Ava:

We have finally been able to speak with the timing chip provider to figure out what happened at the Dewey Beach Triathlon.  While this in no way is geared to absolve us from responsibility, I do feel it is important to understand why the issue happened and to share with the athletes.

 

First, we have been happy to time the Dewey Beach Triathlon for the past 11 years.  You and your athletes are great and we love the trip to Delaware each September.  I am greatly embarrassed we were not able to provide you with 100% of the service we were asked to provide.  In 20+ years of timing I have never had an issue like this and quite frankly, am saddened it happened at your race.

 

The short of it is this: The timing tags we used for numbers 200 (approximately) and below were from a batch of timing tags from earlier in 2017.  We always use tags from various batches to create the bib code file and have never had any issues doing it this way.  It is the same process we used at your event in 2015 and 2016 when we went to the disposable chip versus the standard chip.  A firmware (software) update in mid August to the timing boxes changed how certain coded tags read.  Meaning tags made before a certain date simply would not read any more.  We were not aware of this issue; so we timed your event as we always have.  We even tested chips as we always do prior to the event and all seemed fine.  Unfortunately we tested with new chips and not the older batch.  Even on race day all seemed fine as chips were seemingly reading well.  We didn't realize there was an issue until we started downloading the timing boxes from the split points and the numbers of finishers at each split point didn't match what we saw on the back up timing tape.  At that point it was simply too late to do anything other than provide a finish time from the back up tape to the athletes whose chips didn't read.  Your volunteers at the finish line were AMAZING on the back up tape and actually we haven't had one single athlete whose time was missing that we haven't found a back up finish line time for.  They deserve a huge THANK YOU for saving the day at the finish line for those athletes with "bad tags":

 

At this point we have posted all the times we have on-line and feel we at least have finish times for every athlete who crossed the finish line.  Split points simply can not be salvaged as the timing chips never read into the timing boxes.  

 

I can not tell you how sorry and how embarrassed I am that this happened.  It is unacceptable and you and your athletes deserve better.  We failed as a timing company in a way we have never failed before.  I treasure our working relationship and am beside myself that your event in any way might get a black eye because of OUR failures.  Again, I am sorry.

 

As discussed I think you and your event will be in wonderful hands in 2018 and beyond as you move on with timing and production with Greg Hawkins and his team.  I have enjoyed working with you and your event and wish we could say we went out on top.  Thank you for putting your trust into us for the past 11 years.

 

 

Jeremey A Davis | AAA SCTS | GHS Half Marathon | Magic City Half Marathon | Set Up Events
JDavis@setupevents.com | www.setupevents.com