Things happen fast during a race. Here is a list of things you can do if you want to hurt us and hurt the competitors:

1. Enter a finish line timing area if you are not officially entered: Most races use electronic timing systems. Every time a volunteer timer sees a person come into a timing area and cross a line, they click a button. This records a time and a place. Other volunteers record competitor numbers. The idea is to match a number, and the name that goes with it, to a recorded time. In our race, because we don't have a chute, we cannot keep people in order and manually take off their number tabs. We must visually spot and record numbers. If a competitor is not officially entered, at a later time, a recorded time will not match with the proper competitor. This will give that competitor a split time they did not have. Because we are a relay, our computer subtracts the time of one competitor from the next teammate to give the next teammate a split. Once again, if we are subtracting the wrong time from a correct time, we will come up with an inaccurate split. If there are many people in a bunch, an unauthorized finisher may not seem to be such a problem. But, eventually, there will be a gap of several or more seconds, and those competitors and their teammates will be recorded inaccurately.
   
   You can help: Chances are, anyone who reads this is probably going to be officially entered, and thus not unauthorized, but they can still help us police our finish areas by discouraging others from crossing a line if not authorized. They can also remind their teammates, like their canoe partners, that though it is okay to loosen up and warm up by joining the runners, they should not enter the finish line area.

2. Enter the canoe finish line if you have not completed the entire canoe course: This happens essentially two ways. If the weather suddenly turns very bad, it might be necessary, as a safety precaution, to require canoes that have not reached the race turn around boat to turn back. In effect, we are taking that team out of the race for their own safety. A more common situation is where a canoe team has independently decided, usually on a rough day, to turn back without completing the entire course. Without thinking what they are doing, one of these teams paddles through the canoe finish line. Their number will be recorded in order of general order of finish. A time will be recorded. Soon, as the order of finish is generally posted, or perhaps after it has started to be announced, it will become clear that something is wrong. Someone will protest. We will eventually find that the team's number was not recorded at the turn around boat and eliminate them. But, think of the delay that is always frustrating for both competitors and the committee that can be avoided. Think of the anger and hurt that can be avoided on a day that should be filled with fun and good competition. Think of those poor tabulators sitting in that hot tent trying to sort out the problem. Think of the age group awards that can be incorrectly tabulated. Think of the awards that can be announced, posted, and handed out. Think of the deserving team that does not get its award. If this happens even once or twice, it will cause us a lot of trouble. If it happens a lot, on a rough day, for example, we will be delayed for often over an hour.
   
   You can help: If you know of a team that you believe has improperly entered the canoe finish area, make a note of that team's number, try to find those canoers and confirm. Report what you believe to the Registration tent so that we can immediately begin to investigate.

3. Distracting a race volunteer or committee member who obviously is too busy to help you: If you see a volunteer or committee member who is obviously involved in timing, recording or tabulating, please don't distract them by asking them a question that does not involve what they are doing. Everything is happening fast. A mistake can compound itself quickly.
   
   You can help: Pose your questions to a volunteer or committee member who does not appear to be involved in timing, recording or tabulating. If they can't help you, they will try to send you to someone who can. Better yet, go to the Registration Tent, which is a central location for us. We have people there who usually can help with most questions.

4. Cyclists not getting into position (see cycling instructions) on the side of the road so that the exchange zone can be set: It is important that the exchange zone be set well before runners finish. This is for the safety of runners and starting cylists. Imagine how dangerous it is if a cyclist is trying to find his or her starting spot as other cyclists are actually starting their race.

5. Traditional course cyclists warming up on the north side of the changeover zone: This causes us problems in two ways. If a cyclist comes back as runners are finishing or about to finish, a potentially dangerous situation is created. Just getting cyclists to return to the south side of the zone or the zone itself ties up several volunteers who could otherwise be devoted elsewhere.