Chief Timekeeper
This page is an excerpt from the OSOA clinic. This page is a refresher only. Officials must personally attend the OSOA clinic prior to signing up for a position.
Full clinic material is available at the Ontario Swimming Official’s Association website.
Chief Timekeeper Role
• Of all the intermediate positions, Chief Timekeeper is probably the most straightforward.
• Accurate timing by this team is ESSENTIAL.
• The Chief Timekeeper and their assistant must maintain a constant check on the accuracy and the efficiency of all the Timekeepers.
Before the Meet
• Arrive early – at least one hour before the start.
• Check with the Meet Manager about the conditions of the watches and check watches, if required.
• Arrange a sign-out system for the watches, if requested by the Meet Manager.
• Arrange a time with the Referee and Starter for a “Watch Check”
• Have extra batteries (if appropriate), watches, and pencils for Timekeepers on the deck, during the meet.
Before the Meet – Discuss with the Referee
• Are official times to be recorded on the cards by the Timekeepers? (almost never)
• What are the signals for advising the Referee if any Timekeepers have a problem? (ie: card mix-up)
• Will there be two (2) swimmers per lane in distance events?
• Is there a need to appoint relay take-over judges?
Special Procedures
• Distance Events – two swimmers per lane?
• Need extra Timekeepers?
• 25 metre Swim in a 25 metre pool – Will swimmers be moved to start at the turns end, or will the Timekeepers be moved to take the finish at the turns end?
Before the Meet – Briefing
Conduct a briefing session and watch check with all Timekeepers, 25 to 30 minutes before the start of the session.
• Introduce yourself and your assistant and explain your duties.
• Ensure you have enough Timekeepers and arrange for more if required.
• Identify any new Timekeepers and ensure they work with experienced Timekeepers.
• Appoint relay take-over judges, if required, and discuss correct position for observing relay takeover and procedure for reporting of a disqualification.
• Select a Head Timekeeper for each lane. If you do not have a certified Inspector of Turns in each lane, notify the Referee.
• Discuss how to operate the different kinds of watches or plungers, that will be used. Stress that the person that starts the watch MUST stop the watch. DO NOT EXCHANGE A WATCH ONCE IT HAS BEEN STARTED.
Identification of swimmers (have a sample card).
• Correct name on card – matches the swimmer in the water.
• Correct heat – for heats, it is located under “Heat”, for timed finals or finals, it is located under “Final”.
• Correct Lane – for heats, it is located under “Heat”, for timed finals or finals, it is located under “Final”.
• Relays – Swimmers swim in correct order.
Discuss the recording of times on the time cards.
• Recorded to the hundredths
• Correct location on the card for:
– Timed Finals – Bottom middle under “Final”
– Preliminary Heats – Bottom left under “Heats”
– Finals – Bottom middle under “Final”
Splits
• When – Every time the swimmer touches the wall.
• How – Lean over the end of the pool and observe the touch.
• Where to record them on the card – Far right side of the card and on the back if not enough room. (Note: The Chief Finish Judge may request splits to go on the back of the card). On distance events (800 and 1500), if you miss a split, put a line through the space where the split would have been recorded. This will assist you in keeping track of where the swimmer is in the race for the Bell Lap.
Official Times
• Are the Timekeepers putting them on the cards? Almost never.
• If so, how to calculate them using 2 or 3 watches.
Light touches when using electronics.
• Swimmer does not touch the pad firmly enough to activate the electronics.
• Report it to the Chief Timekeeper or Assistant
• Write “Light Touch” on the time card.
When and how to ring bells if you have 800 or 1500 metre events during the session.
• In 25 metre pool
– For 800 metre race – Ring bell at the 750m lap
– For 1500 metre race – Ring bell at the 1450m lap
• In 50 metre pool
– For 800 metre race – Ring bell at the 700m lap
– For 1500 metre race – Ring bell at the 1400m lap
– A hand bell shall be rung for each swimmer over the right lane rope of his/her lane as he/she approaches the backstroke flags and continue until the turn is completed and the swimmer has passed the backstroke flags.
Other Items
• How does the Timekeeper signal for help when they have a problem?
• Resetting of watches – on the Referee’s first whistle to start the next heat or as instructed by the Chief Timekeeper.
• Advise Timekeepers to record times as fast as possible and to be prepared for the next race.
• Relays
• The first leg of relays (50 or 100 splits) shall be timed by all Timekeepers and recorded and published as official times.
• Ensure the Timekeepers know the relay take off rules, the Head Timekeeper is charged with this duty.
During the Meet
SW 2.8.1 – The Chief Timekeeper shall assign the seating positions for all Timekeepers and the lanes for which they are responsible. There shall be three (3) Timekeepers for each lane. If Automatic Officiating Equipment is not used, there shall be two (2) additional Timekeepers designated, either of whom shall be directed to replace a Timekeeper whose watch did not start or stopped during an event, or who for any other reason is not able to record the time. When using three (3) digital watches per lane, final time and place is determined by time.
CSW 2.8.1.1 – When using less than three digital watches per lane, the final time and placing shall be determined by time.
SW 1.2.3 – Where Automatic Officiating Equipment is not available, such equipment must be replaced by a Chief Timekeeper, three (3) Timekeepers per lane, and two (2) additional Timekeepers.
