What is a Swimming Stopwatch?
A swimming stopwatch is a specialist watch that is used to monitor swimmers performance and lap times. To be appropriate for more serious coaching and swim timing, you’ll need a watch that can time in minutes, seconds, and 1/100th of a second.
Traditionally, these watches were operated manually, with lap times transcribed later. However, more modern watches feature a memory function that stores a certain amount of lap and timing data.
At the other end of the scale are the type of electronic swimming timing system you see at events like the Olympic games, swimming meets and carnivals. These systems use swimming touchpad technology at the end of each lane. Understandably, solutions like these can be prohibitively expensive and are far out of the reach of most swim clubs or aquatic programs.
Swimming Electronic Timing Systems Benefits
Improved Timing Accuracy
A significant benefit of these electronic timing systems is their improved accuracy. As your swimmers become more accomplished, the margins can become fine, so accurate recording is necessary.
Time Saved in Manual Transcription
Record keeping is vital to track progress, and manage club administration but previously this involved painstaking manual transcription. A digital system that records and stores accurate times also eliminates human error.
Volunteer Retention and Engagement
Most swim programs are reliant on the time and hard work of parents or volunteers. Making their life easier means they can enjoy the event without the stress of operating a difficult to use system. The Wylas Timing system is intuitive and easy to use and most importantly saves you hours on your normal meet.
Admin Reduction
The administration involved in recording swim times can be significant. Training, meets, races, and so on all need to be accurately recorded and stored. Often, this burden falls on someone already volunteering their time.
Reducing the amount of time spent on record-keeping means you get to enjoy your evening or spend time with your family, safe in the knowledge that your job is done.
Tips for Choosing an Automated Swimming Timing System
Many of the present swimming timing systems on the market are either prohibitively expensive or provide a poor user experience. Additionally, they add an excessive burden on volunteering and administrative staff. Manual timing systems are slow, stressful, and vulnerable to human error.
Athletes at every level deserve accurate records and an enjoyable swimming experience, so choosing a timing system that automates the timing process is a must.
Depending on your swim club or competition level, having one to three watches per lane ensures the integrity of results. A wireless electronic swimming timing system that can easily be integrated with your swim meet manager is also extremely important in reducing the administrative burden.
Finally, to add an air of professionalism and excitement to your club competitions, you should choose a system that provides an affordable scoreboard solution so that your swimmers and spectators can see swimmers names and times displayed during the meet.
The Wylas Timing System
The Wylas Timing system offers a solution for swimming clubs that is affordable but without sacrificing the quality or accuracy of professional systems.
The software collects, records, and displays timing information for swimming meets and galas. However, what sets it apart from other solutions is how it adopts wireless technology and software to communicate with all the timing hardware.
Features of the Wylas Timing System
The timekeepers feature a straightforward user interface that displays times, lanes, and the swimmer’s name. Additionally, it utilises sound and vibration to make running your races fun and simple.
It also provides seamless integration with swim meet managers, including Hytek Meet Manager and Splash Meet Manager. You can send race results during the meet and even edit times or disqualify a swimmer when required throughout your meet.
The swimming scoreboard adapters are easy to use and can be customised to display lanes, positions and columns in real-time. Multiple swimming scoreboard adapters can be purchased to have multiple scoreboards positioned around your pool deck.
Who Can Benefit From the Wylas Timing System?
The Wylas swim meet timing system is a perfect solution for swimming clubs at any level. Amateur swimming clubs previously shut out from accessing an automated swimming solution due to high costs can now have professional and accurate timing and records.
Additionally, professional swimming clubs and even state or national swimming clubs can benefit from this high-tech solution.
Swimming Timing Systems Prices
The prices for the timing systems are dependent on several factors:
- How many lanes you need to record
- How many timing watches are required per lane
- How long your swim season runs
- Whether you require swimming pool touchpads
- What swimming scoreboard solution you need
6 Lane Timing System
A six-lane timing system would cost between $2,600 and $5,150 AUD dollars. The lower end of the quote is based on one watch per lane. Adding a second or third watch per lane understandably increases the price.
8 Lane Timing System
An eight-lane timing system costs between $2970 and $6160; again, depending on if you choose between one and three watches per lane.
10 Lane Timing System
A ten-lane timing system costs between $2970 and $6160; again, depending on if you choose between one and three watches per lane.
Wylas Timing’s proprietary software is licenced by swim season, with either six or twelve-month options.
If you are looking for a fully automated swimming pool timing system including swimming touchpads and LED swimming scoreboards, please reach out to our team for a full quote.
What is Contained in the Wylas Timing Starter Pack?
The timing pack comes with all the timing hardware required to run the system, plus proprietary software that runs the timing functionality. The hardware is purchased upfront, while the proprietary software is licenced for each swim season.
Additionally, all swimming pool timing systems purchased include a scoreboard adapter. Your swim club can use this adapter to turn any TV, display or large LED screen into a multi-lane swimming scoreboard.
The wifi router and network solutions are provided with the timing system and are pre configured so all your devices automatically connect to it as soon as you turn your system on. Your swim club doesn’t need to rely on having an internet connection,, however if you need to upload results to your swim meet manager we can help you set up an active internet connection alongside our wifi network.
All of the equipment and hardware comes in a rugged, waterproof case that can be easily stored to protect your equipment or carried around to different pools.