Organizer Documentation

Getting started · 2 min

Organizer dashboard

At your first login, the dashboard brings together your organizations (clubs, associations), your ongoing and upcoming events, your license keys and access to the documentation. It is your starting point for all actions.

Dashboard

Cyclo Club de Chartres

+ New event 1

Your events (3)

Brevets de Chartres — Les 2 Vallées

Saturday 08 May · 196 registered

IN PROGRESS 2

Trail des Crêtes 2026

D−12 · 142 registered

UPCOMING

10 km de Saint-Florent

Draft · to complete

DRAFT

"+ New event" button
Always available in the top right. Opens the creation form.
Your events list
All events from your organizations. Color-coded badge to quickly identify status: Draft, Published, In progress, Finished, Archived.
Click to open
The event detail gives access to its races, participants, volunteer keys, and live control panel.

Getting started · 2 min

Purchase and activate a license key

Each event uses a license key. A key defines your event's limits: number of participants, authorized timing modes, BRM options. Purchase your key from the License Keys section, then link it to your event at creation.

Typical plans:

Starter: up to 100 participants, mass start
Standard: up to 500 participants, mass start or wave start
BRM: dedicated to brevets, FFCT certification
Premium: 1500+ participants, all modes, priority support

A key is nominative and linked to your organization. It remains valid as long as it has not been used for an event that has actually taken place.

Getting started · 8 min

Create your first event

The most-viewed tutorial: going from zero to a locked event, ready to start. Allow 8 minutes if you have your license key, your Excel registration file, and — ideally — your GPX track.

Click "+ New event"
From the dashboard. The form opens.
Fill in the general information
Name, dates (start and end), location, organization, license key to use. The event type (BRM, ranked, unranked) determines the options that follow.
Create your races
One race = one distance. A BRM 200 + a BRM 300 = 2 races in the same event. See article Configure races.
Import the GPX track (optional but recommended)
Enables the real map and elevation profile on the participant tracking page. See Import a GPX trace.
Define checkpoints
At least one Start and one Finish checkpoint. For long races: intermediate checkpoints with time barriers if needed.
Import participants from Excel
Template provided. See Import participants.
Create volunteer keys and send them
One key per volunteer, ideally linked to their checkpoint. See Volunteer keys.
Lock the race
Status "Ready". Blocks major edits and activates the volunteer interface. See Lock race.

Setup · 5 min

Configure races

A race represents a distance or a specific format within an event. ChronoKey supports 3 timing modes that determine how the start is managed.

The 3 timing modes

● MASS START

Everyone starts at the same time. One global clock. Trail, 10km, ultra.

1

● WAVE START

Staggered wave starts (elites, seniors, masters…). Cyclosportive, peloton race.

2

● INDIVIDUAL START

Each rider has their own start time. BRM, time trial, free start.

3

Mass start (grouped)
The simplest mode. You start the timer at the official time; all check-ins are compared to this single start time.
Wave start
Define waves with bib ranges. Each wave starts independently. See Start waves.
Individual start
The first check-in at the start checkpoint triggers the runner's timer. Enable Self check-in at start if you want participants to check themselves in by GPS.

Setup · 3 min

Import a GPX trace

On GPX import, ChronoKey automatically extracts the distance, cumulative elevation, named points from the file and stores the full track. This feeds: the actual route map on the individual tracking page, the elevation profile, and the automatic creation of Start / Finish checkpoints.

Drag and drop the .gpx file
Dedicated section in the race form. Limit: 10 MB. Compatible with GPX 1.0/1.1 and Garmin / Komoot / Strava / OpenRunner extensions.
Check the extracted data
Distance, elevation gain, number of intermediate checkpoints. Adjust their names if the named points in the file have generic labels.
Optional: enable GPS self check-in
A checkbox applies GPS self check-in to all checkpoints created from the GPX, with a default GPS zone radius (200 m, adjustable).

