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Chapter Nine Return to Race Manual Table of Contents Finish Line Volunteers Required
Chutes Required The number of chutes required is determined by two factors--the length of the race and the anticipated number of finishers. The minimum required number of volunteers for a single chute (and each additional chute)--not counting supervisors--is five (rope holder, front herder/spacer, chute herder, tag puller and spiker). A single chute may be adequate for small races (200 or fewer runners) and for races of very long distances, e.g. marathons with fields up 2,000. 1-Chute Race Race
* For most races one aid station on the course will usually be sufficient. Two or three two-person aid stations may be required for longer races . ** For a 1 -chute system it will usually be possible to put the tags directly on the scoreboards at the back of the chute. For two-chute races, spindles should be used and the tags should be transferred to the boards as part of the scoring process. Two chutes are preferable, even in races with small fields, because the second chute can be used if someone goes down and blocks the first chute. 2-Chute Race
Three chutes should be used for a field of 400 to 600 in a 5k or 800 to 1,000 in a 10k. 3-Chute Race
Four chutes should be used for a field of 600 to 1,000 to 3,000 in a 10k. 4-Chute Race
*Two runners are preferred, one from the timing area (Chronomix tapes and select-time sheets) and one from the back of the chutes (spindles). **This assumes a single aid station, on-course. If a finish area aid station is planned, two or three additional volunteers will be needed to set up and keep the water cups filled. A 5-chute arrangement is rare (and difficult to handle) as is a 7-chute finish line. A 6-chute setup would only be used for a fairly large race (1,500 to 2,000 in a 5k or 3,000 to 4,000 in a 10k) when a computerized (flooded chute) timing and scoring system was not used. For a 6-Chute Setup, Add to the 4-Chute Personnel
This brings the total for 6 chutes to a minimum of 53.
8- and 10-Chute Races (flooded chutes/computerized timing and scoring)
* Depends on the length of the race . # The two rope holders can be reassigned when the tollgate (flooded chute) system begins with the opening of a second chute. NA: At the Bolder Boulder these functions are handled by other teams that are not counted as part of the finish line crew. During the Bolder Boulder elite races, workers are needed to hold the finish line tape (2), as judges (5) and for distributing finish place numbers (2). These 9 persons are taken from those working in the chutes during the citizens race, so no additional personnel are required for these assignments. Because of the problems created by no-shows, "overbooking" of volunteers for major races by at least three persons is advised. Extra persons can always be used as mid-chute herders. Movement of Ropes 2-Chute Race Begin with chute 1 open and rope in front of (closing) chute 2. Move rope to open chute 2, closing chute 1 . Return rope to original position reopening chute 1; finisher tags will be on stringer #3. When chute 2 is reopened, finisher tags will be on stringer #4. Et cetera. 3-Chute Race Begin with chute 1 open and ropes in front of chutes 2 and 3. Move rope between chutes 1 and 2 to close chute 1 and open chute 2. Move rope between chutes 2 and 3 to close chute 2 and open chute 3. To reopen chute. 4-Chute Race 1 swing both ropes across, closing chutes 2 and 3. Begin with chute 1 open. Longer rope between chutes 2 and 4 (see diagram, page iii) is to the right, toward chute 3. Left-side shorter rope holder is standing next to the longer rope. Right-side shorter rope holder is also standing next to the longer rope. To open chute 2 the left-side rope holder swings away from the center rope, closing chute 1. To open chute 3 the center (longer rope) holder swings toward chute 2 - -and the right-side rope holder stays next to the longer rope . The left-side rope holder should then move back toward the center rope holder to be ready to open chute 1.To open chute 4 only the right-side rope holder has to move toward chute 3. To reopen chute 1 the center rope holder and the left-side rope holder move toward chute four. (In this chute configuration (1, 2, 4, 3) no more than two ropes must be moved at the same time. If the chutes were set up in sequence --1, 2, 3, 4 --reopening chute 1 would require all three ropes to be moved at once.) 6-Chute Race The chutes are configured 1 , 2 , 3 , 6, 5, 4. Think of it as two 3-chute finish lines next to each other, separated by the longer center rope tied between chute 3 and 6. Opening and closing chutes 1 through 3 proceeds as it would in a 3-chute race. To switch to chutes 4 through 6, the center rope is moved across toward chute 1 , and only the right-side shorter ropes are used to open chute 4, then 5, then 6. To reopen chute 1 the longer rope is moved toward chute 4. The two right-side shorter ropes will slide back toward the center rope to be ready for reopening chute 4. Once the chutes have gone through the initial sequence, tags for the next round will be placed on stringers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. For six rotations through the six chutes, the stringers at the back of the chutes should be arranged as follows:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8-Chute Race A one chute-at-a-time or "closed" chute system can be worked manually, moving ropes across, but it is very difficult and potentially dangerous for the rope holders who may be knocked down by finishers as the ropes are pulled across. When a race reaches a size that requires eight chutes, it is better to go to an "open" (flooded or tollgate) system in which all chutes are opened with the numbering sequence simply 1 through 8, usually left to right. If computer programs and equipment are not available for an 8-chute tollgate finish line, the chutes should be arranged as if there were two 4-chute races finishing side by side. The chutes would be configured 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 6, 5 with a longer center rope between chutes 4 and 8.Placement of Timers For races with up to six chutes, the timers can be place on one side or the other of the finish line, depending on the space available. If an 8-chute "closed" finish line system is employed, it might be better to position the timers in a middle "worker chute" so they wouldn't have to look across such a long distance. Some race finish line layouts (Lilac Bloomsday Run, for instance) utilize a very different setup involving deceleration areas, separate chutes for men and women and worker chutes between each finishers chute. Many events have long-used ways of timing and controlling finishers, and presumably their systems work for them. I do not like the use of deceleration areas (particularly those not controlled by long ropes) in which runners cross a "finish line" but aren't timed until they run, walk or crawl several more yards. Knowing that runners tend to instinctively stop after crossing under a finish line banner, it seems to me that the timing could not be very accurate in this type of configuration. The Bolder Boulder puts the herders right in the chutes with the runners, making it easier for them to rearrange runners who have passed after the finish line and to assist runners who are sick or injured. The only "workers chutes" we use are for the timers at the front of the chutes see diagram, page iv). Because of the width of our finish line--42 feet--we place the computer and select timers so :they can easily see finishers in the lanes assigned to them. Since the finish line bridge is supported by scaffolding towers at each end, we place the chute 1 and chute 10 timers inside the towers. The timing teams for chutes 2 and 3 share a workers chute, as do the teams for chutes 4 and 5, 6 and 7, and 8 and 9. The worker chute for chutes 6 and 7 is slightly wider than the others because the portion of it from the timers' position to the back of the chutes doubles as the area for our medical personnel.Although it is a configuration that few races would require, enclosed is a bird's-eye view of the Bolder Boulder finish area inside the University of Colorado's Folsom Field stadium. Of particular interest may be the fencing used to control the movement of finishers, the position of the medical tent and the flow of runners away from the area to water and refreshments. The pedestrian bridge is constructed by the race to span the incoming ramp and create a second point of exit from the stadium floor. The center "no-man's-land" created by the fencing is kept open for the skydivers and military personnel who present the colors and perform a 21-gun salute during our Memorial Day activities, which are scheduled between the end of the citizens' race and the finish of the invited runners' races. FYI: "News 4" represents KCNC-TV camera positions. "The Peak" is the position of radio sponsor KXPK's home base in the stands. The "genie towers" in the end zone at the top of the diagram hold additional sound stacks.
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