Relay

Summary

You can use Mulka2, not only at individual races but also at relay. There are some differences, for example the preparation, and the views you use. Below are the instructions of how to use Mulka at a relay.

Creating Files

Same as for individual races, you have to first create some CSV files using Excel, etc. and then create event data using the event manager. The files you should create first are:

• RelayClass.dat : Includes the definitions of the number of runners per class, their start time, restart time, etc.
• RelayTeam.dat : Includes the name of each relay team, its members, etc.
• Startlist.dat : Includes the name of each runner, their E-card number, associated course, etc.

Other than these, if you will use intermediate controls, also create Intermediate.dat. Check this link for details.

Create these files in ".csv" format. When you import these data into Mulka2, it will automatically convert to ".dat" format.
Make the first row a header row, and write in the data from the second row on.

Relay Class Data

In RelayClass.dat, define the number of runners per class, their start time, restart time, etc. In each field define:

• Relay Class Name
  • The name of the relay class
• Number of Runners
  • Number of runners that comprise a team. If it's a relay of 3 people, write "3". This is NOT the total number of all the participants that will run in a class, but rather the number of runners that each team has.
• Start Time
  • The start time for the first runner. This is when the race starts.
• Change Over Limit:@
  • Replace the @ with an integral number 2 or bigger. Write in the time, after which, the runner cannot change over to the @th runner. (ex. 11:30)
• Restart:@
  • Replace the @ with an integral number 2 or bigger. Write in the restart time of the @th runner.
• Intermediate:@
  • Replace the @ with an integral number. Make this field only if you will use intermediate controls. Write in the name of the @th intermediate control that the runner will encounter. (Define the name of intermediate controls using Intermediate.dat)

If you are planning to do a relay with one person (which is a individual race, but everyone start at a same time and there are multiple courses), create data as a individual race, not a relay. You may mix up relay and individual race in a single event.

Relay Team Data

In RelayTeam.dat, define the name of each relay team, information of members, etc. In each field define:

• Relay Class Name
  • Relay class of that team
• Team Number
  • Team number of that team
• Team Name
  • Team name
• Club
  • The name of the club that the team belongs to. This field is useful when you want to change the relay member to another person in the same club.
• Start Number:@
  • Replace the @ with a integral number. Write the start number of the @th runner. It will be easy if you put a @ at the tail of his team number. (ex. If he's the 2nd runner of team 123, his start number will be "1232".)
• Not Competing:xxxx
  • If you put a 1 in this field, this team's result will be a not competing result. "xxxx" is the reason why the team is not competing, and this reason will also appear on the result. (ex. "Not Competing:Unattended")
• Memo:xxxx
  • If you put a 1 in this field, "xxxx" will appear on the result as a memo. This does not make the team non-competing.

Startlist Data

In Startlist.dat, define the names of the people who will run the relay, their course, E-card number, etc.

• Start Number
  • the unique code of each competitor. Usually the number is 3-5 digits. This should also be the bib number.
• Name
  • Full name of the competitor. Leave this category blank if you do not know the competitor's name yet.
• Class
  • You do not write the class name itself. Instead, if it's the first leg of ME, write "ME Leg.1". If it's the 3rd leg of WE, write "WE Leg.3".(河野注：これで合ってますか？ The sample relay event files use the following syntax: ME1, ME2, etc.)
• Course
  • In each leg, there should be several course patterns, so here, write the the runner's specific course name (i.e. the specific fork that each runner will run).
• E-card Number
  • If you know in advance each person's E-card number, write down the E-card Number here. If the E-card is not preassigned, you do not have to write this category.

If you will have a relay and an individual race in parallel, then also write information of runners who will run the individual race in the same file. In this case, you also need the "Start Time" category. Write the start time of the individual race runners, and leave this category blank for relay runners (Please note that it is not mandatory to include this information in events that have a lift-up start and the start times are not preassigned). In the "Class" category of individual race runners, write their actual class name.

Creating an Event

After each file is ready, launch the event manager and create event data. Start Menu > Event Manager > New Event
(image)
Write the event name, date and other info, just as individual races. Then click OK.
You will see the Event Edit screen. Drag & drop the three files you made to the region where it says "Drop files here to copy to a folder."
Mulka2 will detect the classes and courses that you defined in the three files.

Setting Course

Next, you create course data. There are three ways to create course data:

1. Manually input using event manager
2. Create Course.dat
3. Export OCAD's course data and import into Mulka2

For 2, refer to this [[link]. For 3, refer to this link. Below are instructions for 1.

