Time Trials are a common race format in which participants start individually at different times, rather than all at once. These events require a different timing setup than mass start races, and RACE RESULT 14 offers two main approaches to handle them: using Splits or using Special Results.

While both methods ultimately give you each participant’s net time, the way they handle start times differs significantly. Choosing the right method depends mostly on how your event is structured — whether you have scheduled start times, use a light barrier, or simply let participants start freely, one by one.

To help you get started, a sample event file demonstrating both methods is available for download at the bottom of this article.

When to Use Splits vs. Special Results

The simplest and fastest method is to use Splits. This setup is ideal if participants start at their own discretion, and you're using chip detections to mark both the start and the finish. It’s quick to set up and works well in informal or smaller-scale time trials.

However, if your event requires precise control over start times — for example, if each participant has a scheduled start time, or you’re using a light barrier or a manual trigger at the start — then you’ll need to use Special Results. This method gives you much more flexibility and accuracy but involves a slightly more advanced setup.