Timing built for triathlon
Clean splits across swim, bike, run and both transitions, with relay and live results tied to the right athlete.
Recognised bodies our triathlon timing system has supported
Barefoot times triathlons across Australia and New Zealand, capturing every split from swim to bike to run, both transitions, and relay legs, with live results that tie to the right individual or team.
Built by event organisers.
Trusted by race directors.
450+
Events delivered every year across Australia and New Zealand
50,000
Participants supported at a single event
75+
years
Combined event experience
2
countries
Australian and New Zealand owned, operated and on the ground
The triathlon timing reality — how these events are really timed
Triathlon is unforgiving to time. One athlete produces five timing points and two transitions, waves go off staggered, relays hand the clock between three people, and the athletes who race triathlon scrutinise their splits more than any other. A single missed transition read throws out the result for the person who cares most. It gets worse when registration and timing sit apart, because relay and category data has to be re-keyed and small mismatches become wrong results. Triathlon rewards timing that captures every point cleanly and knows, from the entry, whose leg is whose.
Why this timing works
for triathlon
Every transition timed
Clean splits across swim, bike, run and both transitions, captured automatically.
Every relay leg matched
Relay timing that ties each leg to the right athlete from the entry data.
Waves and age groups
Staggered waves and age-group categories handled, with live results.
No re-keying
One system with registration, so nothing is re-keyed between entries and results.
Who it’s for?
Triathlon organisers running sprint, standard, long-course or off-road events.
Events with individuals, relays, waves and age-group categories.
Organisers whose athletes expect accurate, live splits.
Features
Every split and transition
Swim, bike, run, T1 and T2 captured automatically, so nothing is missed.
Relay legs tied to the right athlete
Relay handovers tie to the correct team member using the entry data.
Staggered waves handled
Wave starts and age-group categories are timed cleanly, with live results.
One system with registration
Relay and category data flows from entries into timing with no re-keying. Entries live on the Triathlon Registration page.
Registration and timing, connected
Run timing on its own, or take entries with Barefoot too so relay and category data flows straight into timing with nothing re-keyed. Connect it to Triathlon Registration whenever you want.
Supporters follow every leg, sponsors ride along
Family and spectators follow athletes through swim, bike and run in real time, and your live results carry sponsor branding, so timing becomes part of the show and part of your sponsor pitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you time both transitions?
Yes. T1 and T2 are captured alongside swim, bike and run splits.
Can you time relay teams?
Yes. Relay legs tie to the right team member automatically from the entry data.
Do you handle staggered wave starts?
Yes. Wave starts and age-group categories are timed cleanly with live results.
Do you need chip timing for a small triathlon?
Not always. AusTriathlon’s sanctioning requirements cover course maps, traffic management and risk management plans rather than timing technology, and the Tri NZ Competition Rules include provisions for team events where timing chips aren’t used. What forces the decision is finisher density and how many splits you publish. If athletes finish in a trickle and you only need overall times, volunteers can cope. Waves, transitions and age-group awards make manual timing very hard to keep accurate.
Is it better to hire a timing company or run your own timing?
It depends how many events you run a year. Hiring suits organisers with one or two events, because you pay for crew and equipment only on the days you need them. Running your own system starts to pay off across a season, particularly for clubs with a summer series. There’s also a middle option now: lightweight systems the organiser deploys themselves, with the provider supporting remotely.
How many timing points does a triathlon need?
Most triathlons use five: swim exit, bike out, bike in, run out and the finish. That produces the swim, T1, bike, T2 and run splits athletes expect to see in results. Shorter sprint events sometimes run three points and publish leg times only. Where the transition entrance and exit sit close together, a single timing point can often cover both, which cuts equipment and crew on the day.
How does triathlon timing handle wave starts?
Each wave is given its own start time in the timing system, so every athlete is scored from their own wave rather than the first horn. The practical risk is athletes in later waves stepping over a live timing mat while they wait, which starts their clock early. Keep waiting athletes clear of the mats, cover it in the race briefing, and make sure your timer can correct an early read before results are published.
How does timing work for triathlon relay teams?
The team shares one timing chip, handed from one athlete to the next inside the designated tagging area. Under the Tri NZ Competition Rules only the two athletes involved in a handover may take part in the exchange, and a team racing without its chip serves a 30-second penalty at each exchange the chip is missing. Position your timing points so the tagging area is covered, or leg splits won’t reconcile.
Let’s make your next event your easiest yet.
Work with people who get the pace, pressure, and precision of endurance events and build platforms that match it.