• If there are only two (2) Timekeepers, then the Chief Timekeeper or their assistant shall have their times recorded on the card of the first and second place swimmers in the event of an Age Group swimmer breaking a record in a Senior Meet.
• The extra Timekeeper is essential for large meets and helpful at all meets.
• In the event you don’t have extra Timekeepers, you or your assistant will provide the time.
SW 2.8.2 – The Chief Timekeeper shall collect from the timekeepers in each lane a card showing the time recorded and, if necessary, inspect their watches.
• A runner will be assigned to collect the cards.
• You should look at the first one or two heats to ensure the times are being recorded properly, and in the proper places. (splits, timed finals, heats, etc.)
SW 2.8.3 – The Chief Timekeeper shall record or examine the official time on the card for each lane.
• Official times are normally put on the cards by the Chief Finish Judge.
• If electronics are being used, the times are taken from the official electronics printout by the Chief Finish Judge,
SW 11.3 – Any timing device that is terminated by an official shall be considered a watch. Such manual times must be taken by three timekeepers appointed or approved by the Member in the country concerned. All watches shall be certified as accurate to the satisfaction of the governing body concerned. Manual timing shall be registered to 1/100 of a second. Where no Automatic Equipment is used, official manual times shall be determined as follows:
• “Certified as accurate”….is done at the watch check.
• Times obtained from watches/ semiautomatic timing (plungers) stopped by an official will be considered a Manual Time.
Determining Manual Times
SW 11.3.1 – If two of the three watches record the same time and the third disagrees, the two identical times shall be the official time.
SW 11.3.2 – If all three watches disagree, the watch recording the intermediate time shall be the official time.
SW 11.3.3 – With only two (2) out of three (3) watches working the average time shall be the official time.
CSW 11.3.3.1 – If only two watches are being used, the arithmetic average to the slowest hundredth shall be the official time.
Records
CSW 12.18.3 – Record swims shall be timed and recorded by an Automatic Officiating Equipment system or by three (3) timekeepers.
For a RECORD there must be THREE (3) watches. The Chief Timekeeper or their assistant should always have their times recorded on the card if there are only two (2) Timekeepers.
CSW 12.18.4 – A time achieved while swimming the first “leg” of a relay or while swimming any part of an individual event with an electronic timing system start, may count as a record. For a split time to count as a record, the swimmer must legally complete the full distance of the event or “leg” of the relay, and the official time, for the individual event, shall be equal to or better than the qualifying time for the event. (See also SW 12.10 & SW 12.11)
There will be an extra card attached to the normal card requesting an “Official Split” The Referee should advise you as soon as he is advised, and arrangements made to time the 50 metre end.
Summary
• Signal the Referee if something goes wrong in your area that needs to be fixed and requires the meet to stop.
• Take the time of the winner of each heat or other lanes as required.
• Supervise all Timekeepers.
– Check their times are accurate by observing the time being recorded.
– Check that the Head Lane Timekeeper is recording the information in the right place on the cards.
– Have your time recorded if required for a third time, or if a Timekeepers time is not right.
– Chief Timekeeper’s time is a diplomatic way for the Chief Timekeeper to supervise every lane and observe that time are accurate. The Chief Timekeeper’s time is not used when three (3) good times are recorded.
• Evaluate Timekeepers.
• Move Timekeepers from a lane with no swimmer to a lane where a Timekeeper did not get a start on their watch.
• Solve ongoing problems in your area of responsibility.
After the Meet
• Sign record applications.
• Ensure all watches are returned, shut off, and stored properly. Those that are not working are marked and brought to the attention of the Meet Manager.
• Return the watches to the office, or the Meet Manager.
Chief Timekeeper Briefing Sheet
Meeting with Referee
• Watches all work, or is the meet using Electronics?
• Checklist of events. Any Relays, 25m, 50m, 800m, 1500m?
• Do Timekeepers record official times on cards?
• Arrange signals for 25m/50m events.
• Will there be two swimmers per lane for distance events?
• Where do you want the official time for the first leg of the relays written?
• Need to appoint Head Lane Timers?
• Need to appoint Relay Takeover Judges?
Briefing of Timekeepers
• Introduce yourself, assistant, Start.
• Do you have enough Timekeepers?
• Put Novice Timekeepers with experienced ones.
• Do you have enough Head Lane Timekeepers? If not, inform the Referee.
• Discuss the operations of the watches.
• If electronics or plungers are used, review the procedure for their use. Reminder: The start is connected electronically with the starter’s device; only the depression of the plunger button with index finger is required when the swimmer completes the race.
• Arrange with Referee and Starter to do a “Watch Check”. Let the watches run a full minute before stopping. You want to ensure that all their times are consistent.
• Cards – Ensure correct name, heat, lane.
• Times – Yes or No for official times on cards. Record times to the 1/100th. Correct location on card for heats, finals, or timed finals.
• Splits – Where, bells for 800m and 1500m events.
• Light Touches – Where to record and who to notify.
• Relays – Swum in correct order, first leg will require all Timekeepers to take a time. It is an Official Time. Where to record.
– Problems – Procedures if you have a problem in your lane.
– Procedure and time to report on deck
Take extra watches and pencils on deck with you.
Have Fun!!!