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Far West Masters Race Timing
using Split Second’s Alpine Race Timing Software
(Procedures Checklist)

 

Deb Lewis
Director of Race Services and Scoring, Far West Masters
Dec. 11, 2002

This is a summary checklist for the procedures to use with the USSA Alpine Race Scoring Software produced by Split Second to run a Far West masters race.  More detailed descriptions of the procedures and explanations for why we recommend this approach are provided in the documents referenced in the Contacts section.  For questions and comments about the material in this document, contact Deb Lewis. 

 

Don’t let the length of this document scare you – the procedure isn’t really that complicated!  We’ve tried to  include fairly detailed instructions here just to make the precise actions you take as clear as possible.  If you’re comfortable working with the Split Second Timing software, this should all look pretty straightforward and you should get the idea just by skimming through each section.

 

Note: You should be working with Windows version 4.08 or later of the Split Second timing software to take advantage of the features and suggestions provided here.  The start order sorting procedure described here assumes that you have set up the race data file using the master entry race file provided by the Far West masters on the Race Services section of their web site, which contains a sorting code in the Team field of racer entries to make it easy to sort into class start order.

Contents

Initial Setup

Race Setup and Competitor Data Entry

Preparing the Entry List

Preparing the First Run Start List

Preparing the Second Run Start List

Producing the Race Results Report

Producing the Results Data File

Initial Setup

Turn off the automatic sorting feature

The automatic sorting for reports doesn’t do the right thing for a masters race run using the 10-year FW masters age classes, so turn it off.  THIS IS IMPORTANT!!

 

To turn off the automatic sort setting:

  1. Open the Edit pull-down menu in the menu bar.
  2. Select Options to open the Options dialog.
  3. Deselect the check-box item named Automatically Sort when needed
    (click the item to remove the check if it is turned on)
  4. Click on the OK button to make the change.

 

You will still be prompted by Split Second when printing a report – the program will ask whether you would like it to perform its automatic sorting, so you can still take advantage of this if appropriate.  But the general rule for sorting when printing start lists or results reports for a masters race is “Just Say No”.  You will have already created the correct sort order before printing the report.  If you let SST run its built-in masters sorting, it’ll just scramble your carefully sorted racer list and you’ll have to do it over again.  And that would be very sad.

Edit the Masters Classes (optional)

Note: This step isn’t strictly necessary if you’re working from the master race entry data file supplied by the Far West masters, but it will help if you do any competitor age/class  editing and when you manually enter new or temporary racers who aren’t already in the racer list.  Do this or not, as you prefer.

 

The standard masters age class codes in the Split Second software use the 5-year national age class codes (1, 2, 3, …, 13).  However, the FW masters compete in 10-year age groups.  Our current recommendation for best results with SST 4.0 is to change the class codes to use a “decade” age class notation (20, 30, 40, …, 80).

 

To review or edit the masters age classes:

  1. Open the Edit pull-down menu in the menu bar.
  2. Select Classes  to open the Classes dialog.
  3. Click the Masters option at the top right of the dialog to display the age range -> class name mapping.
  4. Edit the class code for each 5 year age range to use the FW masters decade class code convention: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80.

 

Note: An  alternative coding technique is to use the “even-numbered national class codes” technique, where a subset of the national class numbers [1..13] are used.  Specifically, the assignment is =1, 20’s; =2, 30’s; =4, 40’s; =6, 50’s, =8, 60’s; =10, 70’s; =13, 80’s.  Note the exceptions for odd-numbered classes at either end of the age range (class 1 for 20’s, class 13 for 80’s – latter is used so that built-in class running order will sort the competitors correctly in the FW class start order).  However, we prefer the “decade class code” notation because using the national class numbers produces bogus titles for the age classes on start list and race results reports.