The trace is simplified to 2000 points to limit page weight. Visual accuracy remains excellent, the rendering on the participant side is smooth.

Setup · 4 min

Manage checkpoints

A checkpoint is a physical location where the passage of runners is recorded. Each race has at least one start checkpoint and one finish checkpoint. Intermediate ones allow tracking progression, calculating split times, managing time barriers, and triggering GPS self check-in.

Checkpoint types

Start: reference for time calculations
Finish: triggers the participant's "Finished" status
Intermediate: everything else (aid stations, checkpoints)

Options per checkpoint

GPS coordinates: latitude/longitude, required for self check-in
GPS self check-in: allows participants to check in themselves
GPS zone radius: distance around the checkpoint that validates a check-in (50–5000 m)
GPS zone mode: Warning (flags but accepts) or Strict (unconditional refusal)
Time barrier: deadline for closing the checkpoint — beyond this time, the runner is marked over the time limit

The same physical checkpoint can be shared across multiple races in the same event (useful for BRM events where multiple distances use the same controls).

Setup · 2 min

Configure wave starts

In wave start mode, runners start in groups: elites, seniors, masters, women, etc. Each wave defines a bib range and its own start time. The timer starts independently for each wave when you launch it.

From the race, add your waves
Name (e.g. "Elite Women"), bib range (1–50), scheduled start time.
Import or create participants consistently
Participants must have a bib number within their wave’s range. ChronoKey alerts in case of inconsistency.
Launch each wave on race day
"Launch this wave" button on the control panel. Countdown displayed, with the option to backdate by a few seconds if delayed.

Preparation · 4 min

Import participants from Excel

The fastest way to populate your event: an Excel file with one row per runner. ChronoKey automatically recognizes standard columns and offers an interactive mapping for the others.

Columns recognized automatically

dossard · nom · prenom · email · telephone
date_naissance · sexe (H/F) · club · epreuve
For BRM: code_acp, medaille (yes/no)

Click "Import participants"
From the Participants page of your race. Drop your .xlsx or .csv file.
Validate the column mapping
ChronoKey pre-fills the column mapping. Adjust if needed. A preview shows the first 5 mapped rows.
Run the import in "Preview" mode
No database write. Detects errors: duplicate bibs, missing email, etc.
Confirm in "Write" mode
Participants are created in Confirmed status by default. A summary lists successful imports / errors.

Download the Excel templates from the "Download a template" button. Three variants: standard, multi-race (column epreuve), BRM (ACP columns).

Preparation · 2 min

Manage the participant list

Once participants are imported, the Participants page of your race allows you to find, sort, and correct them quickly. The list is paginated by 40; sorting and search apply to all participants in the race, not just the current page.

Sort by column
Click a header: Bib, Last name, First name, ACP Club (for BRM). A second click reverses the order (ascending ↔ descending). The caret ▲/▼ indicates the active column. By default, the list is sorted by last name, alphabetical order.
Search
Type in the search bar at the top: bib, last name, or first name. The search is case-insensitive and accent-insensitive ("durand" finds "DURAND", "elise" finds "Élise"). It applies to all participants in the race, not just the current page.
Filter missing clubs (BRM)
For Cyclo Randonneur races, a badge at the top flags participants without an ACP club. Clicking it filters the list to show only those to be completed before certification.

Name always in uppercase — timing convention: last names are displayed in uppercase to visually distinguish them from the first name ("DURAND Pierre"). Entry remains free in the form; only the display forces uppercase.

Preparation · 1 min

Send access links to participants

Participants access their space via a unique link received by email. You can send this link individually (from a participant’s profile) or in bulk to all confirmed participants with an email address.

Make sure emails are filled in
Bulk sending skips participants without an email address. A modal displays the total and highlights exclusions.
Click "Send to confirmed"
At the top of the Participants page. A modal asks for confirmation with the exact count.
Follow the sending report
Success message: "X links sent." If some deliveries fail, the affected participants are listed.

