Hi,
Can someone tell me the formula for calculating point?  There appears to me at least that there is a bug in the on-line points calculator on the results page.  Or maybe someone can explain why the points calculator would come up with the following points values if I enter the following:

Event Multiplier = 1.0
Place = 27

Starter Count      Points
55                      3
54                      2
53                      1
52                      0
51                      0
50                      0
49                      6
48                      5
47                      4
46                      3
45                      2
44                      1
43                      0

Does anyone know how the points are calculated? 
Thanks,
James

Hi Again,
Just checking again to see if anyone knows how to calculate points.  There seems to be a bug in the way the points are calculated.  I came in a lowly 27th at TVSR in the CatIV men, and therefore got 0 points.  There were 52 starters, and the event multiplier must have be 2.0.  The odd thing is, if I put in 49 starters, I would have gotten 11 points.  This is obviously wrong.  Does anyone know the formula, and how to fix this?

Thanks,
James

Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the bylaws with me.  Jeremy Smith will have better info, since he was the math wiz who developed the system.  In a nutshell, the points are based on three things 1)the number of starters 2)the multiplier of the race and 3)the bonus points to the top 3.  There is also another component and that is the percentage of starters that get points.  I don't recall the numbers, but an example would be that for races under 35 racers, 50% of the riders get points and for races over 35 racers, 2/3's of the riders get points.  There is then a distribution calculation that spreads the points out evenly between the placings getting points.  I think those numbers are rounded up.  The top three places than get bonus points on 10, 5 and 3 (I think).  Again, this is all off memory and a general gist of it.

Clear as mud?

 Todd
 

The formula has to be broken.  If I came in 27th out of 52 and got 0 points, but I would have gotten 11 points if only 49 guys started, then there is something wrong with the formula.  It is probably an integer division rounding error of some type. 

Thanks,
James

James -

Good question and keen observation.

Actually the system is working as intended.
Here's the reasoning:
Points allocated are based on the number of riders starting.  As the fields grow, the total volume of points given out increases much faster.  ie. - when the field size doubles, the volume of points given out (sum of all points) quadruples. 

So to keep the system in check, so consistant top finishers have the best advantage to stay in contention, as field sizes grow, the percetage of the field earning points decreases. 

The limits set right now are:
less than 35 starters - 66% of the field earns 'some' points
35-49 starters - 60% of the field earns points
50 or more starters - 50% of the field earns points

So for you're situation, the field size was just over the limit cutting back the number of riders scoring points to 50% and eliminating a few positions scoring point.  Again - this is per design so the advantage remains with the top finishers while still rewarding riders for finishing average to well.

Once we see the occasional field size over 70 or so, we'll probably add another higher limit to keep the advantage on the top finishers.  We can only hope for that we'll be forced to make this change in the near future.

Let me know if you have any more questions on this.

Jeremy

Thanks for letting me know how that works!

James