Scoring systems for clubs to use

[lloyd_gsr]

Hi all,

Over the last few years I've been doing the scoring for our little club.  It's basically a mammoth spreadsheet, a credit to the author, but if stuff breaks it's very locked down and I can't fix it, or even attempt to fix it.  I'm interested in what other clubs use for computer based scoring, are there templates or pre-built customisable databases available for download anywhere?

I was considering doing my own but thought I'd be reinventing the wheel so I'd ask around first.

 

Thanks

[jonnyc21]

Where I haven't had the issue your talking about I also have been wondering the same, mostly so I could share it with our club so we could consider if we could use something like that. 

[rcgods]

Mine is just in excel

Nothing special with the one I use.  I do all the donkey work on a blank sheet that has the same layout as the main sheet.

The only sum in the sheet is section 1+section 2+section 3 until all sections are added.  It gets separated into classes and then filtered (using excel filters) on score and ties resolved (using highlight cells duplicate values).  I then make enough spaces in each class for the amount of riders on the actual results sheet.

Simply paste across. Then create a PDF of the file.  Done.

Mine does have some fancy bits like in the actual classes it shades every other line to make it easier to track across.

Edited July 15, 2022 by rcgods
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[trapezeartist]

I've never done any scoring but it has always stuck me that the worst part is transcribing the results from observer's sheets into the spreadsheet. I have wondered how it might be automated but not come up with a workable idea yet.

[rabie]

the guys at Berkhemstead MCC have built an app based system that at the simplest level lets the observer enter the riders number and score, at the end of the trial all the data is downloaded/merged into a result. the more complex version is used for the british solo mens trials championship with transponders/wristwatches on the rider and live scoring.

[jonnyc21]

On 7/18/2022 at 3:51 PM, rabie said:

the guys at Berkhemstead MCC have built an app based system that at the simplest level lets the observer enter the riders number and score, at the end of the trial all the data is downloaded/merged into a result. the more complex version is used for the british solo mens trials championship with transponders/wristwatches on the rider and live scoring.

That is interesting, I will have to look into this a bit to learn more.  Thanks.

[bikerpet]

I've never used it personally, but quite a few Australian clubs use the system from https://trialsport.com.au/

From an output perspective it works well:

Typically Australian events use rider-carried cards for each lap. Carry your own card, observer punches each section (often orienteering style punches with a different hole shape for each section), card is handed in at the end of each lap and next lap card is given to rider. Sometimes the score is just blacked out with a marker pen - most commonly when rider-observation is used (ie another rider observes and scores and you reciprocate).
I think that is different to many places where the observer keeps a sheet for all riders for their section?

I spent a bit of time looking into using an OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) to scan lap cards. There were 1 or 2 systems that could possibly do it but most are structured for marking exams, which is somewhat different to just pulling in data. The biggest stumbling block was going to be dealing with cards with dirt & mud splattered over them - relatively easy for a human, but far harder for software!
Where I am we punch out the numbers, so potentially using a backlit scanner could overcome that issue but then there's the case when the punch hasn't taken out the entire hole and so closes back over when scanned.
In the end I decided it was looking all too flaky.

The transponder type systems would be terrific when there's mobile signal, but certainly for us there are many events in locations with limited or no coverage. I think waiting until the end of the event for any results to come in would not be well received.
I did wonder about a hybrid system where Observers use an app and transponders (Generic NFC cards are cheap as chips) to score and an official, or even riders, travel around the loop with a reader app. The reader polls all the observer devices for their data and collects it, then it's all periodically updated in the central scoring system for semi-live progress results. No need for mobile signal, just use bluetooth between the two devices as they come in range.

[trapezeartist]

On 7/18/2022 at 10:51 PM, rabie said:

the guys at Berkhemstead MCC have built an app based system that at the simplest level lets the observer enter the riders number and score, at the end of the trial all the data is downloaded/merged into a result. the more complex version is used for the british solo mens trials championship with transponders/wristwatches on the rider and live scoring.

That was the sort of thing I had in my head. The problems I foresaw were:
1. Observers don't want to use their own phone for the task.
2. Difficulty downloading the data at the end of a trial.
3. General resistance to change.

If those obstacles can be overcome, it would be a great step forward.

I've seen the punch card system used at the Southern Experts and it was very good. Of course you need lots more cards than observer sheets, but the cost would not be great. The biggest problem was that it required two observers on each section as one must be standing by the Ends card. I suspect this may be the killer for club trials. Even without a scanner or lightbox, transcription to a spreadsheet would be much easier, especially with one person reading and one typing.

[rabie]

i've myself (as an organiser) have not used the system but the adoption of it by these guys (Berko, British trials championship, kytc, etc) has got lots of our trials blubs thinking

our (local trials club organisers) back of a fag packet plan would be 10 to 20 (the most sections we ever have) cheap android phones and back up battery thingies - we think the cpaital cost of this could be managable, worst ways we could construct some sort of levy system and borrow the money off the club or the ACU.

the simple version dosen't require the observer to scan (like a punchcard) so would keep down the number of offcials required. I'm told the merge part is easy.

the worry would be older observers who aren't very tech savy are ever going to struggle or be put off by this (hey it might even be they need thier reading glasses to use a phone), and volunter observers are what is so hard to come buy

[rcgods]

You would have to make sure you buy toughened phones or very rugged cases as the chance of them getting wet and damaged is fairly high. 

[trapezeartist]

On 8/2/2022 at 8:33 PM, rabie said:

i've myself (as an organiser) have not used the system but the adoption of it by these guys (Berko, British trials championship, kytc, etc) has got lots of our trials blubs thinking

our (local trials club organisers) back of a fag packet plan would be 10 to 20 (the most sections we ever have) cheap android phones and back up battery thingies - we think the cpaital cost of this could be managable, worst ways we could construct some sort of levy system and borrow the money off the club or the ACU.

the simple version dosen't require the observer to scan (like a punchcard) so would keep down the number of offcials required. I'm told the merge part is easy.

the worry would be older observers who aren't very tech savy are ever going to struggle or be put off by this (hey it might even be they need thier reading glasses to use a phone), and volunter observers are what is so hard to come buy

A custom app for that should be super-simple. I think even technophobic observers would be able to cope. Especially on dedicated phones where you could clear out everything not required. Reading glasses would be less necessary than with a typical observer sheet (I struggle when a trial is self-observed as I don't have glasses when I'm riding.)