Specializing in sports event timing and results processing at race events across Canada, Race Headquarters is the official timing company of the Credit Union Queen City Marathon, using the ChampionChip timing system.

Accepted world-wide as a marathon industry standard, the ChampionChip timing system is used for all our Credit Union QCM events.

For more information about Race Headquarters, log on to www.raceheadquarters.com.

For more information about the ChampionChip timing system used by Race Headquarters to time the Credit Union QCM, log on to www.raceheadquarters.com/championchip.htm

For all individual (i.e. non-relay team) events, the Credit Union QCM has switched over to a single-use "souvenir" timing chip from ChampionChip.

The single-use souvenir timing chip looks something like this (close to actual size):

QCM Souvenir Chip example.jpg

Previously, at the end of the race, you had to have your timing chip removed by a finish line volunteer. Any participant who didn't return their chip at the end of the race would face a $40 unreturned chip fee.

But now, with the new souvenir timing chip, you don't have to have your chip collected at the end of your race and you won't have to worry about a $40 unreturned chip fee. You can just keep your timing chip as a memento of your race with us.

NOTE: All teams in the Relay event MUST STILL RETURN their ankle-strap timing chip to the chip collection volunteers at the finish line, or be liable for a $40 unreturned chip fee. The ankle-strap timing chips for the relay teams are NOT "souvenir" chips.

What the heck is a timing chip and what do I do with it?

A timing chip is a small, lightweight device about the size of a quarter, which you attach to your shoe by threading your shoelaces through the loops in the chip.

Think of the timing chip as your own, personal stopwatch. It starts working the moment you cross the timing mats at the starting line and stops the moment your cross the timing mats at the finish line.

Depending on where you are in the starting pack of participants, it might take you a couple of minutes to actually cross the starting line once the announcer says: “Go!”, but that doesn't matter. Your personal stopwatch only starts when YOU cross the starting line and stops when YOU cross the finish line. Then the timing computers accurately calculate and record your personal time results.

This time is called “Chip Time” or “Net Time” or “Real Time”. The other kind of race time is called “Gun Time” or "Official Time".

Can you explain Chip Time versus Gun Time?

Gun Time is the time from the sound of the starter's signal (traditionally a gun, but it can be a horn or just someone shouting “Go!”) to the time when the participant crosses the finish line. This is also known as the Official Time.

Chip Time (also called Net Time) is the time from when the participant crosses the starting mats at the start line, to the time when the participant crosses the finishing mats at the finish line.

Depending on how long it took you to get to the starting line at the beginning of the race after the "Go!", your final Chip/Net Time result will most likely be less than your Gun/Official Time.

Net/Chip times are accepted for Boston Marathon qualification. The Credit Union Queen City Marathon is a certified Boston-qualifying race.

NOTE: The clocks at the finish line and on the course are running on unofficial Gun Time. By unofficial, we mean that the clocks are manually started when the race begins and, while pretty close to official time, they are naturally not perfectly synced up with the computer timing mats.

What time do you use to calculate the overall and age-category awards?

In accordance with International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) rulings, all overall awards are based on the official GUN TIME — the time from the start of the race (gun or “go!”) to when you cross the finish line.

The Credit Union QCM chooses to base all age-category awards on NET/CHIP TIME, the time from when your individual ChampionChip crosses the starting line until it crosses the finish line.

Is the course officially measured and certified? Can I qualify for Boston on your course?

The Credit Union QCM course is officially measured and certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Road Races) and is officially recognized by Athletics Canada. Participants who run the Full Marathon within a certain time for their age can qualify to run in the prestigious Boston Marathon.

Our course certification code is SK-2008-028-BDC. For more information about qualifying for the Boston Marathon, please log on to: www.baa.org/Races/Boston-Marathon.

And remember to wear your Credit Union QCM shirt when you race in Bean Town!

I’m interested in qualifying for the Boston Marathon. What are the qualifying times?

To find out more about the Boston Marathon, please go to their very informative website: www.baa.org/Races/Boston-Marathon.

