Olympic Games 1996

OLYMPIC YACHTING REGATTA

RESULTS SYSTEM AND DISPLAY -
SUPPLEMENTARY SPECIFICATION

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 At a meeting in Atlanta on 21 March 1996, involving representatives from ACOG Technology, Swiss Timing, IBM and AOB, the IYRU Technical Delegate undertook to provide a specification for the additions and alterations considered necessary to generate 'close to real time' information from the results system planned for the Olympic Yachting Regatta.

1.2 This document outlines the relevant elements of the current system as it is understood, highlights the changes necessary and discusses the display requirements.

1.3 The document does not deal with how the data is captured by the Swiss Timing system. There is a need for training personnel in the use of this system and for proper and exhaustive testing before the event.

2 CURRENT SYSTEM

2.1 The data supplied by Swiss Timing from the courses as a boat rounds a mark or finishes includes:

a) an initial code which identifies the event, race and mark number

b) a three letter country code, which identifies the boat, and

c) the time at which the boat rounds the mark.

This information is transmitted, as it is entered, to IBM at the Olympic Marina.

2.2 A computer, dedicated to each event (therefore eight in total), displays this information as it is transmitted. The screen shows the competing boats, displayed vertically in alphabetical order by country code. The mark numbers are displayed as a header across the top of the screen. The information, as it is received, appears in a tabular form with a number representing the position of each boat at a mark, with 1 being the leader. The times are available but are not displayed.

2.3 This information is stored in the database and produced as a report after the race has finished. A sample of the 'MARK ROUNDINGS' report is attached. At this stage the information is sorted by the final finishing order. Again the times are not included.

2.4 The finishing order includes the elapsed race time on the print out. Overall results are calculated from the finishing order. Samples of both the 'RESULTS' and the 'FLEET OVERALL RESULTS' reports are attached.

3 RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 In the current plan there is no information available during the race, but much of it is either displayed on the computers within the results area or could, apparently, be made available without significant additional programming. The requirements during the race can be summarized as follows:

i) At each mark, indicating the changes in position and the changes in time between the competitors.

ii) As each mark is rounded, determine the overall positions, assuming the race order doesn't alter.

iii) At the finish, where the same system will be used, to determine the overall results as the race ends.

3.2 The first element is already available on the results computers. The following points would need consideration:

a) the screen can only display a limited number of lines of information. This can be addressed by either reducing the size of the display to show more information or scrolling to show two separate screens. On a conventional screen the latter option would seem preferable.

b) the information would be easier to read if the lines of information were sorted by the order in which the most recent mark is rounded, rather than appearing alphabetically by country code.

c) the times should be included. These should be displayed from when the first boat rounds the mark, with the boat in first place having time zero.

3.3 An example of the way the information could be displayed:

 

Rank	Mark 1	Time	Mark 2	Time	Mark 3	Time
1	Country Code	0	Country Code	0	Country Code	0
2	Country Code	seconds	Country Code	seconds	Country Code	seconds

If space prevents all marks and the finish being included, the current and previous mark should be displayed as an alternative. This will allow reference to the improvement (or otherwise) in a boat's position.

3.4 One of the main idiosyncrasies of yachting is that the winner is established from a series of races, all of which count equally towards the overall results. Thus a boat leading a race often does not lead in the overall or, in the case of the last race, final results. The identification of the overall leader at any time, particularly during the final race, is obviously key.

3.5 Much of the code to display this second element would appear to already exist. Rather than using the finishing order to calculate the overall standings, the positions at the last mark are used.

3.6 The display could include:

 

RANK	NAME	COUNTRY	MARK (X)	OVERALL PTS
1 - N	Crew Name(s)	Country Code	Position at Mark	As Results Calculation

 

The display will ideally be sorted in RANK order. The display of the Crew Name(s) is optional.

3.7 The third element is identical to the second, except that the finishing results will be used to determine the overall position. The display will change slightly:

 

RANK	NAME	COUNTRY	FINISH	OVERALL PTS
1 - N	Crew Name(s)	Country Code	Position at Finish	As Results Calculation

3.8 We would also recommend that the information available on the database is regularly downloaded to a text file which could then be made available to other users without effecting the operation of the system.

4 DISPLAY

4.1 There are various requirements for the information detailed above.

4.2 Television

AOB are currently to display, amongst other information, the 'time after the leader' at each mark. This will be done by way of an on screen clock counting up from zero as the leading boat rounds the mark concerned or finishes. This provides no opportunity to compare the current time or positions with those at the previous mark or marks and certainly does not allow the information in 2) and 3) above to be displayed as the race progresses.

Initial enquiries suggest that the recommendations above would be of use to AOB, particularly for commentary purposes, if it is available in close to real time. Demand would need to be ascertained from AOB and NZTV.

4.3 Press

With four course areas and eight events running simultaneously, the information would clearly be benefit to the media. The display of the information already available in 1) is considered essential. This could be on one or two screens in the Press Centre, scrolling between the different events as necessary.

4.4 Athletes and Coaches

ACOG have already made an commitment to provide an electronic display of results at the Olympic Marina. This was in response to a question from the IYRU in October 1995 asking that:

"...the mark roundings, finishing positions and overall results be displayed electronically to competitors at both the Olympic and day marinas as a minimum."

This can easily be achieved at the Olympic Marina with minor modifications to the display already available. We understand that a modem link to repeat the display at the Day Marina, which is where the majority of Athletes and Team Officials will spend their day, could be simply established.

5 CONCLUSION

5.1 The current results system has the potential to provide useful and immediate information to AOB, the media and the Athletes and Officials. The additional work and costs involved seem small when compared to the human and other resources already committed to collecting the 'as live' data and producing the results.

5.2 I hope that the above specification is helpful in identifying the changes that are necessary to the current system to produce a satisfactory and innovative results service at the Olympic Yachting Regatta in Savannah.

Phil Jones

1st April 1996