My USAT ranking is complete now, with all ten races tabulated (78.02679; I’m pleased!).
HOWEVER, I was 59 last season, and turned 60 two weeks ago – and what is now next to my name for each of the races is 60, not 59. Has this happened to anybody else, or has the system somehow glitched on me alone?
I believe that your USAT age is calculated as of 12/31.
IOW, you compete at the age you are on 12/31 of that season.
That part I understand - I competed as a 59-year old, and was still 59 as of 12/31/08. What confuses me now is that on the rankings page for '08, where all my results have been tabulated, my age is listed as 60 - which is what I turned two weeks ago.
I sure don’t want to be included in the 60-64 a.g. for my 2008 season---- even though the 78.02679 would likely be AA for that group, but only HM for the 55-59!!!
Looks like I gotta call USAT…
That part I understand - I competed as a 59-year old, and was still 59 as of 12/31/08. What confuses me now is that on the rankings page for '08, where all my results have been tabulated, my age is listed as 60 - which is what I turned two weeks ago.
I sure don’t want to be included in the 60-64 a.g. for my 2008 season---- even though the 78.02679 would likely be AA for that group, but only HM for the 55-59!!!
Looks like I gotta call USAT…
I’m pretty sure that the actual ranking/AA determination for 2008 will use the USAT age for 2008, not 2009. That’d be a really stupid mistake to make. In fact, if you do a rankings query and select ‘M’ and 55-59, you’ll see some in there who are 60, and not a single racer who is 55. That indicates that they are retrieving based on USAT age for the year specified (2008), but displaying the USAT age for the current year (2009). Not sure that’s what they really want to do.
My guess is that the site has a bug that shows your current age rather than your race age as of the year of the results.
As a test, go look at your rankings for the '07 season and see if it still says 60.
Thanks for the reassurances, guys.
And Ken - Congratulations on jettisoning the “haggard”! (Did it leave you, or did you leave it?)
Thanks for the reassurances, guys.
And Ken - Congratulations on jettisoning the “haggard”! (Did it leave you, or did you leave it?)
It’s all that time in the weight room. I’m considering changing it to “Old and HOT!” soon.
Way to go Ken! I’m glad you’ve seen the light!
the 2008 rankings are not final yet.
RG
That’s nothing…they have me in one of my better races (an Oly, where I was 7/183), in the short course race getting crushed by the field! Plus another race that I did well overall, around 5%, not inputted.
Kind of crazy this system. Should have 90 points in the first one I mentioned but instead USAT gives me 56 in a race i wasn’t in. Wierd
USA Swimming updates national rankings every Monday - 400+ swimmers, 100+ events, 5 heats…and that’s just one meet! There must be a faster, better way to run USAT rankings.
The computer automatically updates your age every 12/31. If you were 59 in 08, that’s your age used in the '08 ranking. It happened to you last year but, since you did not age up, you didn’t notice it.
BTW, don’t be surprised that your ranking would not get you AA status until you are 80. There are some fast old dudes in triathlon.
Bob
It is a lot easier ranking 400 kids swimming a set distance by times only. Triathlon has thousands of times on different courses using a convoluted formula to bring some sort equity to the ranking system.
It’s the same reason you have recognized world records for track 10K’s and not road 10K’s.
Bob Sigerson
Understood, but the data still has to get from A to B for USA Swim. What you’re talking about are calcuations done by the program. It doesn’t take a computer any more time to run the USAT formula (if the program is written correctly). In both cases, the race data must be properly recorded, formatted, and sent to the governing body. The governing body receives the data, runs their analytics, and publishes the results. I think the issue is process.
I think they are also at the mercy of race directors to send in the race results.
It is a lot easier ranking 400 kids swimming a set distance by times only. Triathlon has thousands of times on different courses using a convoluted formula to bring some sort equity to the ranking system.
It’s the same reason you have recognized world records for track 10K’s and not road 10K’s.
Bob Sigerson
Unless USAT has a team of accountants all wearing green visors doing this by hand, I don’t buy it. We have these things called computers that are really good at using formulae and data and turning out results. It’s the process that USAT has that needs work, it seems. Or some more or better programmers and IT folks. It ain’t rocket surgery.
By the way, I still have not received my first place AG plaque for the USAT Mid-Atlantic Triathlon series. For 2007.