COMPARATIVE OFFICIATING US MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, USA versus UK US MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA AUGUST 2006

Observations All officials wear the national uniform Age Profile was very similar to the UK All carry and wear a pass and licence Levels (3) Masters, National and regional

Pre meeting briefing – evening before meeting Observations cont/… Pre meeting briefing – evening before meeting Information prior to the meeting was, superb, duty sheets arrived months in advance!! On track preparation prior to the meeting was left until a day or two before the meeting commenced. Almost all officials were qualified in many disciplines to National and/or Masters level then specialised One rule book in use with appendices for Collegiate, junior, masters athletics.

Field All chief judges had PDAs with start lists programmed No EDM visible throughout the meeting Sectors were marked out using bunting for long throws Many officials specialised in only one field event Liaison between field officials and starters, in general good.

Discus cage was here –prior to the meeting. All javelin competitions took place from this end – this was the only runway! Sectors were marked with bunting. All High Jump was from the 100m end.

Track No finish officials (clerks) in use at all. Judges were dotted around the track but only really visible during hurdles or steeplechase races Markings on track such that 100 and 200m races could be run in reverse to avoid running into a head wind No 80mH markings on track – were improvised!

Relay changeover ‘diamonds’ Lane Markers

CALL ROOM/CLERKING TENT Declarations on the concourse – athletes signed in Seeding sheets arrival as promptly as in this country! Numbers worn in various positions back and front including the athlete’s bottom Little emphasis on Rule 143.8

Leg numbers were a revelation Clerking cont/….. Leg numbers were a revelation Bib numbers checked and leg numbers (3) issued, one to be stuck on the chest Athletes allowed to check in then continue with warm up Athletes once ‘re-rounded up’ were escorted to track by a clerk

Conclusions – Clerking Tent Both countries ran this along similar lines A good leader makes an efficient call room/clerking tent Knowing your team and their strengths makes a huge difference and the team was allocated duties accordingly

Conclusions cont/…… The only down side was letting the athletes ‘leave’ to continue to warm up – we did misplace the odd one here and there The efficiency of the call room / clerking tent is totally dependent on the team leader and their ability to have a global awareness of what is going on in the meeting.

Technical support / Electronic Timing Finish Lynx system in use Double Transducer Wireless system used No zero gun test No manual time-keepers No system failure Finish line clerk signalled when photo finish were ready One gun!!! Transducer GIZMO BAG Boom Box – only Speaker

Marksmen There were none – sorry folks! Clerking officials brought athletes to start If the clerking officials were starters lane allocation and qualifying were explained before the handover Handed over to starter on recall 2 duty Start explained by recall 2 Athletes handed over to starter Start procedure initiated

Marksmen - Conclusions Athletes lost out on the calming influence of the marksmen at the start Recall starters had other duties to perform and as such explanations were rushed Works well if athletes concerned are experienced Could see problems with younger athletes as well as some of the older athletes at this meeting.

Starting Major difference – one gun of low calibre -.32 Positioning vastly different from here Big Question – which system is better? I’ll let you see what you think before concluding.

100m starts from the ‘Normal End’ UK Starter and recall UK block recall Block recaller Starter much closer and deeper Hurdle Clerks Recall 1 should be here but is not!

200m / 400m Start Starter would normally be on the inside of the track. The starter is only in control of lanes 3,4,5. In this case, if you look closely, these lanes are empty! Recall lanes 1- 4 Recall at start line for lanes 5 - 8

Diagrammatic of the Photograph Recall 2 Starter Recall 1 UK positions in blue!

Waterfall Starts - Distance Races The split start was used for all of the 5000m races on the first day. Marksmen s Marksmen on each start line Recall 2 – 100m recall Starter

Starting - Conclusions Both sides of the Atlantic are fairly positive that their method is best! In distance races the 100m recall was interesting. The starter had the jurisdiction to stop the race within the 1st 100m if there was a barging offence on the track. This recall has recently been withdrawn from IPC competitions - the only other occasion I had met and worked this way.

Starting - Conclusions This was an opportunity to start from different positions To learn more about being adaptable and receptive to other starting positions To have continued and perhaps greater trust in the other members of the start team (we do this well but the American teams I think have the edge!)

Starting - Conclusions Big Question – which system is better? If we are working to IAAF Rules 129.2 and 129.3…………… Then there is only one answer - ours! However my American colleagues who visited the NYAL finals may have different ideas!

The Other Report If you are interested in applying physics to starting and reading how the American starters fared on their half of the exchange then visit the following website http://www.cttoweb.com/UKexchange/