Marshal Team

Based at the Killarney Motor Racing Complex near Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa, we officiate at most forms of motorsport in the Western Cape, including Main Circuit events, Karting, Short Circuit Racing, Drag Racing, Hill Climbs, etc, at National, Regional and Club level. This club is a section of the Western Province Motor Club and is affiliated to MSA (Motorsport South Africa).

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

To join you need a passion for motorsport in general, a level head, a serious concern for safety (your own as well as others), be physically active, and able to work as a team member.

 

You do not need experience as your training and grading will be given in accordance with the guide lines set out by MSA, the controlling body for motorsport in South Africa. You will gain experience through practical and theoretical training.

 

Marshaling has various sections including Flag, Fire, Pits and Incident.

 

As a Flag Marshal, you are the only communication available with the competitors using your flags to convey a dangerous situation, changes in track surface, faster competitors wanting to  pass, slower and service vehicles on the track ahead and whether  a race has been stopped. You will have to be able to “read” a race, and based on this predict what is about to happen and take decisions to be able to effectively provide the correct information to the competitors.

 

As a Fire Marshal, you are going to have to extinguish fires in or around vehicles, be able to extricate drivers or riders from their vehicles, possibly deal with injury, and primarily ensure the safety of all involved in an incident. This may include moving vehicles to safer positions while racing continues and are normally involved in the more serious incidents. This is a position attained by training and experience.

 

As a Pit Marshal, your duties will include crowd management and control, organising competitors to get ready for their race, paddock control as well as the normal safety applied to all marshalling positions.

 

As an Incident Marshal, you are the first on the scene at all incidents and will have to identify changes in track surfaces, clear oil or debris from the circuit, assist drivers or riders at an incident,

convey to your flag marshal the danger or changes in track surface, monitor competitors for rule infringements and extinguish fires. You also have to look after your own and others safety.

 

So just how many marshals are necessary for a circuit to operate at maximum efficiency?

 

For a Main Circuit event at Killarney, eight marshals are deployed in the pit area and another nine at each of the five corners. Six are required for the fire crew, seven to ensure a rapid track clean-up when necessary and finally, another twelve to serve as flag marshals. Naturally these duties require a switch from time to time and every team member has to be familiar with all of them.

 

Motorsport South Africa, the sport’s controlling body, grades marshals from grade one to ten in the General Competition Rules & Appendices handbook that is published annually. Every marshal is expected to reach Grade 4, which qualifies them as a senior Fire, Flag or Incident Marshal.

 

Grades from five upwards are achieved after promotion to Deputy Post Chief (Grade 5), Post Chief (Grade 6) and eventually Chief Marshal (Grade 10).

 

At Killarney the marshals have various vehicles, including three fire tenders (one of which has a 600 litre Skid Unit (foam tank), at their disposal.

 

They also have their own clubroom, Turn 6, at the end of the pit area. But while enjoyable, it is a recreational activity that also requires a high level of dedication and enthusiasm.

 

Although duties are rotated as much as possible, they can keep a marshal busy on most weekends.

 

Follow us on: www.wpmcmarshals.co.za