ST HELENS 10K MEASUREMENT INVESTIGATION

by Brian Porter, 8 Apr 2016.

Background

The measurer, Brian Porter (BP) was first contacted 6 weeks before this year’s race to see if he would measure the route for this year.

The timescale was such that BP was not available to do a full measure but was advised the change was “minor in Victoria Park”. BP advised that if the precise changes were measured with a calibrate wheel, and fully documented, he may be able to issue a certificate.

As time passed BP followed up and discovered the organisers had measured the whole course “using the latest Garmin software”.

BP arranged to measure the whole course the day before the race but was unavailable due to illness.

Race day

Comments from athletes and emails received by AUKCM suggested the course was short and Mike Sandford (MS) began checking GPS traces. All showed a short course. BP confirmed the course was not as measured, and that the changes made did not constitute “minor”.

Subsequent actions

It was agreed that a remeasure would take place to be done by Ron McAndrew (RM). This was carried out on 15th March and a report submitted for a full 10Km course. This has been certified accurate but to make the distance a full 10K, RM has added approximately 200 metres to the course run on 6th March.

BP certified the course on 5th April 2017, with the following statement made:

Attached is the Certificate of Course Accuracy following the recent measurement of your race's course.

NOTE: There are 2 pages to the certificate. KEEP BOTH PAGES. You must follow the renewal instructions on page 2, when you come to hold another event on the same course.

Please let me know if you are NOT able to print them.

The course is certified accurate based on the data and route descriptions provided.

Any deviation from the measurement report will result in the course being “Not as measured”.

If there are any changes to be made to the course they must be recorded by an accredited Course measurer only and the Measurement Secretary must receive a new report.

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT: The attached certificate relates ONLY to the 2017 race. It has no relation to the recent 2016 race that was staged “Not as Measured”.

What followed was an exchange of emails in which the organiser asked for a measurement of the route used in 2016:

Once again at any time day or night, I invite any UK Athletics course measurer to come out and measure the course alongside the SPF.

The costs as you have mentioned before is not an issue, what is an issue is the damage to our reputation you are continuing to cause the St Helens 10k Run & our charity The Steve Prescott Foundation.

A remeasure was arranged for 8th April 2016.

The measurement

The map of the course run is available at http://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/RouteMap/MyRoutes/483732

The course run on the day was measured by BP on 8th April 2016, accompanied by Steve White (SW) of the organising committee. Martin Blondel (MB), Race Director, chose to walk the first Km with a measuring wheel.

The route taken on the measure was that taken by the athletes on the day of the race, following the shortest possible route, with guidance from SW.

Findings

1. The first 3 km follow the same route as that measured by BP for the 2015 race. A check at 1Km showed BP had the same point as in 2015.  

2. The measuring wheel measured approx. 10m short of the actual mark. 

3. BP concluded the course to be 206.7 metres short, measuring 9793.3 metres. 

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Appendix

Measurement data.

Pre calibration:

Post - measurement

Count at start of measurement:                         59000

Counts required for 10 Km:                                111223.36

Expected end count for 10 Km:                                (1)70223.6

Actual count at finish line:                                (1)67925

Actual distance measured:

167925 – 59000 = 108925 counts

108925 total counts / 11122.36 per Km = 9793.3 metres

Therefore the course is short by 206.7 metres