Frequently asked questions

The Time-Team Tracker is an app that turns your phone into a GPS tracker in the boat. During the race, coaches, teammates and spectators see live where your boat is, how fast you are going and at what stroke rate you are rowing.

The tracking data is not used for the official results.

• iPhone with iOS 15.1 or later
• Android phones with Android 7.0 or later

iPads are not supported. After installing, the app is called Tracker on your home screen. The app is (for now) only available in English.

There are two ways:

1. With the Go live button next to your crew in the entries or the draw on this site. On your phone, the button opens the Tracker app on your crew right away. On a computer you get a QR code to scan and a tracking code you can type into the app.
2. In the app itself with "Find my crew": choose the regatta, search for your crew by crew or rower name (at least 3 characters) and pick the right crew.

Either way, the app asks "Is this your crew?" and shows the crew and its rowers. If it is right, tap "Start tracking".

Yes. You can install the app and give its permissions (location, notifications and, on Android, the battery settings) days in advance. On race day, open the app only when you get in the boat, look up your crew and tap "Start tracking".

Open Go live for your crew and send the link under "Taking a different phone in the boat?" to that teammate. With that link they link the Tracker app to your boat.

No, one phone tracks one crew at a time. To switch, stop tracking first.

No, and there is no need to. One phone in the boat is enough.

Start tracking when you get in the boat, with "Start tracking". Tracking does not stop by itself when you are done: tap "Stop tracking" yourself when you get out of the boat.

Yes, if you always allow the app to use your location:

• iPhone: Settings → Privacy → Location Services → Tracker → Always
• Android: Settings → Apps → Tracker → Permissions → Location → Allow all the time

If you only allow access while using the app, keep the screen on; otherwise sharing can stop. Time-Team recommends always allowing access: only then can we guarantee that you can be followed online and that the tracker records correct data.

Do not swipe the app away from your recent apps: that stops tracking. If you open the app again, it starts at the start screen and you have to tap "Start tracking" again.

1. Put the phone in a waterproof case or bag before you go on the water.
2. Turn the sound off, so it cannot disturb the racing.
3. Attach the phone to the boat, so it cannot fall out or slide around.

The Tracker uses very little mobile data. Your battery can drain faster because of the live tracking, though. So only start the tracker when you go rowing, and stop it again once you have finished.

On Android, the app asks you the first time to turn off battery optimisation for Tracker. Do not skip that step: otherwise your phone can pause GPS as soon as the screen turns off.

Nothing bad, you just cannot be followed live. Because of the large amount of GPS data that is collected, we cannot guarantee that the data still reaches the platform once the connection is back.

Your SPM (strokes per minute), the distance travelled, the time, your speed, and whether your position is being shared:

• "Live": your position is being shared
• "Sending…": positions are being sent
• "Waiting to send": no connection, positions are waiting
• "Not sharing location": your position is not being shared (see Troubleshooting)

Your position is only shown once you have crossed the start, and no longer once you have finished. During your race, anyone can follow your location on the public website. The regatta organisation can follow your location as long as the tracker is on.

Only during tracking that you start yourself:

• your position and the time
• your speed
• your stroke rate
• your crew’s tracking code
• a random device number that the app creates itself

The app does not ask for your name, phone number or an account, so it does not send such data either.

Time-Team and the regatta organisation are not liable for loss of or damage to your phone. Use a waterproof case and make sure your phone is firmly attached to the boat.

Check that the Tracker app is installed. Then open the app yourself and look up your crew with "Find my crew", or type in the tracking code from the Go live page.

Your phone is not sharing your position yet. Turn on location services and allow Tracker to use your location in your phone’s settings. Then go back to the app.

Set the battery setting of Tracker to Unrestricted and turn off background restrictions. Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo have extra settings that put apps to sleep; the app walks you through them the first time.

"Find my crew" lists all upcoming regattas that use GPS tracking. If your regatta is not listed, there is no tracking at that regatta.

Type at least 3 characters to search for your crew. You can search by the name of any rower or cox, the club, the event or the bib number. If that does not work, use the tracking code from the Go live page.

Check the tracking code, or choose "Not my crew" and look up your crew again.

For immediate help, contact the regatta organisation. For other questions, email info@time-team.nl. You can also leave feedback in the Tracker app.