It used to be that when you raced your time was measured from the crack of the gun until you crossed the finish line. As races grew bigger and bigger it became a point of contention amongst runners that if they were at the back of the pack to start it may take them minutes and not seconds to cross the start line. This extra travel was added to their finish time but was not accurately reflective of their run time.
Championchip to the rescue! This inventive little chip is worn on the shoe or around the ankle and goes completely unnoticed by the runner or triathlete. Each chip is registered to the runner for the duration of that run only, and keeps track of the athlete when s/he passes over a timing mat. Mats are traditionally placed at the start line and the finish line, and depending on the length of the race will be placed at the half-way point, turn arounds or areas that can be short cutted. In a triathlon or duathlon, mats are placed at transition entrance and exit points so that transition can be timed separately and swim, bike, run times are pure. Length of race, course and event budget usually determines the number of mats, as each mat must be rented by race organizers.
The advent of timing chips has added cost to your overall entrance fee which most runners would agree is worth while. The timing chip must be returned at the end of a race, with replacement costs of around $45.00 if the chip is not returned. An individual can also buy their own chip which affords them a discount at chip timed events. (Sportstats the timing people sell chips which can be purchased at
www.sportstats.ca)
The down side to chips is ?no chip, no time? as this would be the only timing system used. The chip can not be stuffed in a pocket, fanny pack or bra; it must be worn on the ankle or shoe to receive a time. A major benefit to timing chips is the speed at which results can be tallied and made available to racers. Preliminary results can usually be found on the race site moments after the initial finishers and online hours after race completion. These results are then archived and can be referenced online years later.
