Nope nope nope nope wrote:
Thank you. That's the most intelligent post I have seen. However, you need to consider it from the RD's perspective. It's extremely difficult to refute the timing mats. The whole point of timing mats is to ensure runners don't cheat. If the RD comes out and says the timing mats didn't work then there is no more reason to have them. They might as well just set up random video cams along the course and ditch the mats.
Hmm. That might be the solution to this problem.
Everything is supplementary to each other. Timing mats are just one measure.
I say to RDs who insist on using mats from a safety point of view (i.e. we know who is still out there and where they are), that timing mats read the chip that passes over the mat, it doesn't mean that allocated runner has chip, wears it correctly etc etc.
All it does is " if runner x is wearing chip y, then that is him at the mat" ...what he does between that is up to the RD's race management and enforcement.
If someone cheats in mid field or back of pack, then probably it slips through, but RDs would already know that a sub 3 or potential sub 3 70yo is lining up let alone, finishing