RUN Saipan has announced that it has committed to ONETIME sports for chip timing in future running events.
“We want to take running events to the next level,” said Run Saipan President Edward Dela Cruz Jr. “Why fly in a timing company from off-island when you have a local organization that can save costs and have volunteers who can run the system?”
He said for decades, running events on island were timed by hand and participants had to wait sometimes for days before they could see their results posted.
“But with ONETIME’s chip timing, they get to see their results quickly as well as having their times recorded by simply stepping on the mat at the finish line,” Dela Cruz said.
“Runners will get their times quicker. They can find their score online without waiting for an email after the race,” he added.
Dela Cruz said “people who really care about their run times do not need to worry about getting to the front of the pack…to get their best time. Now runners can start anywhere in the lineup because their time won’t start until they cross the mat like the marathon races in the states.”
He said he agrees with Oceania Athletics Association President and Northern Marianas Athletics Secretary General Robin Sapong who said: “As an island nation, climate change and rising sea levels are foremost in our minds. The largest carbon impact our event has is from travel. We save an estimated 2.7 tons of CO2 by not flying in a timer — a huge win for our partners and us.”
Dela Cruz thanked Sapong for introducing the race roster platform for registration and the ONTIME system to the CNMI.
“He has brought running events to the next level for the Marianas,” Dela Cruz added. “Thanks to all his effort, hard work and dedication to the sports of athletics we’re we able to partner with this company. We thank Northern Marianas Athletics for bringing this hardware here to Saipan.”
It was the Northern Marianas Athletics that purchased the timing mats which Run Saipan borrows for its events.
“We work hand in hand with Northern Marianas Athletics to run the timing system for road racing events in the CNMI,” Dela Cruz said. “We do not own the timing chips, but we signed a rental lease for a year. The readers are rentals too.”
He said Run Saipan is hoping to find sponsors this year to help raise funding so it can purchase its own set of timing mats and chips readers.
“If any sponsors wish to help donate, Run Saipan would be more than happy to print their logo on the mat and reader that we will purchase from ONETIME,” Dela Cruz said.
For more information, contact Edward Dela Cruz Jr. through Facebook.
Simon Necesito celebrates as he crosses the finish line and steps on the ONETIME timing mat used during Run Saipan’s Trinity event last month in the Kensington Hotel parking lot.
