Bar Coding In Japan
Timing chips on the ankles or transponders on the wrist, or just plain old-fashioned black numbers on the shoulders are various ways for race directors to keep track of the position and timing of athletes in open water swimming competitions.But at the Japan International Open Water Swimming Association events, bar codes are used. The bar codes are attached at the wrist and then scanned at the end of the race. The position, by gender and age-group, is then tied to the each swimmer and their specific times.
In the beginning of the race in the swimmers’ corral (or chute) on the shore (or sand or beach), each swimmers bar code is scanned by the staff so the race director and staff know exactly who is in the water and how many swimmers there are in total.
Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
Latest posts by Steven Munatones (see all)
