Swiss Timing pledges to provide precise, instant results at PyeongChang
By Lee Hyo-sik
CORGEMONT, Switzerland ― Timekeeping is a crucial part of running the Olympic Games and other sporting events as many competitions are decided by how long it takes for athletes to cross the finish line.
Swiss Timing, the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, is pledging to provide precise and instant timekeeping at the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics as thousands of athletes from all over the world compete to win medals from Feb. 9 to 25.
The company is a unit of Swatch Group, which owns some of the world's famous watch brands, such as Omega, Longines and Tag Heuer. Swiss Timing has been conducting the timekeeping for the Olympics on behalf of its sister brand Omega.
"We will offer more precise and faster timing results at the PyeongChang Games by deploying new sensors and other gadgets," Swiss Timing CEO Alain Zobrist said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
"The latest devices will also provide additional information on athletes' performances for the worldwide audience," Zobrist said. "We will dispatch 350 licensed timekeepers and 300 tons of equipment to PyeongChang to offer more accurate and prompt results as soon as the competitions are completed. Our timekeepers will work hand in hand with judges in each event."
Omega has extended a contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provide timekeeping for the Olympics until 2032, according to the CEO, who said Rolex and other watch brands are not up to the task.
"We are the only watch brand in the world, capable of providing accurate timekeeping for professional sports. The Olympic Games cannot happen without us," he said. "We manufacture a range of timekeeping equipment, such as electronic starting guns, transponders, high-speed video cameras and finish line cameras. We have also developed a software system that processes information in real time and sends timing results in real time to the worldwide audience."
These days, competition is so close that Swiss Timing needs the state-of-the-art technical knowhow and expertise to exactly measure the finish time, Zobrist said.
"Our finish line camera, first introduced in 2014, can now take 10,000 pictures per second. This combination of instant images tells us exactly who crossed the finish line first," the CEO said. "Software and machines process the information. But in the end, humans are the ones who make the final call on who wins. So it is also important to adequately train timekeepers and enable them to work well with judges in each competition."
In PyeongChang, Swiss Timing plans to showcase new sensors and its latest devices for various events to provide more precise timing results and additional information on athletes' performance.
"In bobsleigh, we have developed a little device to track the position of the sledge and measure its acceleration, offering added information for athletes and the audience," Zobrist said.
"In alpine skiing, we will attach a sensor to ski boots to provide data on skiers' position, acceleration and speed. We also plan to attach a tag to the helmets of hockey players to analyze game plays in real time. We would like to do our part to make the PyeongChang Olympics the most entertaining sporting event ever," he said.
By Lee Hyo-sik
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| Alain Zobrist, Swiss Timing CEO |
Swiss Timing, the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, is pledging to provide precise and instant timekeeping at the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics as thousands of athletes from all over the world compete to win medals from Feb. 9 to 25.
The company is a unit of Swatch Group, which owns some of the world's famous watch brands, such as Omega, Longines and Tag Heuer. Swiss Timing has been conducting the timekeeping for the Olympics on behalf of its sister brand Omega.
"We will offer more precise and faster timing results at the PyeongChang Games by deploying new sensors and other gadgets," Swiss Timing CEO Alain Zobrist said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
"The latest devices will also provide additional information on athletes' performances for the worldwide audience," Zobrist said. "We will dispatch 350 licensed timekeepers and 300 tons of equipment to PyeongChang to offer more accurate and prompt results as soon as the competitions are completed. Our timekeepers will work hand in hand with judges in each event."
Omega has extended a contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provide timekeeping for the Olympics until 2032, according to the CEO, who said Rolex and other watch brands are not up to the task.
"We are the only watch brand in the world, capable of providing accurate timekeeping for professional sports. The Olympic Games cannot happen without us," he said. "We manufacture a range of timekeeping equipment, such as electronic starting guns, transponders, high-speed video cameras and finish line cameras. We have also developed a software system that processes information in real time and sends timing results in real time to the worldwide audience."
These days, competition is so close that Swiss Timing needs the state-of-the-art technical knowhow and expertise to exactly measure the finish time, Zobrist said.
"Our finish line camera, first introduced in 2014, can now take 10,000 pictures per second. This combination of instant images tells us exactly who crossed the finish line first," the CEO said. "Software and machines process the information. But in the end, humans are the ones who make the final call on who wins. So it is also important to adequately train timekeepers and enable them to work well with judges in each competition."
In PyeongChang, Swiss Timing plans to showcase new sensors and its latest devices for various events to provide more precise timing results and additional information on athletes' performance.
"In bobsleigh, we have developed a little device to track the position of the sledge and measure its acceleration, offering added information for athletes and the audience," Zobrist said.
"In alpine skiing, we will attach a sensor to ski boots to provide data on skiers' position, acceleration and speed. We also plan to attach a tag to the helmets of hockey players to analyze game plays in real time. We would like to do our part to make the PyeongChang Olympics the most entertaining sporting event ever," he said.
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