Fischer, Jim E (Corvallis)
I had to look up vitriolic.
I like the plan. I doubt we'll have too many takers to work as judges, but it's a neat idea.
Fish
________________________________
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Mike Murray
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 9:19 AM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] TTT - Clothing request for teams with multipleentries
The TTT is a particular challenge form an officiating point of view. First, teams do multiple laps. Riders cross the finish multiple times. In the middle of the race you have riders that are on their first lap riding at the same time as riders who are laps into the event. The official at the finish line needs to be able to identify the riders coming towards them and show them the appropriate lap card as well as record their time under the appropriate team identification and lap. This all needs to be done quickly as there may be another team just in front or just behind who may be on the same lap or may be on another lap and who will need the same thing. In most individual time trials the rider goes out and comes back only crossing the finish a single time. In addition, for the TTT the time needs to be done an the third rider in the team. This is easy if the team stays together, but gets more difficult in the common situation where they do not. Add to this the usual difficulties of poorly placed numbers that are difficult to impossible to read from the side of the road as the rider goes by at speed.
Before I ever was involved in officiating a race I always, as a racer, wondered why it took so long for the officials to come up with results. Now I recognize that it is far more difficult to produce results than I would have ever imagined. I urge everyone to, at least once, help with officiating and in particular judging a race. It is an eye opening experience and makes you much more appreciative of the background work that has to be done so you can have a fun racing experience.
On a separate note; it has been the standard that riders with un-readable or missing numbers are not placed in the race. All the riders behind them are moved up a place. This happens VERY frequently. Evan Elken did not get his 4th place this Tuesday because his number was on the wrong side. Actually on Tuesday there were 6 riders that were not placed because of number issues. Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago when I put my number on the wrong side. Most of the time this is done because the officials genuinely can't identify the rider, although Evan was pretty easy to identify and when it happened to me my wife was judging. Ironically the more the rider complains about this the more difficult he was to identify in the first place. We get long and vitriolic messages from riders and rider representatives when they are denied a place because they forgot to put a number on or had it in a position where it could only be seen from a helicopter.
I have made a suggestion that we change this practice. First, rather than not place the rider we should just not award that place. In other words, instead of moving all the riders behind up a place we leave a place holder in the position of the rider with the bad number. Second, we award the place to the rider if he works as a judge at another event within a short period of time. I think this practice might give an out for the rider upset over the loss of a place that they won, increase the number of people that are able to officiate races as well as educate people about the difficulties involved.
What do you all think of this plan?
Mike Murray
-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of gschreckchat@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 16:30 PM
To: Fischer, Jim E (Corvallis); obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] TTT - Clothing request for teams with multipleentries
Each team wears a different number. How is that any different in races or individual TT's with people form the same team competing?
--
George Schreck
gschreckchat@comcast.net
(503) 502-0425
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Fischer, Jim E (Corvallis)"
> If you are on a team fielding multiple entries into one category, please try to
> wear something distinctive so we can identify you from the other groups from
> your team.
>
> Example: Team Rose City has three teams entered in the Master Men 200-239.
>
> Maybe fishnet stockings, bright tassles (on the bars) or beer hats could be used
> to distinguish the various teams.
>
> Capes would work, too, as long as they weren't too long.
>
> Anything you can do to make yourselves different from team mates in other groups
> in your field would be helpful and will reduce confusion.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Fish
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