General Rules
There are races, where sometimes, someone who finished behind you ends up in front of you on the score-sheet.
The answer to why that is possible, is usually ‘Chip Time’ which is also referred to by some as ‘Net Time’ or ‘Mat Time. This is how it works: when the race starts a gun or horn goes off, which marks the exact time of the start of the race. However, because of the size of the road and the number of starters, not everyone gets to begin at that exact time. In fact, sometimes you do not get to the start line some 2 minutes after the gun went off.
In order to mitigate that the timing company uses a timing mat at the start. It will record the last time you were in range of it and then take that as the time you really started the race. Your finish time minus the start time will make for the ‘Chip Time’.
Someone who starts after you but runs faster than you can still finish behind you, depending how far behind you that person actually started. That person will have a faster Chip Time than you and hence score better than you.
However, at some point there is the need to change the antenna from recording Starters to recording Finishers. If you start after that time, you will no longer be able to receive a chip time. You will still have a Gun Time tough but have to deduct the time missed by starting late yourself.
You should always ask the Race Organizer, whether Gun or Chip Time is being used in the scoring of the Race.
The UWI SPEC Half-Marathon specific scoring rules explained:
Because of its unique setting and to ensure everyone is given a fair shot at a prize, The UWI SPEC Half-Marathon is scored differently compared to other races in Trinidad. Most races are scored by Gun Time, which is simple: when the gun or horn sounds, the clock starts and the first across the finish line will win, the second gets second place and so on.
The UWI’s race is different: The top ten finishers overall and in their gender categories are scored with gun time: first one across the line will win and so on. From 11th place however, we use the so-called Chip Time to score your rank.
To make it easier for you to identify those persons that were scored by Gun Time have one (Top Ten Gender) or two (Top Ten Overall) asterisks to their name. Everyone else is scored by chip, which is the reason that only one time shows in the results, as it already considers that rule. So that is how someone who starts after you but runs faster than you can still finish in front of you, depending how far behind you that person actually started. That person will have a faster Chip Time than you and hence score better than you.
How you can pay and register:
The registration process is completely electronic online, you will have access through evolutiontiming.net and links on The UWI SPEC Half-Marathon website.
Once on the site, you are required to fill out the registration form completely and sign the waiver.
You can pay either by credit card or Paypal directly at the end of the registration process and will receive confirmation of successful payment first, followed by confirmation that you have successfully registered for the race.
If you do not have access to a credit card or Paypal you can purchase a voucher code at The Sport & Physical Education Centre (SPEC), UWI. Please bear in mind purchasing a code does not mean you are registered. You now have to use to code to complete the registration online.
Voucher codes will also be available throughout the country at a select number of PayWise Agents. Please bear in mind most of those agents are charging a TT$ 5.00 transaction fee which is borne by the consumer. The network of agents participating is constantly growing and full participation of all agents nationwide will be soon.
