Q: Different Finish Lines?

This is not new news. I suggest you google "chip times" versus
"gun times".

qquito <[email hidden]> writes:
: Hello, Everyone:

: Usually, a very large number of runners participate in a Marathon, and
: for this reason, NOT all runners can start at the same starting line.
: Instead, the runners stand in pretty much a phalanx, and those at the
: end can be 10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters, or even more behind those
: in the front row. This was also the case in the 50-km freestyle cross
: country skiing, the so-called winter counterpart of Marathon, at the XX
: Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.

: Given that the gold, silver, and bronze are often differentiated by a
: tiny fraction of a second, are the differences in starting points
: counted? In other words, do different competitors have different FINISH
: lines---if they have started at different STARTING lines? It seems that
: TV coverage of such events has never made this clear.

: Thanks for reading and replying.

: --Roland

" In other words, do different competitors have different
FINISH lines---if they have started at different STARTING lines?"

In a word...NOPE. It's just tough luck. I only know
a little, about marathons, but it's gun time that counts
for the money. If you're in the top few, you should be in front
at the start. If not, you got some making up to do.
....thehick

This is interesting to know. Thanks for the reply. So this means that
those who have less glorious records have to run the extra dozens of
yards to become new stars.

--Roland

qquito said:

Hello, Everyone:

Usually, a very large number of runners participate in a Marathon, and
for this reason, NOT all runners can start at the same starting line.
Instead, the runners stand in pretty much a phalanx, and those at the
end can be 10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters, or even more behind those
in the front row. This was also the case in the 50-km freestyle cross
country skiing, the so-called winter counterpart of Marathon, at the XX
Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.

Given that the gold, silver, and bronze are often differentiated by a
tiny fraction of a second, are the differences in starting points
counted? In other words, do different competitors have different FINISH
lines---if they have started at different STARTING lines? It seems that
TV coverage of such events has never made this clear.

I suspect there's some type of official seeding in the mass starts so
the faster ones start closer to the start line. Or like in running, the
slower ones start toward the back. But it's the first one across the
line that's the winner, regardless of where they started. Yes, with that
skate skiing mass start, they sure spread out more than in running, but
that was a really exciting finish to the 50k (one finish line) - closest
in history, I think they said.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/crosscountry/inside.html

However, many of the xc ski races are time trial (see above link) where
the individuals start at fixed intervals and the fastest time is the
winner.

Dot

--
"Remorse - a good trail always makes you feel sorry that it is over no
matter how tired you are" - Matt Carpenter