Problems with the electronic chip timing system at the 15-kilometer mark in Sunday’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon led to 56 disqualifications that race organizers will reverse.
The race has a policy of disqualifying anyone who failed to record a time at two or more of the 11 checkpoints on the 26.2-mile course. That is done to prevent runners from cutting part of the course to get a faster time.
Paul Farmer, the marathon’s information technology director, said evidence points to a malfunction in one of the antennas in a timing mat at 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). Approximately 4,000 of the 34,792 starters did not have a time recorded there.
Of the 56 runners reinstated, 40 finished in the marathon’s official window for a recorded time — 6 hours, 30 minutes or faster.
There are eight mats at each timing site. Each mat contains four antennas to transmit data. Farmer said it appeared one or more of the antennas in a mat at the far left of the timing area were not working properly.
“The system is not infallible,” race director Carey Pinkowski said.
Pinkowski said runners failed to have their interval times properly recorded in the past by making impromptu bathroom stops off the course and returning to the course in a way that misses the timing mat.
If the system were working correctly everywhere, Farmer said, it is “unlikely” someone would fail to be recorded at two or more points unless they were trying to cheat.
Pinkowski said the marathon has a policy of reviewing all disputes over such disqualifications before publishing the book with its final results.
Any runners who feel they have been incorrectly disqualified after the revised results should go to chicagomarathon.com, e-mail office@chicagomar- athon.com or call 312-904-9800.
The Chicago marathon has used an electronic chip timing system, ChampionChip, since the 1998 race.
Marathon organizers have been wary of cheaters since it was found that Rosie Ruiz, the first female finisher in the 1980 Boston Marathon with a record time, had jumped from the crowd onto the course.
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REINSTATED FINISHERS
Archilla, Angel A, San Juan, PR, 4:30:29, 18819
Aschbacher, Heidi, Spring Grove, 5:04:45, 26152
Bickel, Shana L, Sarasota, FL, 3:15:02, 1948
Brandsma, Megan, Westmont, 5:13:00, 27382
Burghardt, Geoffrey, New York, 5:00:50, 25482
Danza, Brian W, Arlington, VA, 3:05:48, 1099
Devine, Patrick B, Oak Forest, 4:34:48, 19811
Ellermann, David, Wasco, 4:07:11, 12846
Foley, Thomas E, New York, 4:16:02, 15099
Gehlsen, Jeff, Freeport, 3:40:08, 6013
Giacone, Tricia, Arlington, VA, 4:36:55, 20302
Grote, Myles G, Chicago, 3:16:18, 2098
Hagen, Cash, Batavia, 3:14:45, 1918
Harvey, Stephen, Naperville, 4:46:04, 22442
Herman, Kate, Oak Park, 4:45:13, 22240
Howe, Bobby, McKinney, TX, 3:30:01, 4078
Khabbaz, Julie A, Tampa, FL, 4:58:33, 25016
Langheim, Chad, Pawnee, 4:30:37, 18853
Loevy, Danielle, Chicago, 4:28:56, 18383
Mangum, Scott, Barrington, 3:06:44, 1165
Marquis, Catherine V, Chicago, 4:47:15, 22686
McMahon, Kevin, Atlanta, 4:34:20, 19699
Meguire, Heather E, Bellingham, MA, 4:21:16,
16354
Mescher, Leah, Mequon, WI, 4:01:58, 11667
Meyer, Jorie A, Lisle, 4:55:31, 24385
Montgomery, Mark R, Elmhurst, 2:56:21, 560
Mori, Susan, Willow Springs, 5:07:32, 26554
Naidoff, Caitlin L, Wash., DC, 4:07:32, 12939
Panczyk, Christopher, Maineville, OH, 2:48:50,
325
Partin, Laura, Chicago, 4:44:54, 22165
Rabinowitz, Ila A, Northbrook, 5:42:41, 30624
Romeo, Frank A, Miami, 5:19:10, 28166
Ryan, Scott, Lawrenceville, NJ, 4:24:17, 17143
Sladek, Brian G, St. Petersburg, FL, 4:55:13,
24330
Tolbert, Larry V, Chicago, 5:54:10, 31515
Trubetskoy, Sergey, Madison, WI, 4:15:09,
14878
Valencia Del Toro, Maria E, Mexico City,
5:52:34, 31409
Villanea, Maria De La Cruz, Escazu, SJ, 4:42:30,
21598
Westphal, Nicole L, Aurora, 4:05:28, 12485
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phersh@tribune.com
