Right, I think I've got the Handicaps tweaked one last time. This is how it works.
You get a handicap based on your previous times, which is used to generate a Start Time.
Like golf, the higher the Handicap the more assistance you get, so the earlier the Start Time.
Your Handicap is reduced slightly if you have only completed one chase, and reduced more if you have completed none (and your time is based on doing the stage outside the handicap format). Therefore you are rewarded for completing the handicap chase once, and rewarded more for a second one, as you time should more closely reflect your current potential.
Finally, the Handicap is also reduced slightly for those who are furthest behind the fastest time, as they have more chance of significantly improving their times. The front runners will always struggle to improve their times much, especially after a couple of runs, so they need the full Handicap to stay competitive.
This algorithm has developed across the two stages (and the previous Chain Gang ride) and closed the field from around 10 minutes to less than 5 minutes, and hopefully a future run would close it up again slightly.
It is always likely that the win will be taken by an early starter who improves significantly, which is probably a good thing as it improves motivation. It is also possible that any significant under performance on previous bests will result in trailing in at the back, for even the fastest riders. I don't think this can be helped. However, so long as the bulk of the entrants finish close together it should make for a more entertaining session for the majority, and make the format worthwhile.
Due to the competitive nature of the format, I don't think it would sustain weekly sessions, so a couple of times a month seems to make the most sense, perhaps trying a Tuesday night to see if it is well attended, as well as possibly hijacking one Thursday night (if Rick doesn't mind) and then possibly the re-run on a Saturday if that remains well enough attended.
Geoff