Your Credit Union QCM net/chip time is admissable for qualification.

Please note that Boston qualifying times are based upon your age on the date of the Boston Marathon in which you will be participating.

Is your Half Marathon event a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon?

The half marathon event at the Credit Union Queen City Marathon is not a Boston qualifying event, because the Boston Marathon does not have a half marathon event.

It's true that the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), the organizing body behind the Boston Marathon, does hold a half marathon race called the B.A.A. Half Marathon, which is held each October.

However, the world-famous Boston Marathon - which you must qualify to enter - is held each April, and it is a full marathon and only a full marathon. There is no half marathon event at the Boston Marathon.

How do I wear the Chip?

It's easy. You simply thread your shoelaces through the loops in the plastic timing chip, making sure the chips is secure and sitting on the instep of your shoe (that's the top of your foot).

ATTACH THE CHIP WELL AHEAD OF THE RACE AND TEST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SECURELY FASTENED.

REMEMBER: NO CHIP - NO TIME. REPEAT AFTER ME: : NO CHIP – NO TIME.

If you are part of a team in the Relay event, read further down to learn how you will attach your timing chip.

The timing chips are best attached if you can thread actual shoelaces through them.

However, another way you can attach them is to go buy a couple of those little zip-tie things (like you would use to wrap up wires - you can find packages of them in the electrical section of Home Depot or any hardware store or computer electronics store) and then thread those through the timing chip and the Velcro shoe "laces."

How are the Relay Teams timed?

Like the other Credit Union QCM events, the Relay Team Marathon event will be timed using the ChampionChip timing chip. Each team will be provided with one (and only one) chip attached to a Velcro ankle band.

Chip Ankle Band.jpg

Teams must pass their timing chip as the "relay baton" and the timing chip must be worn on the ankle when crossing any timing mats or no official time will be recorded. This includes timing mats at the start, finish, halfway point or anywhere else along the course.

Teams are strongly encouraged to make their relay exchanges at the designated Relay Exchange Zones.

The easiest way to do this is to have the runner doing the next relay leg bend down and remove the chip from the runner who just finished. Then the new runner puts the Velcro strap around his/her ankle and heads out.

NOTE: The ankle-strap timing chips for the Relay Team Marathon event MUST BE RETURNED to our finish line volunteers once you have completed your race. Unlike the timing chips for the individual race events, the ankle-strap timing chips are not souvenir chips and cannot be kept after the race. They must be returned. There is a $40 charge for any chips not returned after the race.

NOTE TO RELAY TEAMS: There are timing mats at the start and finish lines, as well as at several other places along the course.

You must be wearing your timing chip around your ankle to register your time across all the timing mats.

If you hold the timing chip in your hand, your time will not be registered and, in the case of the timing mats out on the course, the integrity of your participation will come into question and your team could face disqualification.

How does the Chip work?

The send and receive antennas for the ChampionChips are embedded in rubber timing mats on the road.

timing mats.jpg

These antenna mats are placed at the starting line, finish line and other timing locations along the course. The mats are connected to a Yellow Box at the side of the road, containing electronics and batteries. Each time a participant wearing a ChampionChip crosses the mats, the chip gets energized and sends out its own special ID-number. This number and corresponding time are then stored in the Yellow Box and transferred to a timing computer for further processing.

All participants must ensure they pass across the rubber timing mats at the beginning and finish of the race, as well as any other timing mats placed out on the course.

AT THE END OF THE RUN – NO MATTER HOW TIRED YOU ARE – CONTINUE TO RUN ACROSS ALL THE TIMING MATS. DON’T STOP UNTIL YOU GET HIT WITH A MEDAL.

If you have to cut your race short due to an injury or fatigue or because you all of a sudden decided that you're going to do the half marathon instead of the full marathon for which you are registered, DO NOT CROSS THE FINISH LINE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

If you have not traveled the complete course for your registered event - be it the half marathon or full marathon - and you cross the finish line anyway, you will throw off the timing results - specifically, the overall and age category placement - for all your fellow competitors who DID finish the complete course.

