Timing System for DH 4 man Heats

[Eddy Martinez]

Could someone point me in the right direction. I am looking for a timing system used in DownHill Racing. Mainly for 4 man heats. Your insight would be greatly appreciated. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Eddy Martinez]

Tomes thank you for the call. The new wireless beam TrakMate with 1600 ft of wire will work. Gracias Amigo. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[stridey]

Forgive my ignorance but how can that timing system time 4 people on a single run?

Unless you want it for single qualifying, single rider at a time?

[Eddy Martinez]

Suggestion Stridey. Would not mind the help govenor. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws

[stridey]

Suggestion Stridey. Would not mind the help govenor. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws

No comprendo buddy?

For DH racing all that matters in the heats is who crosses the line first. 9and second...third, fourth..)

Judges on the finish line, and good racer recognition (big numbers to one side of the helmet? and leathers)...a video camera as backup.

Timing for qualifying is difficult if its a long run, as each rider would go down individually. On longer hills they tend to send down riders at intervals, but without a sophisticated timer form ski racing that hard. What you can do is get two stopwatches with laptiming. You need to synchronise the timers. one timer goes down the bottom.

Sending riders down at 1 min intervals on the '0' of minutes. Bottom timer calls the lap time as riders cross the bottom. HIGH potential for befuddled timers if you dont practice it. And riders MUST go on the '0's...

hope that makes sense.

I really like our 'RU READY' system as it has a large screen. however it wont handle lap times.....

for Eastbourne they used the IGSA timing system. And the year bfore they hired professional timers with a very nice photo finish system that could record finishes on video with timing rather like that used for 100metre running races?

Hope that gives you some ideas.

[Eddy Martinez]

Gracias Amigo from across the pond. That does help. Planning a Legal DH Race in Texas. Just want to be dead on, no room for mistakes. When you have a Deputy Sheriff or Austin Police Officer keeping the peace, they charge 50$ an hour. So I want to keep the show moving quite effeciently. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws.

[Lit]

why do you need a cop at your race?

[stridey]

Good luck!

if you decide on single rider qualifying (lets say the DH is not too long)

What you need is good radio communication. If the starter counts down over the radio '3'2'1' the timer at the finish presses go on the '0'. Times are recorded and radiod up to the start as the next racer goes down.

For the actual 4 man heats, generally you can record the racers at the finish by eye, but on close finishes numbers are important. So, on sign up you want to provide racers with stickers that are placed on one side for easy veiwing.

Videoing everything can help with disputes.

[Old Guy]

why do you need a cop at your race?

The local jurisdiction probably requires it; I know that's the case for some of the events we host at the botanic garden where I work.

[davidp]

eddy, as already said, a timing system is only needed for qualifying, not for racing...having a video camera at the finish line for 4-man heats is nice in case of any super-close finishes. here at timeship we use a brower wireless timing system that was designed for gs ski racing. if you truely want the best and most efficent system, i don't knnow what its called but every rider gets a chip put on their board and a computer at the top and bottom automatically record EVERY run...that way qualifying can be done in a jam format, take as many runs as you want, your fastest is your qualifying time. only problem with this system is it gets EXSPENSIVE, when you are trying to buy chips for 100 skaters.

mayble i'll be making another trip to texas sooner than exspected!