The overall objective of the race registration process is to produce a race roster that is equitable for both the racers and the logistics of running the race. The roster must take into consideration the following:
Listed below are the steps followed to achieve this objective. It is not always a straightforward procedure and may require adjustments that result in a roster that may appear to contradict any one step if taken out of the context of the overall process.
1. Race Directors submit names of racers who will participate in upcoming race weekend by 11PM Monday night prior to the race weekend. Racers racing only on Saturday or Sunday and all Flight 21/22 racers must be noted. Alphabetized lists are preferred. The Crescent waiver status for each registered racer is checked.
2. The total number of qualified racers, excluding Flights 21 & 22, is tallied and the break between Divisions I and II is determined by dividing the number of qualified racers in half. In the case of an odd number of racers, the extra racer is placed in Division I. The handicaps of the last racer in Division I and first racer in Division II are compared to insure they are not equal. If the handicaps are equal the division break will be adjusted. If the handicaps are within 1/10 point the division break may be adjusted if a wider gap exists within one or two racers of the calculated break.
3. The number of racers in each division is divided by 10 to determine the number of flights in each division. Any remainder is rounded up to create an additional flight.
4. Determine the gatekeeping flights by random drawing. As the season progresses, flights that have previously been assigned gatekeeping are withheld from the drawing until all flights have been assigned. For the 2001-02 season each division will have FOUR flights assigned to gatekeeping each weekend. In Division I, both flights 1 and 2 will be assigned gatekeeping, although both flights will not gatekeep on the same weekend as one or the other flight will be designated for pacesetting on the Division II course. The last flight of Division II may be excluded from gatekeeping duties if, after inspection, it is determined that the racers in the flight are predominantly under the age of 12.
5. Determine the pacesetting flight (Flight 1 or 2).
6. Determine by random drawing the running order of the remaining flights not assigned gatekeeping.
7. Assign racers to flights. Gatekeeping and pacesetting flights will be assigned 10 racers first, with the balance of flights assigned either 9 or 10 racers. Additional racers will be assigned to a flight where the presence of a pair of a Saturday only and a Sunday only racer exists. This is done to maintain the number of racers in a flight at 9 or 10 for any given day. The final roster may list more than 10 racers in a flight, however, no more than 10 racers will race in a flight on any given day.
8. Inspect flight breaks to make sure a break doesn’t occur between two racers with identical handicaps (to the nearest tenth of a point). Flight breaks between racers with close handicaps is the greatest source of complaints received.
9. Inspect the flights for any unusual clustering of critical race workers, particularly in gatekeeping flights, that may impact running the race.
10. Order flights in running order and assign bib numbers to individual racers. Create final rosters sorted by club and by bib number, scorekeeper sheets, gatekeeper sign-in sheets, gatekeeper scoring sheets, and bib labels (racer, gatekeeper, pacesetter). Attach labels and bungees to bibs and group by club. Determine previous prize drawing winners and generate list of eligible racers for next drawing.
Generalized timetable for the race registration process: