Background

Ultra-distance trail events are conducted in remote and technically demanding environments, where maintaining visibility of participants becomes increasingly difficult, especially during night-time operations.

In Catalonia, Spain, an ultra trail event featuring four routes (230K, 140K, 83K, and 45K) was supported by Tracmove, providing real-time tracking for all participants.

At 23:24, during the night stage, organizers received an urgent request:

“Two participants had deviated from the official route and required assistance to return safely.”

The situation involved several constraints:

• Night-time conditions with low visibility
• Technical terrain with complex navigation
• Weak and unstable cellular coverage
• Intermittent communication with participants

Without precise location data, identifying their position would have required manual search operations, increasing response time and operational risk.

Challenge

Participants were equipped with Queclink’s GL320M, integrated into Tracmove’s real-time monitoring platform.

The GL320M supports multi-constellation GNSS positioning, enabling accurate tracking in complex outdoor environments. With periodic data transmission via cellular networks, participant positions are continuously updated and visualized on the platform.

In areas with limited connectivity, the device buffers location data and automatically transmits it once the connection is restored, ensuring continuity of tracking.

With its compact and lightweight design, the device can be easily carried by participants in endurance events. It also supports motion-based event detection, including fall detection, enabling additional safety monitoring when abnormal movement is detected.

Through Tracmove’s platform, organizers can monitor participant positions in real time and compare them against predefined race routes.

Solution

Participants were equipped with Queclink’s GL320M, integrated into Tracmove’s real-time monitoring platform.

The GL320M supports multi-constellation GNSS positioning, enabling accurate tracking in complex outdoor environments. With periodic data transmission via cellular networks, participant positions are continuously updated and visualized on the platform.

In areas with limited connectivity, the device buffers location data and automatically transmits it once the connection is restored, ensuring continuity of tracking.

With its compact and lightweight design, the device can be easily carried by participants in endurance events. It also supports motion-based event detection, including fall detection, enabling additional safety monitoring when abnormal movement is detected.

Through Tracmove’s platform, organizers can monitor participant positions in real time and compare them against predefined race routes.

When the incident occurred, the system enabled the support team to:

• Locate both participants with precision
• Identify their deviation from the official route
• Determine the exact point of deviation
• Provide clear guidance for return

Both participants were located within 3 minutes and safely guided back to the route within 30 minutes, allowing them to continue the race.

Benefits

• Real-time visibility in remote environments: Continuous tracking provides accurate visibility of participant positions, even in areas with unstable network coverage.
• Faster reponse and reduced search effort: Precise location data enables immediate response, avoiding large-scale search operations and reducing resolution time.
• Enhanced safety monitoring: Motion detection and fall detection capabilities add an additional layer of safety beyond location tracking.
• Improved operational coordination: Integration with a centralized platform enables efficient decision-making and coordination during critical situations. 

In ultra-distance events, maintaining visibility and control over participant safety is essential.

By combining Queclink’s GL320M with Tracmove’s tracking platform, organizers are able to respond quickly and effectively when incidents occur, improving both safety and operational efficiency.

About Tracmove

Founded in 2012 in Girona, Spain, Tracmove Tracking Sports specializes in GPS tracking solutions for outdoor sports events.

Its platform provides real-time tracking, data analysis, and operational tools for organizers, enabling visibility into participant position, speed, and race progression. With experience across trail running, MTB, and endurance events, Tracmove delivers reliable and scalable tracking solutions that enhance safety and event management.