Timing systems / strategies for low-key enduro race

[Nuffy]

I’m based in Harare, Zimbabwe. I’m thinking of trying to organise a couple of enduro races. I don’t think it’s been done here before, and I don’t think anyone really knows about the discipline, which is one reason I’m keen to get it started. Unfortunately we don’t have any trail centres or suitable trails on private land, though there is lots of great natural stuff around, and I’ve scouted out lots of good stage options.

 

Being limited to public land and without much of a budget or manpower, I’m wondering about how we could do the timing. We might not really be able to mark the route reliably (some course tape was moved on a recent XC race I organised), and I don’t want to leave any valuable timing equipment unattended. It’ll have to be very low-key to start with, so I’m thinking about just using Strava for timing. Lots of the rides here require riders to have a GPS, and even those who don’t should have a smart phone capable of running Strava.

 

Does anyone with experience in this kind of thing have any ideas?

 

Are there any platforms that could analyse riders’ GPS tracks in a similar way to Strava, making sure they stayed on course, but without users having to create a Strava account? Or any reasonably-priced timing devices that we could use? I suppose with enough manpower we could just position marshals with stop-watches at the beginning and end of each stage, but I’m doubtful that I’d be able to recruit enough volunteers willing to trek that far out into the bush…

 

Any suggestions from others who have run events like this would be appreciated!

[Oufy MTB (Roadie)]

I think you need to speak to Ama Rider / Dirtopia / Trailtag. I definitely think they have the answers for you because all the things you mention they have been doing for years

[Shebeen]

I think you need guys to get a strava account. Seema to be the only viable option

[T-Bob]

As has been said chat to Dirtopia, their timing seems the most reliable and I think they brought it in / sourced it themselves otherwise Straaaaava is a low cost alternative but I've had different readings from different phones when I was test the viability for a different project. Not much but enough to disrupt tight results. 

[Karman de Lange]

Simplest:  2 people at start and finish writing start time and end time and XLS it afterwards. (can be riders as well sharing timing load).

 

Second simplest: With one of the many ipad/iphone/pc timing systems. There few for free, but it still person pressing button at start/end.

 

3rd:  Drop me PM.  We working on new timing system for informal events (self timed) (accurate to 10 - 15 seconds (gps based), but hope to improve to 1 - 3 seconds  (Still in theory, need time to get real world testing done)) . 

 

I will check what possibility is to process gpx file, should be very simple (and sure there few online apps can do already). But your accuracy is 20 - 50 m normally, so thats ~10seconds (5 seconds to early to 5 seconds to late) accuracy at 30km/h

 

The rest is all out big $$ to get going. Think R 250k plus (tags/modems/backend system/front end/admin/labour/maintenance /theft ) . 

[Grease_Monkey]

Strava all the way. Create segments, and each guy races down. This of course requires every person to race with either a gps or smartphone with gps capability. I think it will be the easiest and lowest cost route....

[MintSauce]

Hey Graham,

 

The guys at Ezelenduro used an app called Mini Enduro Timer. You need one rider/smartphone at the start and one at the finish of the stage.

 

It is excel based and thus requires the rider names and race numbers to be entered into the spreadsheet before the start and this sheet has to be on every timer's phone. The operator inserts the riders number and hits start/finish, or when caught off guard can insert the number after hitting 'finish'. Afterwards, the lists have to be pulled from all the phones and combined to give the results. Dan will be able to give you more details about that part of the process.

 

It's available on the Google Play store

Edited August 2, 2017 by MintSauce

[Butterbean]

Of you're going to use Strava, how will you prevent Strava doping from happening, ie the guys manipulating the file to improve tomes?

[BigDL]

Strava is tough due to the discrepancies in different devices. A lot to do with the frequency of the device pinpointing location (I forget the proper term). As an example, a mate of mine and I raced a segment on a ride a few weeks ago. We started together, he fell behind and finished maybe two seconds behind me. According to strava, he was two seconds faster than me.

[Nuffy]

Thanks for all the input.

 

I suspect the systems that Dirtopia / Amarider / Trailtag use will be far beyond our budget and resources for the time being, but if things get going I’ll be sure to get in touch with them.

 

It sounds like Strava is certainly the easiest and least labour-intensive option, though obviously there are limitations with accuracy, as some have pointed out. As a start that probably won’t be too much of a problem − we won’t be racing for prize money or prestigious titles. As for the Strava doping: I think we have very few riders who are tech-savvy enough to do that, and hopefully even fewer who are that way inclined. And we could have a start/finish area where riders upload their activity before leaving the race venue, so they’d have limited / no opportunity to fiddle with the files.

 

Thanks Deon, Mini Enduro Timer looks great! Nice and simple, and I like the flexibility. Was it developed specifically for the Ezelenduro? It looks like it from the sample rider list! This is pretty much exactly what I had in mind when I searched for apps a while ago. If I can get enough riders / marshals to help with the timing then this is probably what we’ll use. No doubt it’ll be much more accurate than Strava, although it might be useful to use that too just to verify that riders stayed on course.

Edited August 2, 2017 by Nuffy

[MintSauce]

 

Thanks for all the input.

 

I suspect the systems that Dirtopia / Amarider / Trailtag use will be far beyond our budget and resources for the time being, but if things get going I’ll be sure to get in touch with them.

 

It sounds like Strava is certainly the easiest and least labour-intensive option, though obviously there are limitations with accuracy, as some have pointed out. As a start that probably won’t be too much of a problem − we won’t be racing for prize money or prestigious titles. As for the Strava doping: I think we have very few riders who are tech-savvy enough to do that, and hopefully even fewer who are that way inclined. And we could have a start/finish area where riders upload their activity before leaving the race venue, so they’d have limited / no opportunity to fiddle with the files.

 

Thanks Deon, Mini Enduro Timer looks great! Nice and simple, and I like the flexibility. Was it developed specifically for the Ezelenduro? It looks like it from the sample rider list! This is pretty much exactly what I had in mind when I searched for apps a while ago. If I can get enough riders / marshals to help with the timing then this is probably what we’ll use. No doubt it’ll be much more accurate than Strava, although it might be useful to use that too just to verify that riders stayed on course.

 

 

Not sure if it was developed for Ezel specifically, but I believe it was developed by someone who wanted a simple timing system to use when racing mates. The guy who developed it did partake at Ezel.

 

The only problem is that the timing can be 'adjusted' by the stage starter(leaves last, starts his own timing) & finisher(leaves first, has to capture his own end time) 

Edited August 3, 2017 by MintSauce