Preparation · 3 min

Create and send volunteer keys

Each volunteer has their own access key, a unique secure code. You can lock it to a specific checkpoint (the volunteer will only see that checkpoint) or leave it free (they choose their station on arrival). Sent by email with a direct link or by QR code to scan on site.

From the event, open "Access Keys"
List of already created keys with their status (active, revoked, expired).
Create a key for each volunteer
Volunteer email + name + reference checkpoint (optional) + lock to this checkpoint (yes/no).
Send the access link
"Send by email" button — the volunteer receives a secure access link. Or print the QR code to display at the race station.
Track usage
The management screen displays last connection, number of check-ins recorded, online / offline status.

You can revoke a key at any time from its details page (in case of lost phone, abandoned post…). The volunteer is instantly logged out.

Preparation · 1 min

Lock race ("Ready" status)

Before the start, you must lock the race. This moves it from the Draft state to Ready. Volunteers can now see the checkpoints from their interface and prepare their station. The structure (checkpoints, waves) is frozen to prevent last-minute changes.

Prerequisites before locking

At least 1 Start checkpoint and 1 Finish checkpoint defined
At least 1 confirmed participant
For wave start mode: at least 1 wave created
For individual start mode with self check-in: GPS coordinates of the Start checkpoint

Once locked, the race can no longer be easily reverted to draft. Last-minute corrections (adding a runner, changing a checkpoint) remain possible but require explicit confirmation.

Race day · 2 min

Start the race

The moment of truth: one click, the timer starts. Depending on the timing mode, the button behaves differently.

Mass start: a "Start race" button launches the global timer. Confirmable to the second, backdatable by a few seconds for missed starts.
Wave start: one button per wave. You launch each wave in turn according to the schedule.
Individual start: no central start button. Each runner's first check-in at the Start checkpoint triggers their personal timer.

In case of a false start, you can reset the race (action "Reset"). All participants return to Confirmed status and the race goes back to Ready. This action is protected by a double confirmation.

Race day · 5 min

Live control dashboard

Once the race has started, your dashboard transforms into a control console. Automatic update every 10 seconds, real-time ranking, latest check-in feed, alerts for suspect check-ins.

Brevets de Chartres · BRM 200

IN PROGRESS

Registered

196

On the road

128

Validated

54

Overtime

14

1

Start 196 CP1 182 CP2 156 CP3 128 2

RK BIB NAME TIME UPD

1 0027 DUPRÉ Anthony 04:52:11 8 s

2 0019 LEMAIRE Karine 04:53:02 32 s

3

Top indicator banner
Counters adapted to race type: registered / on the road / certified / overtime for BRM; registered / finished / racing / DNF / leader for ranked races.
Checkpoint flow
Flow visualization: how many runners at each checkpoint. The one with the most recent activity is highlighted (gold).
Live ranking table
Top 20 by default, automatically updated every 10 seconds, filter by race and sort by finish order (useful for BRM events without ranking). Smart update: no refresh if nothing has changed.

Race day · 4 min

Enter a check-in manually

When a volunteer could not transmit a check-in in real time, when a runner forgot to scan their key, or to catch a missed pass, you can enter one or more check-ins directly from the control board. The action is the same for all checkpoints (start, intermediate, finish).

Open the check-in modal
Button « Record a check-in » above the ranking table. Or check one or more rows in the table: a bar appears with « Record a check-in for the selection », which opens the modal with the selected participants pre-filled.
Choose participants
Search by last name, first name or bib in the search bar. Click on a result to add it (chip) — multiple participants can be checked in at the same time. The counter shows how many are selected.
Choose the checkpoint (or DNF / DNS)
Click on a badge: Start, CP1, …, Finish. The red « DNF / DNS » badge is a separate mode: it automatically classifies each selected participant as DNS if they have not yet started, or as DNF if they were racing. Time fields are then disabled.
Enter the check-in time
The current time (in the event's timezone) is pre-filled. You can adjust it, or directly enter the elapsed time since the start — the other field recalculates automatically. For multi-day races, a Day selector (D, D+1, D+2…) shows the corresponding date in parentheses.
Confirm
The "Record check-in" button applies the action. In standard check-in mode, timing.time records are created and the runner's status updates (started → racing, racing → finished). In DNF mode, a confirmation window summarises how many will go to DNS vs DNF before validation.

