How to mark up your card at an event.

At  signing on for each event you will be given a time card. Usually sealed in a plastic wallet it will have a space for your name, riding number and start time. These items may be filled in for you by the organisers but you will have to fill in the rest yourself.

Check the number of laps you have to do and the time allowed for each lap, or in the case of long laps, the time between checks.
 

Above is your card at the start of the event with the time you aim to meet. However due to your own speed or errors on the course you may arrive late at a check. If you arrive early you do not check in until your set time (you wil be penalised for early arrival). Once you are late you stay late. Below is a card with actual times on it.

(A) On time - zeroed the check.
(B) Ten minutes late - penalty of 10 minutes
(C) The rider should have added 40 minutes on to his arrival time at the last check and arrived at 12:50. But the rider kept to his original time sheet and has arrived 10 minutes early - incurring a ten minute early arrival penalty.
(D) The rider has arrived early at the last check of the day and can go straight through with no penalty.

There are several tricks to be employed with time cards. One is to arrive early at a check and accept the time penalties if you know the next check is tight and it could put you over your hour. Better to have a few extra points than be disqualified on time.

The above instructions are basic - and if you know better let me know.

Time Check

Approaching a time check you will see a white flag first - 200m from the clock. You must not pass the yellow flag until your correct time.

You may refuel only between the green flags . The Blue Tape area is walking pace only. On your minute cross the line at the yellow flag and hand in your card.

Route Check.

There may be stamp checks on the course - marked by a blue flag . Stop and get your number recorded. It is not a time check.