Tharl Racers of Gor: Schedule Leagues Results Stats Information

Starting and Groping

Learning how to keep a race fun and moving along, all at the same time!

The Race Officials
There are three “officials” that run each race. Those are (1) the Race Director, (2) the Starter, and (3) the Groper.
The Race Director is responsible for many things that make the race happen and keep it going.

  • The Director sets up the registration banner a day before the race and puts out notices before the race.

  • The Director organizes and puts out prizes for the Bloodbath and Open Division races.

  • Before the race, the Director welcomes people to the event and answers at least a thousand questions in IM that begin with “Why didn’t…”, “How can I…”, “Why can’t I…”, and… well, you get the idea.

  • Fifteen minutes before race time, the Director closes registration and gets the race form information from the registration banner. In this short time, the Director completes a flawless race form showing the prize contributions, starters, gropers, racers, gates, teams, and tharlarion names for 17 races, still with IMs ringing non-stop.

  • During the race, the Director solves any issues that arise because of mistakes, changes, lag, and computer crashes. Meanwhile the Director records the results of each race into the Final Race Results Form.

  • Immediately after the race, the Director posts the Final Race Results Form in group.

  • And with unflappable cheeriness, the Director creates an enjoyable experience for everyone at the race.

The Groper is responsible to see that all the racers are ready for the countdown at race time for each race.

  • The Groper calls the racers to the gate, seeing that every racer goes to the gate shown on the race form.

  • The Groper checks each tharl to see that its points qualify it for the Division running this race.

  • The Groper handles mistakes discreetly, sending racers back for the correct tharlarion or to the correct gate.

  • The Groper enforces the 5-minute rule, which allows a racer who loses the SL connection to return ready to race within 5 minutes.

  • The Groper signals to the Starter when the racers are ready to enter the gates for the countdown.

  • The Groper injects cheery humor into the race, making the start an exciting and entertaining event.

The Starter is responsible to start the race correctly when every tharl is registered and every racer is ready.

  • The Starter must set the race gate to the correct number of laps for the race.

  • Either the Starter or the Groper may open the gates for the racers to enter the starting gates.

  • When the all racers are in, the Starter closes the gates behind the racers, and then once again resets the gate.

  • The Starter then begins the 10-second countdown and starts the race.

  • During the race, the Starter may call commentary on the race by camming on the lead pack.

  • As the finishers cross the final lap, the Starter must be sure to get the finish results from the gate before the gate is reset.

  • If one or more racers do not finish, the Starter must “END” the race, to present the tally in chat and on the scoreboard.

Some finer points of starting and groping

  1. Set your viewer to “shout” mode. This helps the spectators distinguish the officials’ comments from the crowd and gives you a 96 meter range to be heard. To set your viewer to have a “shout” selection button, use the Ctrl-P Preferences, Chat side tab, Typing top tab, and check the boxes labeled “Add a chat bar” and “Show chat type / send chat button”. Now you have a dropdown to always shout.

  2. Read the race form. Know the laps for this track and this race. Shorter tracks run 2-3-4 laps for A and B Leagues, and 2-2-3 laps for C and D leagues. Longer tracks run 1-2-3 laps for A and B Leagues, and 1-1-2 laps for C and D leagues. Starting a race with the wrong number of laps means the race must be re-run.

  3. Understand point requirements. A tharlarion may race with fewer than the division max points allowed. A racer may choose to distribute their points to skills other than speed. A racer may have a tharlarion of any level, so long as the points assigned do not exceed the max allowed. Usually, you will see Div 1 = 10-1-1, Div 2 = 13-1-1, Div 3 = 16-1-1, and Open = 21-1-1 or 20-2-1 or 19-3-1.

  4. Reset the gates again after the riders are all in the gate. This assures that every tharl is registered with the gate, and lists them all in 1 to 10 gate order so you can easily see if one is missing. It is especially important to reset again if a rider has backed out of the gate and re-entered. A racer will not get a finish time if the tharlarion is not registered in the gate.

  5. Let the racers know the number of laps, and if it is an elimination, how many will advance to the final race.

  6. Providing commentary: It is great to add to the excitement with race commentary.

    • Remember your primary duty is to run the race. Don’t get too distracted by your commentary.

    • The mini-map is your friend. Set it to cover the entire sim, right click on the leader or second dot, and pick “cam”. You’ll get a great view of the fight for the lead, which you can call out to the spectators.

    • Try to lead the racers with your words. For example, you can set the cam at some choke-point, and pre-type “At the exit of the tunnel it’s…”. Then when they emerge, you can type in the leaders name and send the message.

    • On multi-lap races, remind the racers to keep going after 1 lap. You can announce before the racers get to the line, “With 1 lap to go….” or something that reminds the leaders not to accidentally quit the race early.

  7. Overruling the gate results: We do not change the race results or restart races because of a personal issue like a PC crash, lag spike, or having to take a potty break. We also do not change results if waypoints or laps “seem” not to be counted by the gate. We simply let the gate rule. However…
    If a racer has a PC/Network malfunction before the race begins, the racer is allowed up to 5 minutes to relog or correct the issue before the race is started. This 5-minute rule also applies to racers not showing up at the gate for a scheduled race. Exception—For a Bloodbath with alternates, racers not showing up at race time can be replaced by alternates.

  8. A race will be re-started if the Race Director, in his/her discretion, decides that the race officials made a critical mistake that affects points and prizes, due to setting incorrect laps, terminating the race early, or for an extreme equipment malfunction.

  9. How to stop a race in progress: (a) If the racers are still in the gate, the Starter can click “Reset Race”, and any countdown in progress will stop. (b) If the racers have left the gate, then the Starter must click “Stop Race!”. This shouts and sends an IM to every racer to stop and return to the gates. Most will not be listening to IMs and will continue around the track anyway! The command “Stop Race” discards the race results, and a new race must be started.

  10. Protect the fun! Be free with compliments, encouragement, and congratulations. It is always a privilege to have and see great competition, and there is never a problem saying so. If you are going to criticize someone, criticize yourself. I always find that people enjoy it when I do that!

Have fun at the races!

Thaïs