FAQ

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How Do Your Timing Systems Work?
All of our timing systems are based on RFID technology (techos can read more about RFID here), one of the most exciting and versatile technologies available today. The system is based around three elements:

The "Tag" or "Chip"
The tag is a small plastic device worn by each individual athlete in the races we time. Each tag has a unique identifier and when it passes over one of our timing locations (where we have mats on the ground), the ID along with the precise time is stored on the timing "reader" and then downloaded to a computer for processing. The tags do not have any batteries or moving parts, they rely on the energiser to charge them and the reader to read their ID.
The Energiser
Each of the mats on the ground has wires throughout them which are connected back to the "box" at the side of the road. These wires create a magnetic field above the mats which is used to energise (supply a tiny amount of electricty to) the timing tags. Think back to High School Physics and you may remember that a coil of wire wound around a magnet creates a small electrical charge. RFID transponders work in exactly the same way, the mats are the "magnet" and the transponder has the wound coil inside. Once the transponder has enough electrical charge in it, it uses that energy to send it's unique identifier to the Reader.
The Reader
Using a seperate set of wires within the timing mats and a seperate circuit inside the boxes, the reader listens for tags which have been energised. When it hears a tag broadcasting its unique ID, it pairs that information with the exact current time and stores it inside the reader, ready to be downloaded to a computer.

Will the Timing Tag Work In Someones Pocket (Bum Bag / Hat / Wrist, etc)?
No, no, no!!!! The timing tag harvests a tiny amount of electricty from the magnetic field generated by our boxes so the signal it uses to broadcast its unique ID is very small. In good conditions, our tags will be read anywhere from mig-thigh height downwards. However, for the best results, the tag should be attached to shoes or attached around an ankle. For running events, we always reccommend tags be tied into shoe laces.

How Soon Should I Expect Results?
In almost all cases, results are available to race organisers in real-time as they are constantly being downloaded to our timing computers and processed in real-time. Therefore, we can normally provide you with awards reports and top finisher print outs whilst your race is still taking place. We normally publish results to our online results service as soon as we can get onto the Internet and, often, we do this from the race site as soon as the final finisher has come in. If you have any time critical requirements, please let us know about these before your event.

Can You Do Awards Reports / Team Results / Lucky Draw Lists?
Yes, yes and yes! Our custom built Race Mangement System (RMS) includes many advanced features to allow us to provide you with the information you need quickly and reliably. In fact we encourage Race Directors to bring their own laptop along and tap into our wireless network where you can extract your own reports and keep up to date with finisher numbers, awards listings, etc.

How Do I Publish My Results Online?
Timing Sports uses the online results engine powered by our sister company - eventdirector - which makes publishing, maintaining and - for entrants - viewing results a fun and exciting experience. Quick and simple search functions, team results and organisation listings are all easily and intuitively accessible. Fun features such as a mock-up digital clock for displaying finish time and graphical representations of placings by race, gender and age category are all available for your athletes to enjoy.

Can You Do Online Certificates?
Our certificates are beautiful! Well, actually, that is mostly up to you, the race organiser. But our certificate system is based on an Adobe PDF format "blank" certificate into which we can merge a wide variety of fields from the athlete record. These provide excellent certificates for athletes because they can be printed directly without any need to worry about formatting and resizing. Your competitors could even take the PDF file to a print shop and print their own high quality race certificate without the expense and aggravation of receiving a torn or crumpled certificate via the regular mail days or even weeks after the event. You can download an example of our PDF certificates here.

Who Are We?
Based in Auckland, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia, Timing Sports employ state of the art RFID technologies to record, time and rank almost half a million athletes per year in many of the biggest sporting events in the world. We use next generation IPICO dual frequency systems as well as legacy ChampionChip digital equipment for a service offering of functionality and reliability that is without equal.

Live Internet Results

Timing Sports pioneered seamless integration of race results with live webcasts and can offer a mature and tested product for major events

Did You Know?
Each year, in the course of four frenetic months, Timing Sports Australia time six of the eight largest events on the contintent ... all of them having over 25,000 entrants!

Results on an iPhone? Who Else ...

Another world first for timing sports. We now provide race organisers and commentators with iPhones which show live finisher data

Did You Know?
Timing Sports NZ provide a turnkey timing and registration service for New Zealand's two largest electronically timed events; the Auckland Marathon and Wellington Round the Bays.

Live SMS Results

Timing Sports can send customised SMS text messages - virtually instantaneously - when an athlete crosses one of our timing locations