Skip to main content

Reply to "RRTC Approval?"

RRTC APPROVAL OF FINISH LINE TIMING

Back in the 1980’s, when I was RRTC Chairman, various rules and responsibilities were being discussed and implemented as RRTC was being fitted into the larger USATF organization.

I do not remember who proposed it, or how it came to be a part of RRTC, but somehow we became responsible for vetting the various finish line systems that were coming into being. Beyond placing the responsibility with us, no real guidance was given as to what was to be done in the approval process.

As RRTC Chairman I was puzzled as to what to do when a new system came into being. I’m comfortable with dealing with course measurement because I think I know something about it. With timing systems this was not the case. Each new timing system brought with it technology with which I was not familiar. The real experts were the people who developed and used the timing systems. I did not think that RRTC as a group was qualified to pass judgment on these new systems.

I remember approving one timing system. I asked some questions of the applicants and got satisfactory answers, and approved the systems. At the time I felt that my review was inadequate, but I lacked the knowledge to do any better. Also, I was conscious that the applicant had put time and money into the development of their system, and it seemed a bit hard on them to ask them to delay the approval.

The situation today remains the same. We are tasked, on paper, with a job that we do not really know how to do.

The timing system may be RRTC approved, but on the day of any specific race, was the system operated properly? When the Records Committee looks at a set of race results, how do they know what may have been “adjusted” by the people who submitted the paperwork?

This is not a new problem. It’s been around since the days of handing out paper place cards at the finish.
×
×
×
×