Racer Limits & time between runs

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  • This topic has 4 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 9 years ago by jw.
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    • #990
      jw
      Moderator
      • Total Posts: 679

      Greetings –

      The race committee has been having a discussion about race scheduling & the number of racers & runs per day.  We’d like everyone to get in as many runs as possible, but there are limits.

      In 2014, we timed a (St. Francis) record 144 runs from 10:15-4:15, and we only had a few short interruptions (2@ 11 mins, 2-3 @5-6 mins).  Swimmers didn’t impact the schedule much.  It’s hard to get started much earlier, or run much later (interferes with Downriver).  So 6 hours & ~150 runs is about the limit on a good day.  We had 68 registered racers last year, with a few only racing in Downriver, so we had 65 racers in Expert-Novice & Age Group classes.

      Historically, racers take about 2.25 runs on Saturday, on average, over the last 5 years.  Some take only 1, some 3, & a very few take 4 runs.  You can do the math – 150 max runs does not equal 4 runs per person (unless we only have 37 racers).  But as noted, not everybody will take that many, even with enough time to do so.

      So – we’re thinking about setting a limit on Sat Slalom entries at 65, what it was last year.  (Racers registered for Downriver (and/or Sunday) only wouldn’t count in that limit.)  I would be interested in hearing your feedback, either here or via email.

      Another issue we have with 60+ racers is the amount of time it takes for everyone to take one run.  With starts averaging 2:30 apart, 60 runs takes 2 1/2 hours.  That’s a pretty long span of time between your 1st & 2nd run.

      We have a potential fix:  Divide the day into 3 ~2 hour long sessions – Morning, mid-day, afternoon.  Half the racers (e.g., bibs 1-39) race 2 runs in the Morning. Other half (bibs 40-79) race 2 runs in Mid-day session.  This would enable your first 2 runs to be just an hour apart.  All the racers (bibs 1-79) race 3rd run in afternoon session.  Any leftover time would be for 4th runs.  Morning & Mid-Day would primarily focused on Olympic-Expert-Novice classes, with Afternoon session for Age Group.  BUT, I think we have flexibility to let racers decide (before they start) whether their 2nd run is counted as Oly-Exp-Nov run 2 or AgeGroup run 1.

      If that seems confusing, just use your bib number as your guide!  NOTE:  As usual, we will assign bib numbers starting with Expert (& Olympic) classes, so the “Morning” session would probably be mostly those folks, with mostly Novices in Mid-Day session.  C-boaters may be in either group.

      Give me feedback on this too.

      Bottom line:  REGISTER EARLY!

      – jw

    • #1013
      jw
      Moderator
      • Total Posts: 679

      bump.  don’t want to lose post below reports of actual boating!

    • #1037
      jw
      Moderator
      • Total Posts: 679

      22 registered so far, as of 2:40 pm Friday, 6 March.

    • #1102
      jw
      Moderator
      • Total Posts: 679

      about 40 registered as of 7:40 am Wednesday , 11 March.

      • This reply was modified 9 years ago by jw. Reason: it's Wednesday
    • #1191
      jw
      Moderator
      • Total Posts: 679

      50 are registered as of 9:30 am Monday, 16 March.

      LATE FEES NOW APPLY TO ALL REGISTRATIONS (not sure if on-line form accounts for that, but will check).

      Water & weather are looking excellent for race weekend.  Register this week so we can minimize Friday night entry!

      We still will limit registrations to about 65 Sat Slalom racers, but at this point it doesn’t look like we’ll need to do that.

      See you Fri-Sat-Sun.

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