Clever new system for starting

The starting gun is not the most practical device when it comes to starting events for the deaf, nor is a whistle in a team game.

A starting gun is, in fact, used in some deaf events, but only when the equipment is a sawn-off shotgun and the athletes are sent on their way by the concussion the blast causes.

The starting equipment to be used at the Queen Elizabeth II complex is far more sophisticated. It uses a traffic-light type system which has been devised by a Christchurch man, Mr Ted Gilliver.

The lights are situated beside the track beyond lane eight as close to the running surface as possible, and at ground level.

“Unlike traffic signals the lights are lying side-by-side with an extra light, a flash light, set closest to the track,” Mr Gilliver said.

“The outside light is red followed by green, amber, then the flash.

“When the green light is on it signifies on your marks, the amber is for set and the flash starts the race. In the case of a false start the red will flash,” he said.

Backing up the red flashing light will be a marshall 40m down the track with a large red flag to warn runners.

“By positioning it beside lane eight means that the athletes are still looking basically straight down the track and at ground level means they do not have to lift their heads unduly.”

Mr Gilliver, a starter for the Canterbury athletics centre for 30 years, said he first got the idea for using traffic lights when watching a Daley Thompson advertisement on television.

“Not long after that I saw how they were using traffic lights for drag racing. With a combination of these two ideas and the help of Harding Systems, Ltd, of Christchurch, in developing the control panel, it became a reality,” he said.

Lights also play an important part in the starting procedures for swimmers. Each swimming lane has a small glass box on the side of the starting block near the water. The lights are so situated they will surface for backstroke starts as well.

A similar communication problem occurs in matches where the referee relies on a whistle. International hand signals take over from the whistle.

If the offender does not see the signal, it is certain his or her opposite number will. Then the players put up their hands in the universal sign to stop to those others who have not seen the signal.

Headquarters of the Games will be at Queen Elizabeth II Park, which will be the venue of the track and field and swimming events. Other venues will be English Park (soccer), McLeans Island (shooting), Cowles Stadium (basketball and volleyball), St Andrew’s College (wrestling), Pioneer Stadium (table tennis, handball), Skellerup Hall (badminton), Edgeware Tennis Club (tennis), and Wigram airfield and various Christchurch streets (cycling).