it can be easy to miss some detail - especially after you have already started 100 riders.

The new TTStart list feature in CrossMgr is designed to eliminate start errors.

The TTStart is generated after you "start" the TT, but before the first rider's start time.

Then you open the file on a tablet (or tablet computer). It manages the countdown automatically as it gets the start time from CrossMgr. You can close the page and open it again - it will keep its clock running (unlike the demo).

To generate the TTStart list, select Publish/TT Start HTML Publish... from the menu.

The TT Start list page can be used by the starter and the whip on tablets.

The page counts down the time to the rider's start, perfectly following your start list and giving beeps at 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and a higher beep on 0 (just like the pros).

One issue is that you need ensure is that the clocks on all your devices are synced to the same network clock.

So, how good is this system? I will be the first to admit that it is not Tissot timing ;)

I would argue that it is better than starting from a manual stopwatch (1/10 accuracy).

But, eliminating start errors more than makes up for any start time bias.

Comments are welcome!