"No start, no check-in" safeguard — It is impossible to record a check-in at an intermediate CP or the finish if the runner's start has not yet been recorded. The affected participants are ignored and listed in the summary, to avoid orphan passages (CP1 without start → ranking impossible).

Duplicate prevention — If a participant already has a check-in at this CP, it is ignored and their existing time is displayed. In multi-selection, the summary lists all affected participants; correct each one from the participant's history if needed.

Time zone — The time you enter is always interpreted in the event's time zone, never your browser's. You can therefore remotely manage an event in Tahiti or Tokyo without any mental calculation.

No future check-ins — The Day selector does not offer a future date, and any time entry projected later than the current time is rejected (with a tolerance of a few seconds to absorb clock drift).

Race day · 2 min

TV big screen mode for broadcast

To display results on a TV or projector during the event, ChronoKey provides a dedicated Big screen page: 1920×1080 format, latest check-ins with animation, most recent finish highlighted, expected upcoming finishes. Light/dark toggle, automatic update every 10 seconds.

Copy the link from your event
Button « Big screen link » at the top of the event page and the race page. Copies the full address to the clipboard.
Open the link on the machine connected to the TV
Browser in full screen (F11). The page is designed full-surface — no site header or footer.
Choose the theme
Dark / Light toggle in the top right. Your choice is stored locally and persists on every reload.

Each new check-in triggers a slide-in animation with gold flash on the new row — a clear visual signal for spectators.

After · 3 min

BRM ranking and certification

ChronoKey automatically calculates overall rankings, by age category and by gender. For BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux), there is no traditional ranking: technical status Validated / Overtime based on the ACP deadline. Official ACP certification is handled through a separate process (file submission then certification number), managed from the race dashboard.

Ranked race

Overall ranking: absolute rank by time
By age category: Junior, Senior, Veteran 1/2/3…
By gender: Men / Women
Automatic recalculation at race end; manual recalculation possible at any time

BRM / Audax

Certification time limit calculated according to ACP rules (BRM 200: 13h30, 300: 20h, 400: 27h, 600: 40h, 1000: 75h)
Technical status Validated if finished within the time limit, Over time otherwise — official certification follows a separate cycle (to validate / to submit / submitted / certified / rejected)
For the medal: individual choice per participant (check the medal box at import or registration)

Penalties

You can apply a manual penalty (in seconds) to a participant for behavior against the rules. The ranking is recalculated accordingly. A note explains the reason for the penalty.

After · 2 min

Export results

Once the race is finished and the rankings validated, ChronoKey offers several export formats depending on your needs.

Excel (.xlsx): all columns, rankings by category, split times per checkpoint
Simple CSV: for integration into another tool
PDF ranking: ready to print / display
PDF diploma: one individual PDF per runner (in bulk)
BRM route book (FFCT): official format for certification, with a timestamp for each checkpoint
Public link: permanent address of the results page to share with your community

The public link remains accessible indefinitely. Your runners and their loved ones can come back years later to find their results.

Use cases

Case: Trail

Trail race, significant elevation, checkpoints often without network coverage. ChronoKey is built for this challenging environment.

Mass start mode recommended (single start at the gun)
GPS self check-in at the intermediate aid station checkpoint: useful when no volunteer is available at altitude
Volunteer offline mode essential at checkpoints without network coverage
Time barriers per checkpoint: runners who are too slow are automatically marked over the time limit
GPX import with elevation gain for the elevation profile on the tracking page