Timing System

ELECTRONIC TIMING FOR THE RAT RACE

SPORTident is the electronic system used to time and score The Rat Race. At registration, each competitor will be given an electronic score card (called an SI Card) and a tamper-proof wristband which will be attached loosely to your wrist with the tip of the card pointing towards your fingers. It's best to use the wrist that hasn't got a watchstrap on it. The score card is referred to below as an SI card – SI standing for SPORTident. The whole system is a little like an electronic orienteering scoring system, with the SI card like an electronic version of a punch and the checkpoint boxes like electronic versions of red and white orienteering controls. The software behind the system allows us to see which checkpoints you have visited and how long it took you to get there; it also gives us the opportunity to “time-out” sections if we need to (e.g. waiting for an abseil or other safety systems) and it can apply penalties if you have been naughty.

At each Rat Race there will be a demonstration checkpoint box (CP) near registration to familiarise yourself with the checkpoint “dibbing”* process. At most checkpoint locations during the race, each team-member must “dib” their SI card into a small plastic box to ensure that all members of the team have visited the checkpoint. The plastic box is the CP. When you dib, the checkpoint box beeps and a red light flashes, so you know your SI card has dibbed properly. ALL team members dib their cards at ALL checkpoints. At the finish line it is critical that the last team member across the line also dibs their card as this will stop the clock for the whole team and record your final time.

After you have finished the event (on Saturday and Sunday for the Adventure class competitors) we do a final "dib" just behind the finish line which downloads all of the data contained in your SI card and our computer works out how you have done. We provide you with a print-out showing the list of checkpoints in order visited and time of punching, as well as the start, finish and elapse time.

NB: Adventure Class competitors in the Weekender events keep the SI-Cards attached to their wrists overnight on Saturday and we cut if off your wrist on Sunday evening, after the main race.

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR SI CARD WHILST IN YOUR POSSESSION. IF ONE IS LOST OR BROKEN, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO CHARGE YOU £18 TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. IN THIS CASE IT MAY ALSO NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A TIME OR SCORE.

* We don’t really know why we call it dibbing – it’s just the name that’s stuck. We guess dibbing is a good word to describe the movement of sticking your SI card into the CP box!