PRRO Circuit Gate River Run 15k

1st Place Sports Uses Ubidium technology

At the first weekend of March 2025, the Gate River Run 15k, an American classic road race in Jacksonville, Florida, was the opener for the 2025 PRRO Circuit and used RACE RESULT Ubidium technology for timing.The Gate River Run includes a 15K, 5K, Mile Challenge, Junior River Run and Diaper Dash and is Jacksonville’s largest race with more than 18,000 runners. With some of the world’s top runners competing for new records, a gender equalizer bonus, PRRO points and big prize money, accurate, reliable, and live timing is crucial for a successful event.

The 48th edition of the event saw nearly 14,000 finishers in the 15K and another 1,400 5K finishers. Wesley Kiptoo, of Kenya, broke the Men’s course record with a 42:10 earning a $3,000 bonus for the feat. In total, $65,000 in prize money was awarded for the 15K event.

Released in 2023 as an active system, with the passive ground antenna mat following in 2024 at its World Majors debut in Berlin, RACE RESULT Ubidium is the most advanced timing system on the market. Ubidium was meticulously developed to meet the specific needs of the industry. It is unmatched with a compact form factor, connectivity, extended battery life, and weather protection. Inside, it boasts the most precise time base of all available timing systems – RACE RESULT perfected the timing algorithm over many years to ensure the highest detection rates. The new ground antennas make a 75-foot start line with a single decoder possible without losing detection quality. Each mat segment contains a custom RACE RESULT engineered UHF reader and antenna, tailored to the needs of sports timing.

Johnny Chandler from the RACE RESULT Americas team visited the timing crew of 1st Place Sports: “The favorite part of my job at RACE RESULT is being able to provide our timing partners like 1st Place Sports with innovative solutions that make their life easier and less stressful. After having been to dozens of events with the new Ubidium system, the ease and speed of Ubidium deployment still stands out as one of the top advantages. For larger events with wider finish lines, such as Gate River Run, having Ubidium on only one side of the road also really simplifies logistics for the timer, increases safety, and reduces risk.”

Doug Alred, Owner and Founder of 1st Place Sports and Race Director for the Gate River Run, agrees: “Race Result’s responsive staff and efficient bib service have made us very satisfied partners for our 80+ annual events. We switched to Race Result systems and foldable ground antenna mats in 2017, which revolutionized our timing process then. With live results and reliable, durable equipment that rarely miss a chip read, we’ve streamlined our operations. This year’s Gate River Run was our first race with the new Ubidium system and it simplifies our race day processes even more, allowing for wider finish lines, less equipment, shorter road closures, and even higher read rates. We’re excited about Race Result leading the innovation front when it comes to timing solutions, and we look forward to our continued partnership.”

About 1st Place Sports

1st Place Sports is Jacksonville’s running headquarters and one of the top running stores in the nation. They organize over 80 events a year, including their premiere event, The Gate River Run, which served as the USATF 15k Championship for 30 years.
For more information, visit www.1stplacesports.com

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