 

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Race Setup and Competitor Data Entry

Download the FW Masters master race entry file from the FWM web site

The Far West masters have prepared a prototype Split Second race data file containing all their registered competitors that you can start from to create your race data file.  The advantage of using this prototype race is that it already has the correct bib numbers for the competitors, so that you don’t have to enter the permanently assigned bib numbers manually as you would when picking the competitors from the points list data during a Competitor\Insert operation.  It also contains a sort code value in the Team field that makes it easy to sort the competitor list into class start order (which otherwise would require several manual steps and moving blocks of racers around into correct position in the competitors list.)  The USSA license and birthdate values in this data file are from the USSA masters points list.

 

To download the prototype FW masters race entry data file:

  1. Connect to the internet, if necessary.
  2. Go to the Race Services section of the Far West masters web site:
    http://farwestmasters.org/raceservices/
  3. In the subsection on Running a Far West Masters Race using Split Second Timing Software , use the link for the FWM Master Race Entry File for SST  to download a zip file containing the FWMasters-MasterRaceEntry.xml master race entry file and these instructions.  Store the FWMSSTFiles.zip file in the Split Second race data files directory on your hard drive (C:\My Documents\SplitSecond\Alpine and Snowboard).
  4. Unzip the contents of FWMSSTFiles.zip into the same directory, so that the FWMasters-MasterRaceEntry.xml master race entry file is in the main Split Second data directory along with any other race data files you may have already created.

 

Note: The master FW race entry file contains all competitors who have been active members of Far West Masters anytime during the past several years.  The inclusion of a racer in the master entry file does NOT necessarily indicate that they have a current license!  It only means that they have recently competed and have a permanent bib number assigned.  USSA license and FW membership dues status must still be checked for all competitors entered in a race.

Create your race from the FW Masters master race entry file

Run SST and open the master race entry file FWMasters-MasterRaceEntry.xml (File menu Open operation).  Copy the master race by saving it to a new file with the name of your race ((File menu Save As… operation) Name the file using a convention that you helps you identify the race, e.g., specify the discipline and date as in Masters-SL-Dec252001.xml.

 

Open the race (File menu Open operation) and edit the Header page information to enter the correct information about the race and your organization.  Be sure to set the USSA Code field with the race code obtained from USSA.

 

Go to the Factors/Lists… tab page and install the current masters points list, so that you have the latest information for entering any competitors.  Use the Load Points List operation to download the latest list from the USSA web site, if you have not already done so, then select the most recent list in the Masters Points List drop-down list.  You will also want to install the current officials points list, so that officials information is available when you enter the officials for the race.

Enter the Competitors

On the Competitors tab page, prepare the race entry list by marking the entries of all racers who are entered in the race.  We recommend that you use the Club/Quota field in the competitor entry to mark registered competitors – set the field to R (for registered).

 

To mark a competitor as registered for the race entry list:

  1. Select the Competitors tab page.
  2. Locate the entry for the racer (use the Find button and enter the bib number or name of the racer).
  3. Edit the competitor entry (use the Edit button on the toolbar or simply double-click on the racer’s entry in the list) and set the Club/Quota field to R.

 

To enter competitors who are not already in the list, use the standard Insert operation to add them manually.  These will typically be new racers or racers who are competing with a weekend license, so they generally don’t have a FW bib number.  Assign temporary bib numbers starting from 900 (900, 901, 902, etc.).  Be sure to enter the appropriate age class (20, 30, etc), along with the corresponding start order sort code letter in the Team field.  Also be sure to set the Club/Quota field to R to mark the racer as a registered competitor.

 

If you wish, you can periodically sort the competitor list by the Club/Quota field so it’s easy to distinguish the registered competitors at that point.  Registered racers will have R in the Club column of the Competitors list page, while unregistered racers have a blank field.

Open Seed Classes for 1-run SG/DH Speed Events

For 1-run  DH and SG speed events, Far West competitors indicate on their race entries or by notifying the race organizers if they wish to be entered in the open seed class rather than their usual age class.  The open seed classes run at the end of all other classes of the same gender: the women’s open seed class runs after the W20 class, while the men’s open seed class runs at the end of the race, following the M20 class.  Start order is by random draw with class, just as for all other classes.

