Phikwe marathon dumps UCB Timing
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday June 30, 2017 16:53
But the honeymoon is over and Pro Time is the new kid on the marathon’s block.
Pro Time won the right to time the 2017 Orange Phikwe National marathon scheduled for August 5.
The Local Organising Committee spokesperson, Kennedy Dudzhayi announced this week that Pro Time has been given the tender. Mmegi Sport learns that UCB Timing was not informed about the tender being taken elsewhere.
According to sources, the two companies have the same equipment. With the arrival of Pro Time two years ago, UCB Timing lost the Motloutse Cycling Challenge, Airport Junction marathon, Tsela Riders three-day bicycle challenge and the Phikwe marathon.
Dudzhayi said they decided to engage Pro Time because they were within budget despite offering the same services as UCB Timing. He said the company is cheaper, compared to their competitor.
“We believe that Pro Time has better services and their system is reliable. They are using microchips and a camera. The camera is used to synchronise the system. There is no way a runner can be missed by the system. Pro Time is owned by Batswana and it is our way of empowering them,” he said.
He said they have been keeping an eye on Pro Time since their arrival and that meant competition to UCB Timing.
Meanwhile, Dudzhayi said they have improved the markings on the route compared to last year.
He said last year the route markings and marshals were a challenge.
He said this year the route was marked by a trained route marker from the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA).
“We are in a partnership with some schools who are going to assist us with marshals. We have decided to bring students onboard because they are reliable compared to volunteers,” Dudzhayi said. He said they have 30 trained marshals from BAA and that each school will assist with 10 students and a teacher per school.