by Kevin Miller

I was the Chair of the Technical -- Timing & Results Committee, and Committee members were Michelle Barnet, Cherrie Fournier, Anita Miller, and Jaclyn Vallis.  The Committee did not formally meet, but I copied Committee members on all relevant e-mail communication.

Goal #7 in the 2003-2004 Game Plan says:

"Triathlon Manitoba will continue to provide our Race Directors with timing and results equipment, computer software, efficient procedures, technical support, and a pool of trained volunteers so that the registration, timing, and production of results at each event will be efficient and accurate."

Three Objectives/Plans are listed in the 2003-2004 Game Plan, and each one has a few Major Tasks.  I've listed them below, followed by my evaluation/comments:

1. Maintain the timing and results equipment, software, and procedures so that they are up-to-date and easy-to-use.

1.1 Ensure that the notebook computer, TimeTech Sprint 8 watches, and all peripheral equipment (cords, plungers, batteries, converters, etc) are working well.

This is done very regularly during the race season, primarily by Anita.  Again this year, we had too many problems with the watches -- one was sent to the manufacturer for a major repair.  The notebook computer is now a little over 2 years old (it has been used for three race seasons), and two minor problems have developed with it:

• The external mouse input port permanently failed in May. (If it had failed at an event, we would have simply reverted to using the keyboard-mounted "eraser-head" mouse.)  The solution was to purchase an optical mouse which plugs into a USB port (it works significantly better at events than a traditional "rolling ball" mouse). However, the notebook computer only has two USB ports, and we now have four external USB devices (mouse, printer, data storage "stick", and watches). The plugging and unplugging of the printer, "stick", and watches is only semi-inconvenient, but it'll be a major pain if one of the two USB ports ever fails.
• It doesn't make any sound.  This started intermittently about a year ago, but the computer has now been mute for six months. Any repair would probably be too expensive for the benefit of again hearing audible warnings, modem dialing, etc.

1.2 Communicate with the Race Wizard Software Developer to ensure that all software problems and requests for new functionality are brought to his attention, and to ensure that we are aware of any fixes or new functionality in new versions of Race Wizard that would benefit us.

We used Race Wizard V4.16 during the season. There were a few very nice features added, particularly the association of individuals to relay teams. I had major communication with Peter Chernis during development of the Data Import.  (See the Online Registration discussion, below.)  

1.3 Update our Triathlon Timing with TimeTech Sprint 8 and Race Wizard Timing & Results for Triathlon user guides with current, accurate, and easily understood information.

I did the annual update of the user guides in June, and I added major sections about online registration. 

2. Ensure that volunteers and Race Directors are trained to use the timing and results equipment and software, and that they have access to the user guides.

2.1 Hold in-person training sessions if required

Unlike last year, we didn't hold a session, although we did schedule one (which I cancelled because of a conflict).  However, for St Malo Multisport and the Lac du Bonnet Triathlon, I walked the registration volunteer through the use of the new online registration Data Import over the phone.  Data Import for all other races was done by me (except that Peter Chernis did it for Pinawa Free Spirit).

2.2 E-mail the user guides to Race Directors and volunteers.

Done by me.

2.3 Use e-mail to communicate knowledge and procedures, and to answer any questions from the Race Directors and volunteers.

Done by me. It went well.

3. During the race season, coordinate all aspects of timing and results.

3.1 Ensure that the Race Wizard Racers Register database is always kept up-to-date with new racers, new members, and current-year club affiliations.

Done by Anita.  Issues arose from the Data Import. (See the Online Registration discussion, below.)  

3.2 Coordinate the distribution of the timing and results equipment from race to race.

Done by Anita.  No problems.

3.3 Coordinate the distribution of the Racers Register database from race to race and to/from the Results Coordinator, perform backups of the database, and merge database versions into a single master copy whenever necessary.

Done by me.  It went very well. 

We used Race Wizard at 12 races this year: 4 of 5 Tuesday Night Series (not Bike Tie & Run), 6 of 7 Grand Prix events (not Trappers' Tri), Essex Road, and Manitoba Heritage Duathlon (Standard & Sprint only).  All others, including all Kids of Steel, were timed with the TimeTech Sprint 8 watches and paper/pencil, and results were typed into a website template (HTML file). 

3.4 Communicate with each Race Director a few weeks prior to his/her race to discuss which trained volunteers are available to work at his/her race.

Done by Jaclyn/Anita/me.  All races had a sufficient number of trained volunteers. Our overall expertise continues to rise.  There are many people who are knowledgeable about our timing procedures.  Jaclyn, Michelle, and Dale Kirk all increased their knowledge of Race Wizard. Every race had at least one technical support person (Michelle, Dale, Cherrie, or me) in attendance (although often either on the race course or doing another major job). 

