Race Bibs and Timing Chips
UCB Timing uses a timing chip that uses UHF (ultra high frequency) radio waves to read the chips. this give higher read rates and greater distance in reading the chips. The chips come in the form of a sticker which is place on the race board (in the case of MTB) or on the helmet (for road cycling). The sticker contains a tiny chip surrounded by a metal antenna.
For running events your race bib must be visible on the FRONT of your shirt when you cross the start, splits, and finish. Pin your bib on with safety pins either on the top 2 corners or on all 4 corners. You may use a race belt, but be sure the bib is turned to face the front and that you do not have a water bottle, gel, or other objects blocking the bib/chip.
For Mud Run and obstacle events your race bib must be visible on the BACK of your shirt at the start and finish. Pin the bib on with at least 6 safety pins – at the 4 corners and the middle of the two sides and/or top/bottom.
In cold weather, wear your bib where it will be visible at the finish. (If you expect to remove layer(s), pin your bib to an inner layer.
If your bib is not visible in the front (or back for a mud run/obstacle race) you may not get a finish time.
For Mud Run and obstacle events your race bib must be visible on the BACK of your shirt at the start and finish. Pin the bib on with at least 6 safety pins – at the 4 corners and the middle of the two sides and/or top/bottom.
In cold weather, wear your bib where it will be visible at the finish. (If you expect to remove layer(s), pin your bib to an inner layer.
If your bib is not visible in the front (or back for a mud run/obstacle race) you may not get a finish time.
You can attach your race bib to a race belt with the bib positioned in front for a running race (or in back for a mud run or obstacle race).
Keep in mind that liquid and metal in front of the bib can prevent the chip from being read, so you must ensure that nothing attached to the belt is covering the bib/chip. For instance, a water bottle or a pouch holding your keys or gel packs can prevent your chip from being read.
Keep in mind that liquid and metal in front of the bib can prevent the chip from being read, so you must ensure that nothing attached to the belt is covering the bib/chip. For instance, a water bottle or a pouch holding your keys or gel packs can prevent your chip from being read.
For running events we use the Jaguar disposable bib chip. Your timing chip is a strip permanently attached to your race bib. If you are in a timed division, your timing chip will already be attached to your bib when you receive it at packet pickup/check-in. There is no need to wait in a separate line to get a timing chip. If you come to advanced packet pickup/check-in and get your race bib, you will not have any line to wait in on race day (except, perhaps, the porta-john line).
For road cycling events you will receive a disposable helmet chip/bike plate, depending on what the client requires, when you check in which must be attached to your cycling helmet or the front of the bike. You may also receive a bib number (depending on the race).
or mountain biking events you will receive a bike plate with a disposable chip attached to the back when you check-in. You will normally be required to return the bike plate at the end of the race!
For road cycling events you will receive a disposable helmet chip/bike plate, depending on what the client requires, when you check in which must be attached to your cycling helmet or the front of the bike. You may also receive a bib number (depending on the race).
or mountain biking events you will receive a bike plate with a disposable chip attached to the back when you check-in. You will normally be required to return the bike plate at the end of the race!
Jaguar disposable bib chips are RFID devices that are read by overhead antennas mounted on the start/finish truss(es).
There are two primary causes of a missed chip read: “blocking” and damage.
Blocking:
RFID signals are absorbed by water – and the human body is made primarily of water. If your bib is not in front (or for a mud run, in back) and visible to the overhead antennas, it cannot be read.
The primary cause of a missed chip read is when a runner’s arm blocks the antenna’s “view” of the chip as the runner presses the stop button on his or her watch. We suggest that you wait until after you have crossed the start and finish lines to reach for your watch or GPS to press the start/stop button.
Damage: While Jaguar timing chips are quite robust, they should not be bent or folded.
There are two primary causes of a missed chip read: “blocking” and damage.
Blocking:
RFID signals are absorbed by water – and the human body is made primarily of water. If your bib is not in front (or for a mud run, in back) and visible to the overhead antennas, it cannot be read.
The primary cause of a missed chip read is when a runner’s arm blocks the antenna’s “view” of the chip as the runner presses the stop button on his or her watch. We suggest that you wait until after you have crossed the start and finish lines to reach for your watch or GPS to press the start/stop button.
Damage: While Jaguar timing chips are quite robust, they should not be bent or folded.
Road Cycling:
For road cycling events UCB Timing uses the Jaguar “H” chip – a disposable helmet-mounted chip.
The H-Chip has two adhesive-backed “wings” at one end. The wings are designed to adhere to the insides or your helmet’s air vents or to the surface of your aero helmet. The chip is applied so that the adhesive strips face toward the front of the helmet and the body of the chip stands up like an antenna pointed behind you.
You will be instructed whether to wear the chip on the top of your helmet or on the right side of your helmet. (H-Chips are worn on the right side when the ride takes place on roads that are open to traffic, in which case a truss arch with overhead antennas cannot be used and the timing system antennas must be mounted on the side of the road. On closed courses the antennas will be located overhead, so the H-Chip is mounted at the top of the helmet.)
The H-Chip uses an adhesive that is strong enough to ensure that the chip stays attached during the race, but allows the disposable chip to be readily removed without damage to your helmet after the race. The H-Chip is disposable and does not need to be turned it at the finish.
Although we recommend the use of helmet chips for Road Cycling, race organisers might request the use of bike plates which you are required to return after the event.
Mountain Biking:
For mountain bike events we use a disposable Jaguar chip permanently attached to the back of a numbered bike plate. The plate should be attached to your handlebars (or cables) with zip ties or twist ties. The bike plate number should be visible from the front and should not touch any metal part on the bike. The plate/chips are disposable but need to be turned in at the finish for future use. Any unreturned plates/chips will be charged to the event organisers.