As stated in the COURSE RULES, participants who are unable to to complete their registered event for any reason (for example, someone registered in the full marathon who "bails out" at the half marathon point, whether by unfortunate injury or by deliberate design) will not be eligible to receive a finisher medal nor will they be eligible for any awards. Their race time will be listed as DNF (did not finish).

NOTE: Course marshals are in place to monitor and record the race number of any full marathon participant who "bails out" into the half marathon course. That race number will be communicated to the finish line.

What happens if I lose my timing chip out on the course?

Ah, this is a regrettable occurrence, since it means that you will not be able to receive an official time. Thankfully, this does not happen too often, and can usually be prevented by attaching the chip to your shoe well ahead of time and testing to make sure that it will not come loose. However, if you do lose your timing chip out on the course, there is not much that can be done, but don't give up hope.

Hopefully, a good Samaritan runner or walker will see your chip laying on the road and will bring it to the finish line for you.

VERY IMPORTANT: When you cross the finish line, take note of the time on the finish line clock. Then, after you get your medal, immediately ask to speak to one of the Race Headquarters timing personnel at the finish line and explain the situation. We cannot guarantee it, but we will try to give you an unofficial time, based on Gun Time.

What happens if I find a chip on the street?

Please, do another participant a big favor and carry it with you to the finish. Then give it to one of the Race Headquarters personnel at the finish line.

DO NOT SWIPE IT ACROSS THE TIMING MATS, as that will give the other participant an incorrect finishing time.

What happens if I can't take part in the race or forget to hand my timing chip in after the race? How do I get it back to you?

If you were registered in an indivual event (not the Bellamy Kia Relay event) then you don't have to get the chip back to us. For individual events (every event except the relay) the Credit Union QCM issues souvenir timing chips that no longer have to be removed and returned when you cross the finish line. The souvenir timing chip is yours to keep as a memento of your day with us.

However, if you were a member of a team in the Relay Team Marathon event, and still have not returned your ankle-strap timing chip, please do so immediately. All unreturned chips are the responsibility of the participant. A $40.00 charge will be administered for unreturned chips.

If you live in or near Regina, you can drop off your timing chip at the Regina Running Room store, located at 2113 Albert Street at the corner of Albert Street and 13th Avenue. Please put the chip in an envelope and mark the envelope "Attention: Credit Union QCM" along with your name, race event and race bib number so that we know which chip is being returned.

If you are unable to return the timing chip to the Regina Running Room store, put the ChampionChip in a padded envelope (that's important) along with a note listing your name, address, phone number, email address and Credit Union QCM race bib number (that's important, too). On the padded envelope, write "Hand Sort", and mail it ASAP to:

Race Headquarters
565 El Camino Road
Kelowna, B.C.
V1X 2S1

I own my own ChampionChip timing chip. Can I use it?

Certainly. Just bring your chip to race package pickup on the Friday or Saturday before the race and ask to speak with the Race Headquarters representative. They will be happy to arrange for you to use your own chip.

NOTE: "Souvenir" timing chips from previous Credit Union QCM races are "one-time-use" and cannot be used from year to year.

Do I get a discount if I use my own ChampionChip timing chip?

Unfortunately, there are no registration discounts for using your own chip.

Where and when can I see my race results?

CLICK HERE to learn more about race results and race certificates.

8 am September 9, 2012

COUNTDOWN TO 2012 RACE

Timing

For all individual (i.e. non-relay team) events, the Credit Union QCM has switched over to a single-use "souvenir" timing chip from ChampionChip.

NOTE TO RELAY TEAMS: There are timing mats at the start and finish lines, as well as at several other places along the course.

You must be wearing your timing chip around your ankle to register your time across all the timing mats.

If you hold the timing chip in your hand, your time will not be registered and, in the case of the timing mats out on the course, the integrity of your participation will come into question and your team could face disqualification.

All participants must ensure they pass across the rubber timing mats at the beginning and finish of the race, as well as any other timing mats placed out on the course.

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