9Pic BibTrack Adds Alphanumeric BIB Search for Race Photos
9Pic BibTrack now supports alphanumeric BIB search so participants can find race photos with letter-and-number bib codes, not only numeric bibs.
Search improvement: 9Pic BibTrack now supports alphanumeric BIB search, so teams can handle bib codes with letters as well as purely numeric bibs.
The goal is to match how real events label participants: numbers, wave prefixes, category letters, and mixed race-day codes.
What improved
9Pic BibTrack already helped race participants search photos by BIB number. This update expands the search model so alphabetic characters can be part of the BIB query too.
That matters because not every event uses clean numeric bibs. Some races add wave letters, category prefixes, team codes, relay markers, or sponsor-series labels before or after the number.
BIB search has to match the printed code
BIB search is useful because participants already remember the code assigned to them. The problem was that many systems treated that code as only a number, even when the physical bib said something like A104, F23, ELITE7, or a relay team code.
The improvement focuses on that real operating detail. Participants can search the code they saw on their bib, and teams do not have to simplify every event into numeric-only lookup rules.
For organizers, this makes BibTrack fit more race formats without changing how participants think about finding their photos.
The hesitation this removes
Before alphanumeric support, teams with letter-based bibs had to decide whether to strip the letters, rename codes, or fall back to manual handling. After this improvement, alphabetic parts of the bib can stay part of the search experience.
What improved
Letters plus numbers
Support participant searches where the BIB includes alphabetic characters, numeric digits, or both.
Cleaner code matching
Handle mixed BIB formats more naturally instead of forcing teams to convert every code into a number-only format.
Still works with FaceFind
Use alphanumeric BIB search and selfie search together when one signal is incomplete or a participant wants a second path.
Where teams can use it
- Marathons and half marathons with thousands of finish and course photos.
- Cycling events where faces are hidden but rider numbers or identifiers are visible.
- Triathlons and OCR events where waves, categories, or relay teams add letters to bib codes.
Rollout checklist
- Confirm whether your event uses numeric-only bibs, prefix letters, suffix letters, or mixed team codes.
- Keep public search instructions close to the exact format printed on participant bibs.
- Combine alphanumeric BIB search with FaceFind messaging when helmets, blur, or blocked codes reduce one signal.
What this enables next
This improvement makes BibTrack fit more real-world event formats. Teams still benefit from simple numeric BIB search, but they also get a cleaner path when the printed bib includes letters.
It remains a practical complement to FaceFind when faces are hidden, lighting varies, or privacy preferences differ.
Support the BIB codes your event actually uses
Talk to 9Pic AI about using alphanumeric BIB search, FaceFind, or both for your next endurance event gallery.
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