 

Note: this is slightly different than the open seed procedure in 2-run technical events, where racers must “earn” their slot in the open seed according to their first run finish time and the start order is to run the open seed classes between the 50’s and 40’s age groups.

 

To create the open seed classes for a 1-run DH or SG speed event:

  1. Select the Competitors tab page.
  2. For each competitor who has elected to enter the open seed, edit their racer entry and entry and change the Class value to OP.  Set the Team value to LOP for the Women’s Open seed and TOP for the Men’s Open seed so that the open seed classes after the W20 class (start order sort code K) and the M20 class (start order sort code S), respectively.

 

Tip: Verify that all racers have a start order sort code for their age class by sorting the competitors into ascending order by Team.  All racers in the same class should be grouped together.  Any entries which are missing a class order sort code value will appear at the top of the list with a blank Team field entry; edit these racers and enter the correct sort code letter for their age class.  Sort the list by Team once more to do a final check.

Removing Unregistered Racers from the Competitors List

When all entries for the race have been entered, you should remove all unregistered racers from the competitors list.  You will generally want to do this the day before the race, when you are ready to prepare the race entry list and start lists.

 

To remove unregistered competitors from the race entry list:

  1. Select the Competitors tab page.
  2. Sort the competitors into registered/unregistered blocks: click the Sort button, select Club/Quota, and choose Descending order.
  3. Select all the unregistered competitors in the list: locate the first unregistered racer entry (blank Club/Quota value) and select from there to the end of the list.
  4. Delete the selected block to remove all unregistered racers.

 

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Preparing the Entry List

You will need to generate a race entry report for race registration checkin.  Alphabetical order is usually easiest.

 

Note: Be sure you have removed unregistered racers from the master entry list before performing this step.

 

To generate an entry list in alphabetical order of all racers:

  1. Print the competitors report: click the Report button, select Competitor Lists, and choose Name Order.

 

To generate an entry list in alphabetical order within age class:

  1. Sort the competitors into overall alphabetical order: click the Sort button, select Name, and choose Ascending order.
  2. Sort the competitors into order by age class groups: click the Sort button, select Team, and choose Ascending order.
  3. Print the competitors report: click the Report button, select Competitor Lists, and choose Current Order.

 

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Preparing the First Run Start List

The first run start order for a FW masters race is determined by a random draw of the competitors within each age class, with the overall start order determined by the age class start order.

 

To generate the first run start list:

  1. Randomize the entire competitors list: click the Sort button, select Random. 
    ***NOTE:  We recommend that you randomize the list several times to get a good draw.  Randomizing 3-4 times has been suggested as a good practice.
  2. Sort the competitors into order by age class groups: click the Sort button, select Team, and choose Ascending order
  3. (optional) Assign start numbers: click the Assign Menu button in the tool bar, select Start Numbers, and choose Reassign from 1….
  4. Print the first rujn start list: click the Report button, select First Run, and choose Start List.  Reply No when asked whether to sort the competitors list – you have already sorted the racers into the desired order and do not want the Split Second software to change the list underneath you at this point.  Reply Yes when asked whether the full report header is desired so that course and officials information is included on the start list report.

 

Note: be sure you have turned off the automatic sort option (using the Options command in the menu bar Edit menu) before performing the final step of  printing the start list.

 

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Preparing the Second Run Start List

The second run start order is determined by first run finish time of the competitors within each age class, with the overall start order determined by the age class start order.  Start order within each age class is in reverse order of first run time (i.e., racers run slowest-to-fastest within age class). 

Creating the Open Seed Classes

The fastest 10 men and the fasters 5 women are placed in a special “open seed” class on the second run, subject to their agreement to be moved out of their age class.  The FW master who is referee for the race will usually coordinate this with you after the completion of the first run.

