The John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League

See also How to Change Numbers (below), Eligibility, Guests and Individuals, Peter's 2024 registration email and Peter's 2025 chip timing email.

Use of Chip Timing

From October 2025, the numbers provided will incorporate chip timing, rather than the bar coded numbers used in previous seasons. However, the process for registration is unchanged, including re-using the same number for subsequent fixtures, except:

1. Registration must be completed by midnight on Wednesday before the race;
2. Don't bend or wash the numbers or put pins through the timing chips;

Registration Of Runners

The Gwent League uses an online registration system for both seniors and juniors. To gain access to this, team managers should email us to be set up with a username and password. There's a guide to the online registration system here, and also link to a help page when you login. If you experience any problems, please get in touch.

Athletes should be registered on the system (ideally with their date of birth, to make age category calculation automatic), and then allocated a number. Please make a note of which athlete has which number, either by displaying and printing all athletes details, or emailing the list to yourself. The league only charges for finishers (see Fees and Clubs).

At subsequent fixtures, please remember to register any new athletes. The previously allocated numbers are re-used for returning athletes (see below for lost numbers).

On The Day (of the First Match Using Numbers)

We'll have a block of numbers for each club ready for collection at registration on the day of the first match using numbers. Please would ONE manager from each club pick up the numbers for the whole club. They should then pass on club numbers to other managers as appropriate.

Team managers should give out numbers to the corresponding athletes and keep hold of any unused numbers until the next fixture. After the race, all athletes should keep hold of their numbers for the next race. It's up to team managers whether you collect the numbers in and look after them yourself until the next fixture, or rely on the athletes to perform this complicated task. If an athlete has been allocated a number but doesn't run, team managers must keep their number in case the want to run in future races.

How to Change Numbers

If you need to issue a runner with a fresh number for any reason:

1. On the athlete registration system, 'Show All Athletes Details' and scroll down to 'Unassigned Numbers'; Chose one, preferably the first;
2. Select the race | gender | the runner's name and tab across until you see 'Change Number';
3. Press 'Change Number' and add the new number;
4. Press 'email Athlete Details' (or Show All Details and print the list) to ensure that you have the latest copy of this and all athletes' numbers on the day;
5. Contact the person who holds your club's (physical) spare numbers to ensure they are brought on the day.

Since we don't start processing until after the event has finished, you can change numbers online, even immediately after a race. Please do ensure that the number worn in the race matches the one on our system.

Lost Numbers and Additional Runners (On the Day)

If you don't have mobile reception, we can record additional athletes and change of numbers at registration. However, please use this as a last resort, otherwise long queues may develop. There is more information here.

At The Finish

Each number has a chip which will be registered at the finish. For speed of processing, we can run two funnels concurrently, noting when changeover is made.

We also use a finish line camera to record finishing order as a backup in case of any issues with barcode scanners. Recordings will not be published, and we'll delete them as soon as we have produced the results.