3.5 Ensure that the Race Director and Results Coordinator / Webmaster know how and when the Racers Register database will return to the Results Coordinator / Webmaster for prompt uploading to the Triathlon Manitoba website after the race. Our goal is to have the results on our website the same day as the race.

We exceeded our very high objectives at every race.  We continue to set the standards at Sport Manitoba.

Except for the usual minor problems at many events, and a slightly more serious problem at Pinawa Free Spirit, Registration/Timing/Results went very well again this year.  "Thank you" to all our dependable race-day timing volunteers who worked the Sprint 8 watches at many races.

Online Registration

In last year's report, I listed an Opportunity:

"Two races contracted with online race registration services this season.  Other races may also be interested in doing that because it allows participants to register conveniently and pay by credit card, and the last-minute rush of entries is reduced. We are currently discussing the advantages of a software interface between the output from an online race registration company and our Race Wizard software. Race Wizard author Peter Chernis is willing to work with us."

The "software interface" is now called the Data Import for Race Wizard.

Online registration was by far the biggest change to Registration/Timing/Results this year.  In many ways it turned out to be very successful, but the major downside is that it did not save us time or result in efficiencies.  In fact, the evaluation of online registration companies and development of the Data Import consumed far more time than it saved.

In November and December, I looked into the endorsement of one online race registration company for all of our races. Three phases of investigation/evaluation were completed, and reports were sent to Committee members for feedback. Peter Chernis and I wrote and tested a prototype Data Import for Race Wizard to enable a file of registration data downloaded from the company to be imported into Race Wizard.

In January, the Board endorsed the Committee's selection of EventsOnline.CA as Triathlon Manitoba’s online registration company.  After finalizing our agreement with them, John Litherland of EventsOnline.CA, Peter, and I completed the development of the Data Import.  Although this was a long frustrating experience for all of us, I commend both John and Peter for their effort and commitment to this initiative. Together, we expended ~50 hours of effort to create standards for EventsOnline.CA's data download file, and develop the software.  At commercial software development rates, this was ~$3000 of effort.  At this point, I regretted our decision to develop the Data Import.

I first contacted our Race Directors about online registration, then announced it to the triathlon community via our newsletter and website in late March.

Online registration was offered at six of our seven Grand Prix events, plus Essex Road.  I either communicated the set-up requirements to EventsOnline.CA (four of the races), or I guided the race's registration volunteer (St Malo, Pinawa Free Spirit, and Lac du Bonnet).  Every race is slightly different, although we kept the online registration form quite standardized because we had to stay within the boundaries of EventsOnline.CA's data download file and the Data Import. This communication consumed many more hours of time, especially since John Litherland was on vacation in Europe for a month, so I had to deal with his partner Marc Roy who is not as knowledgeable as John because Marc is the expert in the SportsStat side of their two-person business.  Jaclyn provided contractual support.

About a third of all registrations for the six events were online. That's a success.  In August I solicited feedback about online registration from all our race participants, and I received six replies.  All six people had used online registration because of its convenience and automatic e-mail confirmation, and they were all pleased with it.  A couple thought EventsOnline.CA's transaction fee was a bit high ($2 to $4 per registration).

Our members could also purchase their memberships online this year.  Only 40 people did so (most memberships are via a club).  Anita had no problems with manually transcribing data from EventsOnline.CA's data download file to our Membership database.

EventsOnline.CA was pleased to have the opportunity to provide online registration services for Triathlon Manitoba in 2003. John Litherland welcomed our feedback, and he appreciated my effort in co-coordinating the communication between the race directors and EventsOnline.CA .

Although the Data Import did successfully add online registrants to Race Wizard's Racers Register database and the event's Start Order (which can save quite a bit of manual data entry), a number of issues arose (which I've got documented), and there was one major unforeseen drawback (as referred-to in point 3.1, above). I realized this at the first event to use the Data Import.  In the results, Bill Black's (a fictitious name) club was not listed beside his name, and his first name was "William", not "Bill". (He had listed "William" as his first name on the online registration form.)  The Data Import could not make a direct match of last-name/first-name/gender/birthdate of his "William" data download record with his existing "Bill" record in the Racers Register, so it created a new record for "William".  But the "Bill" record had his membership/club info which Anita diligently maintains.  We use this membership/club info from the race results when we calculate race series points at the end of the season because points are only awarded to members.  I spent too much time during registration or results generation at all races ensuring that, for example, "Christine" hadn't registered online as "Chris", or that a woman hadn't used her hyphenated last name rather than her husband's name or her maiden name, etc.  The Data Import is essentially a circumvention of our rigorous "manual" procedures and well-maintained (by Anita) data.  This is a problem that I don't have a perfect solution for.

I'm not exactly sure where we'll go from here. I'm pretty sure that we will use EventsOnline.CA again next year.  Given that we have a huge investment in the Data Import, we'll probably continue to use it, despite the issues and drawback.