World’s Biggest Weekend

How do you top the achievement of successfully timing the world's biggest running event? Not easy, by any measure, but timing sports certainly had a go. For the last three years, Timing Sports have been responsible for timing the second and third largest events in Australasia - Bridge to Brisbane and Perth City to Surf. The only difference for 2009 was that the two events were held on the same day!

Timing a 40,000+ event is a demanding exercise which very few timing companies around the world are equipped to handle … but two on the same day? That massive achievement is reserved for "the big boys" and Timing Sports claimed a world first on August 30th. Continuing with the exponential  growth of major running events in recent years, the 2009 edition of Perth City To Surf attracted over 40,000 entrants whilst Bridge to Brisbane attracted a colossal field of 45,226.

A massive field assembles for the start of the 2009 Bridge to Brisbane (photo: Couriermail.com.au)

A Day in the Life of Timing Sports:  August 30th 2009

Ekka Showgrounds, Brisbane: 3:30am Australian Eastern Time (GMT + 10)
Timing Sports staff assemble in the darkness by the finish line of Bridge to Brisbane. Apart from the night watchman, the race precinct is deserted. Equipment is divided up and the plan for the day is checked over. The start line team take off for the start area.

Gateway Bridge Toll Plaza: 4:30am
After some debate on the exact location of the start line, the start line team set up the equipment and test some 90 minutes before the start. Due to road works and the construction of a second gateway bridge, the start line is restricted to a 9 metre wide path between two lines of concrete blocks.

6:25am: The gun goes for the 10km event and the first of nearly 30,000 runners set off up the steep incline of the bridge. Because of the narrow width, it takes over an hour to get everyone across the start line. Only half of the runners have begun the 10k as race winner, Michael Shelley, crosses the finish line at Ekka in 29'32".

St Georges Terrace, Perth: 4:30am Australian Western Time (GMT+8)
Four IPICO elite systems are joined together to form two 19.5m wide timing lines for Western Australia's biggest running event. The central city location will host the start of the traditional 12k City to Surf, a half marathon and the inaugural City to Surf Marathon. With the largest prize money pool in Australian running, the race has attracted a quality international field.

West Coast Highway, Perth: 7:30am
The first runners in the half marathon arrive at the finish line. To cope with the burgeoning numbers and afford the marathon runners a truly prestigious finish, race organisers have split the finish into two separate lines on either side of the 4 lane highway. In effect, Timing Sports are running two separate finish lines, each with its own spotter system. When the 21k split point for the marathon is included, Timing Sports have deployed nine Elite timing systems on race day.

Ekka Showgrounds, Brisbane: 10:10am
Over 27,000 10k finishers are home but this is no time to relax as the first waves of 5k finishers start to cross the line. The 5k runners are enduring the hottest conditions in years with bright sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high 20s. Our staff have attended many a finish line but reports from Brisbane believe another world record has been claimed here today - the highest number of runners throwing up into the timing area!

Perry Lakes, Perth:  10:28am
Timing Sports partner, The Timing Guys, were promised a "hot and sweaty" transition from the central city start line to the 4k start in the middle of the scenic Perry Lakes recreation area. They got more than they bargained for as the massive numbers in the 12k event took almost an hour to clear the start line in the city. Loading the vehicle, negotiating traffic congestion and then a final 100m dash on foot brought them to the 4k start line with 2 minutes to spare. All in a day's work!

Ekka Showgrounds, Brisbane: 11:30am
PJ Hullah, the last of over 37,000 official finishers in the 2009 Bridge to Brisbane crosses the line and the massive clear up job begins. Presentations reports have already been printed and handed over, followed by complete, formatted results for newspaper publication, online web cast and race photography. Wheelie bins full of timing tags start to arrive at the timing tent and the job of turning these tags around against tight deadlines for September's Sydney Running Festival begins.

West Coast Highway, Perth: 1:30pm
It's a long day in the saddle for the Perth based team as the final finisher in the marathon just dips under the 6.5 hour mark. Pack up, press releases and results files take most of the afternoon to compile and distribute.


By 5pm local time, the boys are ready for a few beers.
By 8pm, most are on flights home or to other appointments.

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