Organising a competition

The organiser's flow in short: build the course, event map, share the QR, start, review, close. Easiest in the browser.

A full competition in 90 seconds — organiser in the browser, competitor on the phone (Hungarian UI)

This page is for organisers. It is easiest to work in a browser on a big screen: app.dirtmap.eu — same account as on the phone.

In short: the organiser’s four steps

  1. Build the course — import an itinerary or place checkpoints.
  2. Share the QR — competitors join with it.
  3. Start — once everyone is in.
  4. Review and close — after the finish.

1. Create the event

Competition centre → New competition: name, scoring mode (points, time or TSD), optional start gate, speed limit, penalties. Everything can be changed later. A new event is in the waiting state: competitors can already join and download the event map, but no clock runs.

2. Build the course

Import an itinerary (Organiser actions → Import itinerary): from a table (GPS number, coordinates in degrees-minutes or decimal, task text, points) every checkpoint is created in one go, tasks included. This is the fastest way from an existing itinerary.

By hand: long-press the map → New checkpoint; in the checkpoint list (Organiser tools → Checkpoints) drag to reorder, the crosshair button jumps the map there, tapping a row edits it.

From GPX: load a route corridor or a no-go zone from a file.

3. Task types

  • Touch only — points for reaching the spot.
  • Typed answer — the competitor types what they find; you grade it after the event (an expected answer can be stored as a hint).
  • Quiz — multiple choice, graded instantly by the app, nothing to review.
  • Photo — the competitor takes a picture; you always approve it.
  • QR code, Wait (timed), Start gate, Finish, Neutral zone (paused clock).

Checkpoints can be grouped (all-or-nothing scoring) and you can require them in order.

4. Zones

Speed-limit zones (circle or drawn area) and no-go areas (drawn or from GPX). Competitors see them on their map; exceeding them triggers a warning and the configured penalty.

5. Event map (offline pack)

Before the start competitors download the map pack for the course — a corridor along the checkpoints — so they have a full map without signal. The pack is currently prepared by the DirtMap team from your course: send the checkpoints or the route and it is published for the event within a day. Once published it appears on the competitors’ Offline pack sheet by itself. Show corridor (Organiser actions) draws its extent on the map.

6. Join code and QR

The code is in the Competition centre on the event’s row, or under Organiser actions → QR. Project or print the QR for competitors to scan; it can be typed too. Competitors need no account — a nickname is enough.

7. Start

Competition centre → the event → Start. Competitors’ phones switch to the running event within seconds. With a start gate each personal clock starts at the line.

8. Live tracking

While a competitor has signal you see their position, checkpoint hits and the leaderboard live. Without signal the data accumulates on their phone and uploads by itself when signal returns — the leaderboard updates then. SOS alerts pop up on the organiser’s screen.

9. Review

Organiser tools → Review: typed answers and photos per competitor, pending first. Approve with one tap; when rejecting you can add a note the competitor sees in their Roadbook. Scores update on the leaderboard after each decision. Quizzes are already graded by the app.

10. Close and results

When everyone is in and review is done: Organiser actions → Close competition. Standings are final from then on, competitors see them too, and every competitor’s track can be replayed in 3D under Routes.

What works offline and what does not

On the competitor’s side everything: map, checkpoints, tasks, track recording. The organiser’s desk (start, live tracking, review, close) needs internet — a phone hotspot in camp is enough.

If something does not work

  • A competitor gets “wrong code” — send the current code, without spaces.
  • A joined competitor is not listed — they appear right after joining; if not, ask them to leave and join again.
  • Approved, but the score did not change — open the leaderboard; the server recomputes then. The competitor’s phone syncs every minute while it has signal.