# Course Designer

The **Course Designer** lets you build the race route directly on an interactive map inside **RUFUS Race Manager**. It is the starting point for the new **Predictive Tracking** experience in classical races, and it gives operators a visual way to define how the race flows through the course.

With Course Designer, you can draw the route manually, import it from a file, and connect the race to real mapped checkpoints that can later be reused across races.

<figure><img src="/files/qKXV8MCCtaK2MWOJW32x" alt=""><figcaption><p>Course Designer View</p></figcaption></figure>

## What is Course Designer for?

Course Designer is used to create the mapped route of a race.

This route is what Race Manager uses to:

* show the course on the map
* connect race checkpoints to real physical locations
* prepare the race for **Predictive Tracking**
* give operators a clearer visual reference during setup and live operations

A race becomes **predictive-tracking ready** when it has:

* a valid mapped route
* at least one mapped intermediate checkpoint

## Where to find it

You can open **Course Designer** from the race setup flow in classical races.

Once opened, the screen shows:

* the interactive map
* the current race selector
* route editing tools
* route statistics and mapping status
* the **Event checkpoints** panel

## What you can do in Course Designer

### Draw the route manually

You can create the route directly on the map by placing points along the course.

This is useful when:

* you want to build the course from scratch
* you need to adjust a route manually
* you want full control over the exact path

As you build the route, Race Manager samples the path into route handles so the course can be tracked and interpreted correctly.

### Import a route

You can also import an existing route file instead of drawing it manually.

Supported route import formats include:

* **GPX**
* **KML**

This is the fastest option when the race route has already been prepared in another mapping tool.

### Edit the route

Once a route exists, you can refine it using the route editing tools.

Depending on the current state of the route, you can:

* add or move route points
* adjust the path
* re-center the map
* clear or replace the route
* save the updated course

The top bar also shows useful route information, such as:

* mapped location
* number of race checkpoints
* mapped checkpoints count
* total route distance

## Event checkpoints

The **Event checkpoints** panel is where you map the race checkpoints onto the route.

Checkpoints are treated as shared physical event locations, which means they can be reused across multiple races in the same event.

This helps keep course setup more consistent, especially when several races pass through the same real-world point.

For each checkpoint, the panel shows its mapping status, including whether it is already mapped or still pending placement.

Typical checkpoint types include:

* **Start**
* **Intermediate checkpoints**
* **Finish**

### Mapping a checkpoint

To map a checkpoint:

1. Open **Course Designer** for the race.
2. Locate the checkpoint in the **Event checkpoints** panel.
3. Choose the option to place or edit it on the map.
4. Set its position on the route.
5. Save the changes.

Once mapped, the checkpoint becomes part of the course logic used by Predictive Tracking.

### Reusing checkpoints

Because checkpoints represent event-level physical locations, the same checkpoint can be used across more than one race when appropriate.

This is especially useful in events where:

* multiple races share the same start or finish area
* different races pass through the same intermediate point
* course setup should stay aligned between distances

## When is a race ready?

A race is considered ready for Predictive Tracking when:

* the route is valid
* the race includes at least one mapped intermediate checkpoint

If the route is incomplete or checkpoints are missing, the race will not be considered ready for predictive tracking yet.

## Best practices

For the best results when building a course:

* map the route as accurately as possible
* make sure checkpoints are placed on the correct point of the route
* verify that the route passes through the intended checkpoints in order
* review the total distance after editing or importing
* use shared checkpoints consistently across races in the same event

## Why it matters

Course Designer adds a more visual and structured setup flow to race configuration.

Instead of working only with splits and checkpoint logic, operators can now build the race on a real map and prepare it for a more modern live-race experience.

It is the foundation for **Predictive Tracking**, helping Race Manager understand where participants are, where they are headed, and how the race is evolving between checkpoints.


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