How much does chip timing cost for a running race

How much does timing cost? It is often the first question a race director asks when moving from finish sheets to chips. The answer depends on three things, the equipment placed on the line, the number of runners to equip and how the equipment gets to the race. This article walks through each one, then gives the public Chrono Corner rates with worked examples.

What drives the price of chip timing

The equipment on the line

A mat antenna laid across the line reads every chip that passes over it and timestamps the crossing. It connects to a decoder that records the reads and sends them to the results. This is the fixed part of the price, the same for 80 or 800 runners, because one line is enough to read an entire field. A second system can be added for a split point or to back up the finish line.

Each runner's chip

In running races, the chip is a passive sticker on the back of the bib. It has no battery and the runner keeps it, so there is no deposit and nothing to collect. This is the variable part of the price, proportional to the number of registered runners. In hybrid racing, the chip is an active transponder worn on the ankle, reused from one wave to the next and returned at the end of the weekend.

Shipping and on site staff

The equipment has to arrive before the race and go back afterwards. Depending on the offer, the price can also include a technician on site all day. With Chrono Corner, round trip shipping is included in the flat fee, and the setup needs no technician, with support available throughout the race.

Chrono Corner rates

Chrono Corner race timing runs on professional RACE RESULT equipment, the same used at major races. The rates are public, booked and paid online, and they depend on the format because the equipment changes from one format to another.

The flat fee covers the mat antenna, the decoder and round trip shipping in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany. The per runner price is charged on runners actually registered, not on the race cap. Timing is booked together with Chrono Corner registration, which matches the runner list and chips with no re-entry on race day. Prices are net, VAT is not applicable under article 293 B of the French tax code.

Worked examples

The amounts below apply the rates to a running race with a single start and finish line. They do not include ticketing, which depends on your entry price.

On the ticketing side, an entry sold at €20 carries a €1.20 commission. You decide race by race who pays it, the runner on top of the entry, you, or both 50/50.

When to book

Public rates are booked online at least two months before the race. Closer to the date, the request still goes through and equipment availability is confirmed within 48 hours. Within a month of race day, shipping may be adjusted, and the final price is given to you before any payment. Spring and fall weekends are the busiest, so booking early is wise.

What is quoted separately

Public rates cover one start and finish line and one second system. Several simultaneous finish lines, custom split times, custom bibs with a built in chip, several thousand runners or a race outside the delivery area are quoted separately. Details are on the race timing pricing page, with a price calculator for each format, and the full process is in the guide how to time a running race or trail.