I am not sure how people are suggesting using photofinish to determine the hour record. A
photofinish camera looks at the finish line and records everything that goes over it. Although
regular lens cameras can be used, a true photofinish camera uses a slit lens so that the horizontal
aspect of the resulting picture represents what passed through the vertical plan. It is a picture of
the vertical visual against horizontal time rather then both vertical and horizontal visual as with
a regular lens.
Since it is unknown where the finish is going to be until it occurs where would you point the
camera? I guess it would be possible to have a camera tracking the rider with digital annotation of
the time and markings on the track so you could show where the rider was at the point of the finish.
This would not be photofinish photography but would just be regular video. It would also require
markings that are not usually on the track.
The general practice for the hour is to not award the record unless the new distance is greater
than 1 meter longer than the old record, i.e. centimeters don't count. Considering that the
greatest source of error in measurement of the hour is in the measurement of the velodrome itself
that is probably a reasonable practice. Judging the position of the rider at the conclusion of the
hour can be done visually or by interpolation (the current "correct" method) and both will be
accurate enough.
--
Mike Murray
"Bob Schwartz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:Nick Burns said:"Bob Schwartz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
Quoted message said:The final distance is a calculation based on the final lap time. Its odd, but if your speed
rises or falls in between the gun and when you next cross the line your official distance can
change. You can't let up when the hour expires because you can lose distance!
Bob Schwartz [email hidden]
Quoted message said:That sucks. Why not use photo finish equipment for a better fix on the
real
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:distance? I guess as long as all competitors are aware of the rules,
that is
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:what counts the most.
You could use photo finish equipment and get an exact measurement, but you would be re-defining
the event.
I guess the person to blame is Henri Desgrange since he defined the event in establishing the
first record in 1893.
Other hour record trivia:
- The record for exceeding the existing record is held by Jules Dubois who went 2.85 km further
than Desgrange in 1894.
- The first high altitude record was set in 1898 by American Willie Hamilton in Denver. He remains
the only American record holder, and was the last to do so at altitude until Ole Ritter went to
Mexico City in 1968.
Bob Schwartz [email hidden]