The National Athletics League has announced the OpenTrack platform will be used this season at all matches, offering scope for easy data entry, live results and live team scores.
The results capture and publishing system, which has been used extensively across meetings both in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, will lead to several improvements when the second season of the league begins on May 7.
Team managers will find it easier to declare and edit teams, while officials will be able collate live results from photofinish equipment or even input them from the infield, providing instant team scores across the league.
OpenTrack managing director Andy Robinson said: “OpenTrack are honoured to be providing our system for the National Athletics League. As former competitors in the league and its predecessor, we hope that we understand exactly what’s needed; and we hope we can make it both easy to manage, and easy for all the athletes to follow the action. We have a host of innovations not usually found at this level of competition, like live field events recording, connecting up photofinish, live updates as team managers edit their teams from phones in the stadium, and overlays for live streaming.”
OpenTrack is endorsed by European Athletics and partners with several national federations across the continent. It is used by Welsh Athletics, Scottish Athletics and Athletics Northern Ireland. Already in the first quarter of 2022, it has powered the results and entries for 92 UK meetings. It has been employed at the Surrey Cross Country League since 2015, the Highgate Harriers Night of the 10,000m PBs for the last five years and is in place at all British Masters Athletics Federation events.
NAL chair Len Steers said: “We’re thrilled that OpenTrack, with their vast competition experience and innovations, have agreed to work with the NAL. Andy and his team are absolutely crucial to the growth and future success of national league athletics. Together we can change athletes’, officials’ and team managers’ league competition experiences.”