First, open the Event Edit screen of event manager. Click "Create" of Course Data, and input a course name. Input every courses in the race.
If the class names are same as course names, click "Create Course by Class" located in the center of screen.(河野注：このボタン、どこにあります？)

Next is controls setting. Click the "Control" button located on the bottom right side. Set up the controls, course by course. (Note: Relay is not lift-up start. Make sure to click "No" on the Lift-up/Punching Start category.) Double-check if there are any mistakes, and click OK.
After that, set the course length and climb of each course (these fields are optional).

You may also directly edit the course setting file using text editors by clicking "Direct Edit" button

This is all you have to do. Click the "Close" button and save settings. Once it is saved, you will see the event data folder with the setting file inside.

How to Use E-Card at Relay

There are two ways to use E-card at relay: pre-assign or free-use.

Pre-assign is the method that you decide which E-card is used by which team's which leg in advance. The good point is that you can save time at downloading, but you need to designate which E-card to assign to which leg of which team, and preferably put a label on each E-card to prevent mistakes. It is not recommended to use the competitor's own E-card, because once the E-card is designated to a certain leg, you cannot change it. For example, if Mr. A was supposed to run leg 2 but was absent on the day of the event, Mr. B has to run leg 2 with Mr. A's E-card.

Free-use is the method that "anyone can use any E-card". You can use one E-card twice or many times. Instead, when downloading the E-card, you have to input the runner's start number. If you make a mistake in inputting the start number, you have to reset it but it's a little complicated. To prevent mistakes, it is recommended that each competitor wears a bib with a start number.

On the Day of the Event

There are some points that are different from individual race.

• You have to input the team order (who will run which leg) using a screen for exclusive use.
  • Go to [Relay(R)]>[Team Order (T)], and input the team number.
• There are some points you have to be careful when downloading.
  • At relay, a lot of competitors finish at almost the same time. Be calm. The most important thing about relay is not their time, but their order of finish. Line the competitors up and download their E-cards in the correct order. Because the start method is not lift-up start, the competitors' finish time is calculated from the E-card data and the PC's internal clock. Therefore, it is important to set the PC clock to the right time. Also, if you download the E-card when Mulka2 is not open, the clock inside the E-card will stop and it will be unable to calculate the results, so be careful. Just in case there is an mistake, we recommend you to do backup timekeeping (timekeeping using a stopwatch).
• The way to show and print competitors' results is different.
  • To show relay results, use "Relay Result List" and "Relay Ranking" instead of "Result List" which you use at individual races. Click on any view and select these lists.
  • To print relay results, go to [Print(P)]>[Result List] and then, select 「リレーリザルトリスト印刷」.(河野注：ここ英語化必要) Select the relay classes that you want to print. If there is an individual race going on at the same time, you may also select those classes.
• You have to do some work at restart.
  • Go to [Relay(R)]>[Restart(R)]. When it is almost restart time, print the restart runners list, and hand it over to the organizers at start. Make sure that the organizers at start check the runners who actually restarted.
  • After restart, go to [Relay(R)]>[Restart(R)] again and mark the runners who did not restart "Absent".
  • If the start/restart time has changed, go to [Relay(R)]>[Start Restart Time Edit(S)] to change the time.

Additional Information

• Relay result is calculated by the sum of each competitors' results. If one competitor of a certain team was DISQ(disqualified), the team's result will also be DISQ.
• Start time of competitors of leg 2 and on are automatically set as the previous competitor's finish time. If for some reason, the competitor finished before the previous leg's competitor finishes, Mulka2 will be unable to calculate. This occurs when for example, the Leg 3 competitor mistakenly started right after the Leg 1 competitor, or when you mistakenly input the start number of Leg 3 competitor when downloading Leg 2 competitor's E-card.
• Restart is calculated by changing the restart competitor's start time from the previous competitor's finish time to the designated restart time. If you want to do restart without using Mulka2's restart function, you may also manually set the restart competitor's start time. If you want to delete the restart for a certain runner, delete his start time. Then, his start time will be automatically set as the previous competitor's finish time.
• At relay, more troubles occur compared to individual race, for example DISQ, forgetting to activate their E-card, running with a wrong map, etc. If the competitor's result was P1, it usually means the competitor punched a wrong control or the competitor didn't punch a certain control. If the result was P2-P5, there is a probability that the competitor ran with a wrong map in his hand. In this case, check if his map was correct.