Volunteers are the backbone of every event and without them racing simply wouldn’t happen. This article describes the number of volunteers recommended for the different type of event run at each tier. There is also a short description of what each volunteer position is responsible for.
Volunteer Numbers
Different tiers and types of events require a different number of volunteers. Higher tier events have a high volunteer requirements then lower tier events for a few reasons:
- impact of results of athlete’s career requiring higher precision and certainty
- providing a level of backup timing mandated by sanctioning
- complexity of running certain types of races
Tier 1 Events
| Interval Start | Mass Start Skiathlon Relay | Sprint Qualifier | Sprint Heats | Handicap Start (3 lane) | |
| 15 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 19 | |
| Timing Office | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Lead Timer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Photo-Finish | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Data Monitor | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Results Production | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sprint Coordinator | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Start | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Chief of Start | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chip Handout | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Sprint Board | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Wrangler | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assistant Starter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Summit Operator | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Starter | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| False Start Controller | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lap | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Summit Operator | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Finish | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Chief of Finish | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Caller | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Recorder/Summit Entry | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Summit Post+Plunge | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chip Retrieval | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Tier 2 Events
| Interval Start | Mass Start Skiathlon Relay | Sprint Qualifier | Sprint Heats | |
| 12 | 14 | 11 | 9 | |
| Timing Office | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lead Timer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Data Monitor | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Sprint Coordinator | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Start | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Chip Handout | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Sprint Board | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wrangler | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Assistant Starter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Summit Operator | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Starter | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lap | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Summit Operator | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Finish | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Chief of Finish | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Caller | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Recorder/Summit Entry | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Summit Post+Plunge | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chip Retrieval | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Tier 3 and Citizen Events
| Interval Start | Mass Start Relay | |
| 5 | 7 | |
| Timing Office | 1 | 1 |
| Lead Timer | 1 | 1 |
| Start | 2 | 3 |
| Chip Handout | 1 | 2 |
| Starter | 1 | 1 |
| Finish | 2 | 3 |
| Chief of Finish | 1 | 1 |
| Chip Retrieval | 1 | 2 |
Volunteer Jobs
Timing Office
Lead Timer
-
Coordinates timing office volunteers
-
Coordinates setup of timing hardware
-
Monitors timing hardware, data and results
-
Resolves any issues that occur during the race
Photo-Finish Operator
- monitor photo-finish data making adjustments as needed
- tag racers in photo-finish software
Data Monitor
- Assist Photo-Finish operator with identifying racers
- Assist lead timer with monitoring timing data or resolving issues
Results Production
- Review results for anomalies
- Print results and deliver to race office and jury.
Sprint Coordinator
- Monitor sprint brackets cross-checking for correctness
- Communicate sprint information (brackets or schedule changes) to chief of start and chief of finish.
- Cross-check any information leaving the Timing Office to verify printed results match online results.
Start
Chief of Start
- Coordinate & train the start volunteers
- ensure the start runs according to rules
- assist the “wrangler”
Sprint Board
- manages distributing heat bracket information to officials
- maintains heat bracket information on the sprint board
- runs paper copies of heat brackets as needed
Chip Handout
- gets the correct chips on each racer when entering the start area
Wrangler
- Ensures athletes have entered the start area in time for their start
- Call for missing athletes
Summit Operator
- posts each starting athlete’s bib into a Summit
- provides a backup finish time for each start with a Summit plunger
Assistant Starter
- Lines up racers in the correct start order prior to their start time
- Feeds racers to the Starter in individual start races
Starter
- Starts racers at the correct time
- Closes the start gate after each racer starts (in interval start races)
- Calls false starts (in mass start and sprint races)
False Start Controller
- Runs in front of starting heat if a false start is called by the Starter
Lap
Summit Operator
- provides backup bibs and times using a Summit
Finish
Chief of Finish
- Coordinates & trains finish volunteers
- Ensures all paper backup records from the finish are returned to the timing office
- Communicates with Timing Office to resolve issues
Caller
- Calls bib numbers in order as they approach the finish line
- Assists in resolving discrepancies in finish bib order and determining close finishes
Recorder/Summit Entry
- Writes down bib numbers from Caller with the occasional time-of-day
- enter the written bib order into a Summit when there is a lull in finish line action
Summit Post+Plunge
- Post finishers’ bib numbers as they approach the finish line on a Summit (when possible)
- Push the summit plunger for each racer to record a backup finish time.
Chip Retrieval
- Removes chip from racers as they finish
- Put chips back onto racks and report any missing chips