Running a Cross Country Meet with RaceApp

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Cross country meets have unique challenges compared to track meets: remote start locations, large fields of runners, and the need to process hundreds of finishers quickly. This guide walks you through the complete workflow for running a successful XC meet with RaceApp.

Before Meet Day

1. Set Up Your Meet

  • Create your meet and select “Cross Country Meet” as the type
  • Cross country scoring works differently than track - lowest score wins, and only the top 5 (or 7) runners per team count
  • Configure your scoring settings in “Edit Meet Details”:
    • Team Size: How many runners score (typically 5)
    • Displace: How many runners count for displacing (typically 7)

2. Prepare Your Athletes

You have two options for identifying athletes at the finish line:

Option A: QR Code Tags (Recommended for XC) - Print QR code tags for each athlete - Print on address labels or with a label maker - OR athletes can attach tags with small binder clips that can be collected at finish - Advantages: Faster data entry, no number lookup needed - At finish: Collect tags in order and attached them to a large piece of cardboard, scan them all at once after the race.

Option B: Bib Numbers - Assign bib numbers to all athletes before the meet - Print roster sheets for each team - athletes write their bib number on a Tyvek wristband with permanent marker - Or print half-sheet race bibs from the Assign Numbers page for a traditional pinned-on XC bib (2 per 8.5x11 sheet, with an optional QR code on the side for scanning) - Advantages: Durable, inexpensive ($0.02/wristband), survives sweat and weather - At finish: Volunteers call out or write down bib numbers as runners cross

Meet Day Setup

Timing Options for Cross Country

For XC, we recommend the Camera Timer (VAT) or Hand Timer. We do NOT recommend the FAT Timer for cross country - runners are too spread out, and you can’t post times until after the race finishes. The precision of FAT timing isn’t needed for XC anyway.

Camera Timer (VAT) is ideal for most XC meets because: - Captures a photo of each finisher for verification - Times AND photos publish to live results immediately - families love this! - One person can operate it - Accurate enough for XC (you don’t need FAT-level precision) - No download/install required - works right from the web app.

Hand Timer works well when: - Fine for a fall-back if you don’t care about finish line images - but really… just use the VAT timer. It’s awesome!

Setting Up at the Finish Line

  1. Position your iPad/phone perpendicular to the finish line on a tripod
  2. Test the camera view - you should see runners clearly as they cross
  3. Make sure you have good cell signal or WiFi for live results
  4. Have your volunteer chute system ready:
    • If collecting tags: A large piece of cardboard to attach them in order. This makes for fast scanning.
    • If calling numbers: Volunteer to record bib numbers in order on clipboard

Remote Start Procedure

XC races often start far from the finish. Here’s how to sync your timing:

Method 1: Start on your phone, finish on iPad

  1. Open RaceApp on your phone at the start line
  2. Navigate to the race and tap “Hand Timer”
  3. Tap “Start” when the gun fires
  4. The timer continues running even if you leave the page
  5. At the finish line, open the same race on your iPad
  6. The timer syncs - you can now mark finishers on the iPad

Method 2: Walkie-talkie coordination

  1. Have someone at the start with a radio
  2. Timer at finish starts when they hear “gun!” over radio

During the Race

Recording Finishers

With Camera Timer (VAT):

  1. Tap the Mark button as each runner crosses
  2. The system captures photos before and after the moment you tap
  3. Times save automatically and appear on live results immediately
  4. Runners, families, and coaches can see times + photos on their phones before the race even finishes!

With Hand Timer:

  1. Tap “Mark” as each runner crosses the finish line
  2. Keep a backup timer (printing stopwatch or another phone) running
  3. After the last finisher, tap “Stop”

Matching Athletes to Times

After the race, you need to connect athletes to their times. You can do this:

During the race: Have a volunteer scanning tags or entering bib numbers as runners finish (works well with 2+ volunteers)

After the race:

  1. Collect tags/wristbands in finish order
  2. Scan QR codes - fastest method
  3. Enter bib numbers - bib numbers auto-fill athlete info
  4. Scan handwritten results - write bib numbers on paper, scan with phone

For large XC meets, we recommend collecting athlete tags/wristbands at the finish chute and scanning them all after the race. This is faster and more accurate than trying to enter data in real-time. If you have enough volunteers, you can start scanning in the results before the race is finished. It won’t let you scan in the same code twice.

Pro tips: The QR scanner is very fast and sensitive. We do the following at our own meets:

  1. Write the finish number in Sharpie next to or on the tag/label.
  2. Write down the name of the athlete if their tag/label if it is damaged at all.
  3. Take a full sheet of paper and cut a hole in the middle the same size as the name tags.
  4. Use the paper as a mask/shield so only one QR code is visible to the camera at a time. This ensures that they are scanned in the right order.
  5. If you get one out of order, select the entry then under bulk options, delete the one entry and start again.
  6. If things get really messed up, you can clear the race (without deleting times) and start over with your scanning.

After the Race

1. Review Results

  • Check for any missing athletes or obvious errors
  • Use move results if you need to separate divisions (e.g., Varsity vs JV ran together)

2. Score the Meet

  • Click “Auto Calculate” to score automatically
  • XC scoring rules:
    • Lowest score wins
    • Only top 5 (or 7) runners per team count
    • “Displacement” runners affect other teams’ scores but don’t score points
  • See Auto Scoring for more details

3. Export Results

  • Use AI Meet Review to check for errors before exporting
  • Export to Athletic.net with one click

Tips from Experience

What we’ve learned running XC meets:

  1. ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP TIMER
    * Have another volunteer use a timer app on their phone or use our free hand timer:
    https://raceapp.net/timer (no login required) – it has a built-in share button that makes it easy for them to text or email you the list.
    * Have your backup timer and main timer regularly call out the counts to each other to confirm how many have crossed the finish line.
    * Have your backup timer text you the results after each race.
  2. Record a backup video of the finish chute - especially useful if you use the full size race bibs so you can identify kids from the backup video. A cheap GoPro clone on a tripod is good insurance.
  3. Test your cell signal at the finish area before meet day. No signal = no live results.
  4. Bring backup power. iPad battery lasts a full meet, but bring a charger anyway.
  5. Use the chute. A proper finish chute with volunteers keeping order makes data entry 10x easier.
  6. Print backup sheets. If tech fails, you can fall back to handwritten results and scan them with AI later.

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