For road cycling events UCB Timing uses the Jaguar “H” chip – a disposable helmet-mounted chip.
The H-Chip has two adhesive-backed “wings” at one end. The wings are designed to adhere to the insides or your helmet’s air vents or to the surface of your aero helmet. The chip is applied so that the adhesive strips face toward the front of the helmet and the body of the chip stands up like an antenna pointed behind you.
You will be instructed whether to wear the chip on the top of your helmet or on the right side of your helmet. (H-Chips are worn on the right side when the ride takes place on roads that are open to traffic, in which case a truss arch with overhead antennas cannot be used and the timing system antennas must be mounted on the side of the road. On closed courses the antennas will be located overhead, so the H-Chip is mounted at the top of the helmet.)
The H-Chip uses an adhesive that is strong enough to ensure that the chip stays attached during the race, but allows the disposable chip to be readily removed without damage to your helmet after the race. The H-Chip is disposable and does not need to be turned it at the finish.
Although we recommend the use of helmet chips for Road Cycling, race organisers might request the use of bike plates which you are required to return after the event.
Mountain Biking:
For mountain bike events we use a disposable Jaguar chip permanently attached to the back of a numbered bike plate. The plate should be attached to your handlebars (or cables) with zip ties or twist ties. The bike plate number should be visible from the front and should not touch any metal part on the bike. The plate/chips are disposable but need to be turned in at the finish for future use. Any unreturned plates/chips will be charged to the event organisers.
Where can I find my Race Results
Age Group Results: An overall/age group winner printout will typically be available about 15 minutes before the awards ceremony and will be available for review at the Timing Tent.
Ask The Timing Technician: Our friendly staff will always try and help you should you want a quick update on your time before the printout is available BUT please note that as the race is still ongoing, you might need to be patient until they have a free moment.
Ask The Timing Technician: Our friendly staff will always try and help you should you want a quick update on your time before the printout is available BUT please note that as the race is still ongoing, you might need to be patient until they have a free moment.
www.ucbtiming.co.bw/results
is our repository for results from all of our events. You will find a list of all of our races with the most recent events at the top. Simply click “Results” for the event you are looking for.
Preliminary race results, including gun and chip time, overall place and age group place are typically posted within a few hours of the race completion or latest the next day.
Post-Race Email: A personalized email sent to those in any timed divisions who pre-registered online with your race results.
Preliminary race results, including gun and chip time, overall place and age group place are typically posted within a few hours of the race completion or latest the next day.
Post-Race Email: A personalized email sent to those in any timed divisions who pre-registered online with your race results.
At the race, see the UCB Timing staff member at the Timing Tent
After the race, email timing@cyclebase.co.bw with the following information:
– Name/date of the race including which division your participated in (e.g. half marathon, 5K Race, etc.)
– Nature of your results issue or question
If you cannot find your time in the results, please include as much of the following information as possible:
– Approximately what time you finished or who you finished with
– What you were wearing (style/color including headwear, gloves, etc).
– Was your bib visible in front when you crossed the finish line (Y/N)?
Occasionally any chip timing system will miss a chip read (see reasons why a chip read may be missed). We use multiple levels of redundancy including multiple timing systems, manual backup timing, and video. By providing the above information we can almost always verify your accurate time and add you to the results.
After the race, email timing@cyclebase.co.bw with the following information:
– Name/date of the race including which division your participated in (e.g. half marathon, 5K Race, etc.)
– Nature of your results issue or question
If you cannot find your time in the results, please include as much of the following information as possible:
– Approximately what time you finished or who you finished with
– What you were wearing (style/color including headwear, gloves, etc).
– Was your bib visible in front when you crossed the finish line (Y/N)?
Occasionally any chip timing system will miss a chip read (see reasons why a chip read may be missed). We use multiple levels of redundancy including multiple timing systems, manual backup timing, and video. By providing the above information we can almost always verify your accurate time and add you to the results.
Registration and Race Entry
Click Register on the top right hand side of the screen and fill in the details requested. Please use a user name & password you will remember i.e. your ID number.
Once you have completed the user name and password it will take you to your profile. Click edit details and fill in your details with as much requested info as possible. You are now ready to enter events which you can do by either clicking on events and results or Home and then click on the event you are looking to compete in.
Please click on “forgot user name” or “forgot password “on the login screen and this will send a reminder to your registered email address.
Please update your browser as this can sometimes affect the functionality of the site. Google Chrome or Firefox seems the least affected so try login with one of them.
If the changes are before the closing date, Login then click profile and edit rider details. You can update your details here!
Once you have changed the details on your profile and clicked finish you need to update the entry details on any existing events. Click enter race on any races you have already entered. This will bring up your existing entry (it won’t duplicate it !) and update the entry form with the new details, click next and it will save this new info!
If the changes are after the closing date but before race day, please contact us via email at timing@cyclebase.co.bw so manual changes can be made to your entry.
Due to the demanding environment during race day we prefer to not make any changes to the database BUT we are always willing to help should those changes not require the database to be re-written.
Once you have changed the details on your profile and clicked finish you need to update the entry details on any existing events. Click enter race on any races you have already entered. This will bring up your existing entry (it won’t duplicate it !) and update the entry form with the new details, click next and it will save this new info!
If the changes are after the closing date but before race day, please contact us via email at timing@cyclebase.co.bw so manual changes can be made to your entry.
Due to the demanding environment during race day we prefer to not make any changes to the database BUT we are always willing to help should those changes not require the database to be re-written.