 

To create the open seed classes for the second run of a technical event:

  1. Select the Competitors tab page.
  2. Sort the racers by gender: click the Sort button, select Sex, and choose Ascending order.
  3. Sort all the women by first run time: Make a block selection of all the women racers, click the Sort button, select First Run, and choose Ascending order to sort the racers into fastest-to-slowest first run finish time.
  4. Sort all the men by first run time: Make a block selection of all the men racers, click the Sort button, select First Run, and choose Ascending order to sort the racers into fastest-to-slowest first run finish time.
  5. For each qualified racer that is being moved to the open seed for the second run (first 5 women, first 10 men): edit the racer entry and change the Class value to OP.  Set the Team value to GOP for the Women’s Open seed and OOP for the Men’s Open seed so that the open seed classes start between the 50’s and 40’s classes.
Creating the Second Run Start Order

After setting up open seed classes, you can create the second run start order by reverse order of finish time in each age class.

 

To create start order by reverse order of first run finish time within age class:

  1. Sort all competitors into descending order by first run finish time: click the Sort button, select First Run, and choose Descending order to sort the racers in order by slowest-to-fastest first run finish time
  2. Sort the competitors into order by age class groups: click the Sort button, select Team, and choose Ascending order .

 

Far West allows first-run non-finishers (DNF/DSQ competitors) to run at the end of their age class on the second run, if they wish to do so.  (Note: the race officials have the discretion to change this policy if in their judgment weather and course conditions dictate that only qualified competitors should be allowed to take a second run.)

 

The sort order after performing the first two steps results in DNS/DNF/DSQ racers being listed at the start of each class, rather than at the end as desired, so you need to make a pass over the competitor list and move each block of unqualified racers to the end of their class.  For each age class:

 

  1. Select all racers in the class who did not complete the first run.
  2. Move them to the end of their class, following the fastest qualifier from the first run: click the Move button, then indicate their new position by clicking on the row following the last (fastest) racer in this class.
  3. Repeat for each age class.

 

The racer list is now arranged in the second run start order by slowest-to-fastest first within age class, with unqualified racers (DNF, DSQ, DNS) listed at the end of their class.

 

Tip: Do a quick review to ensure that the open seed racers were correctly edited.  Unless any racers opted out of participating in the open seed, you should see all 5 open seed women grouped together following the W50 class, while the 10 open seed men should be grouped together after the M50 class. 

 

Note: If the jury decision is that first-run non-qualifiers may only take a second run at the end of the race , so that qualified competitors have optimal racing conditions, generating the second-start order is simpler and done by the following steps:

 

  1. Sort all competitors into order by first run finish time: click the Sort button, select First Run, and choose Ascending order to sort the racers in order by fastest-to-slowest first run finish time
  2. All competitors who are qualified to take a second run are now at the top of the list, followed by unqualified (DNS/DNF/DSQ) racers.
  3. Select all qualified racers (from the first/fastest racer through the slowest finisher from the first run).
  4. Sort the selected (qualified) competitors into descending order by first run finish time: click the Sort button, select First Run, and choose Descending order to sort the racers in order by slowest-to-fastest first run finish time
  5. Sort the selected (qualified) competitors into order by age class groups: click the Sort button, select Team, and choose Ascending order .
  6. Repeat the preceding step on the unqualified racers at the end of the race, so that they are also sorted into age class order.  Install any desired order within class (random, by name, …) before sorting into class order.

 

Now print the second run start list:

 

  1. Print the second run start list: click the Report button, select Second Run, and choose Start List.  Reply No when asked whether to sort the competitors list – you have already sorted the racers into the desired order and do not want the Split Second software to change the list underneath you at this point.  Reply Yes when asked whether the full report header is desired so that course and officials information is included on the start list report.  Reply Yes when asked whether to include DNFs and DQs and the end of each class.  I.e., respond to the three printing prompts: No-Yes-Yes.

 

Note: be sure you have turned off the automatic sort option (using the Options command in the menu bar Edit menu) before performing the final step of  printing the start list.

