Discussion: Question about the star format

The instructions state that each box has 5 connected controls and 1 free control. 6 handicap does 2 connected controls, 5 handicap does 3 connected controls "and so on". 1 handicap does 5 connected controls plus the first connected control. 0 handicap does that plus the free control. Following through on the "and so on", I get to 3 handicap doing all 5 connected controls. But where does that leave a 2 handicap when there are only 5 connected controls? Am I missing something?

Or do you mean that 6 handicap does 1 connected control, 5 handicap does 2, etc.? Then 6 handicap would do 6 fewer controls than a 0 handicap, which works out.

Also, just wanting to confirm that 2 connected controls, for example, means having the option to do "c" to "a" instead of "a" to "c" (the example given in the instructions).

Anyway, it sounds interesting having this new variation to the THOMASS format. Looking forward to it.

What SI software do you use to handle this format? Or do you just download the data, print it out, and verify the results by hand?

Course setters can come up with some wild formats and the epunch people can't keep up.

seriously

I would use control codes to quick check by hand. We did this when my club tried the format.
Box one codes 1XX
Box two codes 2XX
Common controls XX

The courses in epunch software just need the common controls, Boxes show up as extra punches.
Register runners under class that is their handicap and tells how many they need in each box.
Then when download check the class on the printout and quick count the number of extra punches by control code. The boxes have to be taken between certain controls so the extra punches should be together for each box. And you could quick check the time stamps for punches in each box are between the correct controls on the common course.

In my experience as an organizer in events using the THOMASS handicap format, it takes some time to verify all results by hand before posting. However, since there is a mass start, the winner is determined right away - first across the line who punches the required number of controls.

Ralph, there was a typo in the first set of instructions. Handicap 6 just gets one control per Box, and it must come from the Star. (Yes, that sentence totally makes sense, folks.)

Here is Dale's new photo explaining it (if you're on Facebook).
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015294647...

Thanks, Bash. I'm not on Facebook, but the same picture is on the website. The schematic was there when I looked this morning, but without the explanatory text. The text answers all my questions. I also see the instructions on the main page have been revised so the numbers work.

My wife feels she should be allowed to skip them all because of a trademark violation. ;-)

:)

They probably feel she belongs to the wrong club.

Nick tells her that all the time.

absolutely :)