Locations and timing points configuration

Copernico distinguishes two concepts: locations, the physical places on the course where there are timing devices (a mat, an arch…), and timing points, each of the times recorded for a participant. A timing point is a virtual point of the race: it is linked to a location, but there need not be one per location. For example, on a 10-lap circuit with a single mat there are 10 timing points and 1 location.

This article explains how to create the race locations and how to configure the timing points of each event, their time ranges and their backups.

1. Creating the locations

In the race general information, expand the Locations section and add one for each physical place, with its name and, optionally, its latitude and longitude.

Locations are shared by all the events of the race. They are the ones you then choose in each timing point and the ones timing devices are assigned to in the Devices tab (see How to configure devices in Copernico with Cloud V2).

2. Creating the timing points

1. Expand the event whose timing points you want to configure.
2. Expand the Timing points section.
3. To add timing points one by one, use the add button (+). You can also open the section's quick actions menu (three-dot icon in the section header) to create them in bulk (Create), import them from another Copernico race, or cut, copy and paste timing points from another event of the same race. See Quick actions menu.

   

4. Complete the timing point information:
   • Name: for example, “5K”.
   • Physical location: the location the point will receive readings from. You can only choose locations already created in the Locations section (see section 1). It is optional; for example, for a start without readings. If several points share a location (lap circuit), Copernico marks them as laps with a coloured bar on the left of the row.
   • Min. time: minimum time from the start for a reading to count at this point (format 00:00:00). For example, at the finish point you can set 20 minutes: Copernico will then only take into account finish readings taken more than 20 minutes after the start. Readings below that time are shown in the Below MST readings widget of the control center.
   • Type: Start for the start line, Finish for the finish line, Standard for all other points, and Call room. See Types of timing points.
   • Distance: distance from the start, only for Standard points. For example, at the 5K timing point you can enter 5,000 meters. You can enter it in meters (Meters) or miles with the unit selector; the race measurement system is used by default.

To see and modify all the details of an existing timing point, click the pencil icon: the Advanced editor opens. To delete it, click the trash can icon.

If you create timing points in bulk, Copernico automatically adds the start and finish points, unless they already exist.

3. Configuration of time ranges

Clicking the pencil icon opens the point's Advanced editor, where you can set its passage time ranges:

Time range by timing point (Overall time)

• Min. time: minimum time the athlete will make from the start. It is the same minimum time as in the point's row.
• Max. time: maximum time the athlete will make from the start.

Time range by lap

• Minimum: minimum time the athlete will make from the last lap.
• Maximum: maximum time the athlete will make from the last lap.

This range is only shown for points that Copernico identifies as laps, that is, when several timing points share a location.

Gap time (from previous timing point)

• Min. gap time and Max. gap time between the passage through the previous timing point and the passage through this point.

The same editor contains the Detection mode, which sets which reading the point uses. By default, the start point uses the last reading and all other points use the first one. See Types of timing points and Advanced options in timing points.

4. Adding a backup

Clicking the pencil icon of a timing point opens the Advanced editor, where you can add a backup to this point.

1. In the Backups section, click the + button.
2. Complete the backup information:
   • Location: location of the backup line. It is chosen from the race's locations, so you must create it first (see section 1).
   • Backup location: position of the backup with respect to the point, Before or After. The default is Before.
   • Distance from timing point: the time, in seconds, the athlete takes between the backup and the point. It is an approximate value for Live. When you end the race, Copernico will perform the calculation automatically.

Backups are explained in more detail in Setting up backups.

5. Video transcript

Once a race has been created in Copernico, it's important to set it up properly and understand all of the unique elements. First, you need to create an event. An event is of the same course, usually within a race. So maybe in a race you have a 10K and you have a marathon: they're each individual events within the same race. So you click on Add [today, ADD EVENT], and once the event is created you give it a name, a distance, plus an estimated start day and time.

Next, you have your timing points. Timing points are simply the physical locations where we're going to be taking times. Each race needs to have a start and a finish, minimum, but, for example, this is a 10K, so we're also going to have an intermediate timing point. Give each timing point a name and a physical location. Now, these can be the same or different, right? Because your timing points are each place that you're taking a time, which is not the same as the physical location of the actual timing device. So in this situation we have three different locations where a device is located, but you could have a situation where you have three timing points but maybe only two physical locations, because your race has laps. But we're going to keep it simple.

Each timing point will have a minimum time: any time that is detected below that minimum will be discarded. Next, each timing point has a type. Other than start and finish, most of your timing points will be standard. Call room is only for triathlons and swimming events. You may also have the distance in meters, and any advanced adjustments can be made from the advanced editor, such as maximum time, which functions similarly to minimum time: if you put a maximum time of 3 hours and an athlete passes through that point at 3 hours and 10 minutes, the time will be recorded, but it won't be used to generate rankings.

Next, we have our splits. Splits are simply the distance in between timing points that you would like to generate rankings for. It's mandatory to always have at least one from the start to the finish, but other than that you can decide what parts of your race you want to generate rankings for. If you don't need one, it's better not to create it, because you're still going to have the times that are collected; it's just not going to be used to generate rankings based on gender, team, categories and attributes.

To create a split, you click on this plus down here, or, similarly to our timing points and our events, you can go to the advanced menu [today, quick actions menu] to create them in bulk. Each split will have a personalized name; it must be individual. And then you can adjust the split either by putting it in here, or you can move these little toggles. And each split will also have a sport modality: this is all a running race, but if you had a triathlon or a cycling race, you can change the average type [today, Average measurement units]. And, as always, you have advanced adjustments.

Lastly, we have our waves. A wave is the start, more or less, of your race. If you have a huge race with a lot of participation, it's common to create more than one wave with individual times. To create a wave, just click on the plus or go to the advanced menu [today, quick actions menu]. Make sure the wave has an individual name. It is vital that each participant is associated with one wave; otherwise, their rankings won't be generated. And on the day of the race you have to give the exact time of the wave, and it must be the same as the gun time.