 

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Producing the Race Results Report

Race results for a masters race are reported by total time within age class:

  1. Sort all competitors into order by total time: click the Sort button, select Combined, and choose Ascending order to sort the racers into fastest-to-slowest first run finish time
  2. Sort the competitors into order by age class groups: click the Sort button, select Team, and choose Ascending order.
  3. (optional) Move the two open seed classes from their start order position and place them at the end of the women’s and men’s classes respectively if it desired to have the results of these special classes announced last at the awards ceremony.
  4. Print the race results report: click the Report button and select Race Results.  Reply No when asked whether to sort the competitors list – you have already sorted the racers into the desired order and do not want the Split Second software to change the list underneath you at this point.  Reply Yes when asked whether the full report header is desired so that course and officials information is included on the results report.

 

Note: At the completion of the race, you may want to turn the automatic sorting feature back on, as this is useful when running standard USSA and FIS races.

 

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Producing the Results Data File

The Far West Masters need a copy of the race results data from each day’s race – we use this data for publishing race results on the FWM web site and for doing season standings scoring.  Our scoring system can handle data in any of several formats:

 

 

If a representative of the masters is there on race day with a floppy disk to get a copy of the race results data, simply use the File menu Save As… operation in Split Second to save a copy of the .xml race data file onto the floppy disk in the a: drive.

 

Otherwise, please email a copy of the results data file for each race to Deb Lewis, the Director of Race Services and Scoring for the Far West Masters, by sending a message to djlewis@acm.org with the race data file(s) as attachments.  As noted above, we can work with either the SST race data file (from the c:\My Documents\SplitSecond\Alpine and Snowboard folder on your hard drive) or with the USSA SkiData files that you can generate using the Send SkiData Files operation in SST.  Thanks!!

 

ISSUE: The SST Send SkiData Files operation generates the SkiData result data files and allows you to either save them to your local disk, from which you can then attach them to a mail message, or email them directly from the program to djlewis@acm.org.  However, SST 4.08 is either somewhat buggy or else there’s something else going on – saving to local disk creates the files properly, but there’s an error message that the zip file can’t be created, even though it is; not yet clear that emailing to alternate address works either.  Review and resolve in order to provide precise description of steps to perform in the preceding paragraphs. [DJL 12-Dec-2002]

 

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Contacts

For questions and comments about the material in this document, contact Deb Lewis, the Director of Race Services and Scoring for the Far West Masters.

 

For a more detailed discussion of issues and techniques for using the Split Second timing software for masters races:
                USSA Masters Race Timing using Split Second’s Alpine Race Timing Software
                http://farwestmasters.org/raceservices/USSAMastersRaceTimingWithSplitSecond.html

               

Links to additional material on race timing and scoring are available at:

http://www.splitsecond.com  

Information and support for the Split Second Timing Alpine Race Scoring Software.

http://internal.ussa.org/aps/public/alpraceprograms.asp

Information from USSA on race timing and software.

http://glaivestone.com/ussa-overview.html

Deb Lewis’s ACE Scoring software for masters race and event scoring
http://farwestmasters.org/raceservices
                Race services section of the Far West Masters web site

 

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Document History

04-Jan-2002 – D. Lewis – Complete first draft.

08-Jan-2002 – D. Lewis – Misc. cleanup and feedback from Jan. 2002 Heavenly race.

09-Jan-2002 – D. Lewis – Add procedure for SG/DH speed event open seed

17-Feb-2001 – D. Lewis – Add description of how to use the master race entry file.

15-Mar-2002- D. Lewis – Rework instructions on how to create the second run start order; original procedure was more complicated than necessary.  Add instructions on delivering the results data.

20-Nov-2002- D. Lewis – Updates for 2002-2003: SST race data files are .xml now rather than .alp; add FIS XML as a reporting data format; update open seed start group coding conventions.

11-Dec-2002 – D. Lewis – Minor updates to improve second-run start list creation (slightly easier technique per Beat Hupfer at Mammoth).

 

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