Paper backups that match your race setup — without the spreadsheet marathon
Every race director carries paper to the start line. Remote Transition Areas (TAs) lose signal, phones die, and volunteers want something in their hands. The paper isn’t the problem. Building it by hand is.
Why hand-built backups cost more than the printing
- A separate roster for every TA, filtered by which courses pass through it.
- The right checkpoints and rules of travel listed for each stop.
- Volunteer instructions living in a different document from the roster.
- Every course or roster change means rebuilding and reprinting.
- Paper and app drift apart, so volunteers get conflicting information.
That’s formatting work in the busiest week of your race calendar, repeated for every race you direct.
How Checkpoint builds them
Set up your race once
TAs, courses, checkpoints, rules of travel, volunteer assignments, and your notes for volunteers, all in Race Ops.
Print from the app
Print check-in sheets and one-page TA guides straight from the app, using the data you’ve already loaded.
Print, brief, race
Volunteers work in the app. The paper rides along as backup.
What’s on each page
Check-in sheet, one per TA
- Race and TA name
- Roster of teams with bib numbers
- Course or race length for each team
- Check-in and check-out columns
- Room for notes
TA one-pager, one per TA
- TA location
- Every volunteer assigned to that TA
- Notes the race director added for volunteers
- Checkpoints (CPs) associated with that TA
- Rules of travel for the legs in and out
- Who to contact, and more
Paper and app stay in sync
Because the sheets come from the same Race Ops setup your volunteers see in the app, the TA information, assigned volunteers, your notes, and expected checkpoints on paper match what’s on the screen. Checkpoint needs a Wi-Fi or cellular connection to keep updates real-time and doesn’t work offline. If a TA loses signal, volunteers keep logging on the sheet, and you reconcile it with your Race Ops records once they’re back in range.
Volunteer instructions, on paper and on the phone
Assign volunteers to each TA and add your notes once. They show up on that TA’s one-pager and in the TA info volunteers open in the app. For brand-new volunteers, the one-page Volunteer Field Guide (PDF) covers signing in, checking teams in and out, recording checkpoints, and fixing mistakes.
Guides and templates
Included with Race Ops
Race Ops is free for race directors through 2026. Starting in 2027, a $50/year subscription covers full access to the Race Ops platform for every race you direct. See the full list of race-day tools on the Race Day Ops page.
Common questions
Do I still need paper backups if I use the app?
We recommend it. Paper costs very little, and remote TAs can lose signal. Checkpoint makes the backup easy to produce instead of optional.
Where does the information on the sheets come from?
From your Race Ops setup: TAs, courses, checkpoints, rules of travel, assigned volunteers, and the notes you’ve added. One setup feeds the app and the paper.
Does Checkpoint work offline?
No. Checkpoint needs a Wi-Fi or cellular connection so every update reaches race HQ in real time. That’s why backups matter: print your sheets before race day, and keep them at any TA where signal is unreliable.
Are the sheets included in the Race Ops subscription?
Yes. They’re part of Race Ops access, which is free for race directors through 2026.
Related guides
Want sheets like this for your race?
Race Ops is free for race directors through 2026. Tell us about your race and we’ll help you get set up.
Email usSee Race Day Ops →