2007 Event Map	Texas State Championship Enduro Circuit
	Checkpoints

Checkpoints are the most important ingredient in the recipe of an enduro, and the proper placement and operation of checkpoints is absolutely crucial to the success of that event.

The purpose of checkpoints is, very simply, to monitor competitors’ progress along the course, but poorly chosen checkpoint locations or improper execution by checkpoint crews will be certain to negatively impact the overall quality of an event.

First of all, checkpoint personnel should take their job seriously. Yes, it is a sport. Yes, we do it for fun. But most competitors take their fun very seriously. They have made a commitment to follow the circuit. In order to fulfill that commitment they will drive thousands of miles, spend thousands of dollars, and invest many hours of their time. They deserve the best effort that a sponsoring club can put forth.

The duties of a checkpoint crew are very simple. They provide a record of each competitor’s journey through the course. It is their responsibility to do so accurately and fairly. They are not there to “get” riders. They are there to record the time that each rider arrived at that particular point on the trail, both on the rider’s scorecard and on the backup sheet. It is the event chairman’s responsibility to be sure his checkpoint personnel understand the scope of their duties. It is imperative that at least one well-experienced person be a part of every checkpoint crew, to help insure that it is run properly in all aspects.

Checkpoint placement on an enduro course is not something that can be done haphazardly, as an afterthought. On the contrary, where checks are to be located must be part of the overall planning of an event from the very beginning. An enduro is a series of “sections” of trail. “Test sections” are where the outcome of the race is decided, where nobody, or hardly anybody, can maintain the prescribed speed average. These “test sections” are really the heart of the enduro. They are what riders anticipate, the battlefield, what contestants discuss and tell tales about after the race. They are why we go to the event.“Timekeeping sections” are merely “transfer sections” of trail to connect the “test sections” together.

Since these “test sections” are so vitally important to the overall quality of an event, then it is critical that they be used effectively, to allow the cream to rise to the top, so that those riders who truly performed the best on that day are identified and rewarded for their efforts. The only way this can be accomplished is by determining who covered that portion of the course, from point A to point B, in the least amount of time. Add the scores from all such sections together, and someone wins. However, in order to obtain a true and accurate picture of who did what, it is mandatory that all contestants start at the same time, relatively speaking. A “check-in” checkpoint at or very near the beginning of a test section accomplishes this goal. It can be a secret check, within a possible or two before or after the apparent “start” of the section, or it can be a “known control” checkpoint, to assure that everyone starts right at the top of their minute. There should ALWAYS be a check-in to a test section. It establishes a true baseline to monitor from, and just simply makes for a higher quality event.

The First Commandment for enduro chairmen: NEVER FORCE COMPETITORS TO RIDE HARD FOR NO REASON. This is what the absence of a “check out” does. There is NOTHING more frustrating to a rider, no matter what his skill level, than to ride hard, hang it out, take chances, and then come to a reset or free time, with no check at the end of a tough section. His efforts were wasted. He wonders, “What the hell was that all about? What’s the use of trying? Why should I come back here?” There should ALWAYS be a checkpoint at the END of a section of trail where the combination of speed average and terrain make it difficult for most competitors to maintain that average. ALWAYS!

In setting checkpoint locations, the event chairman should do so in order of priority. First, the start and finish, then he should locate a checkpoint at the beginning and end of each test section. Then, if he has enough personnel available, and those sections are long enough, checkpoints in the middle of test sections are very effective. Then, if he still has folks available, he can throw in some so-called “timekeeping checks”, but NEVER at the expense of the more important locations.

Checkpoints can make or break an event. A well thought-out, located and executed set of checkpoints provides a true and valid record of that event, and a gratifying experience for all involved.