> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.estela.co/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.estela.co/tracking-races-with-estela/setting-up-a-race-course.md).

# Setting up a Race Course

While setting up a race course is not required for a tracking session to run, it’s an essential step if you want to enable features like:

* Real-time classification
* Start time animations
* Post-race analysis and insights

### Creating a Course

If you already know the exact location of the marks for your regatta, use the web course editor under the `Configure > Course` menu to define your course.

If you don’t have precise mark positions in advance, we recommend:

1. Creating an approximate course using the web editor
2. Updating mark positions later using the Buoyer app

### Web Course Editor Overview

The course editor is a map-based tool that lets you place and configure race marks. There are three types of marks:

* Rounding marks
* Waypoints
* Doors

With these, you can design anything from a basic windward-leeward course to a complex coastal route. We suggest spending some time exploring the tool to understand all its features.

The editor supports entering coordinates in:

* Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS)
* Degrees Decimal Minutes (DDM)
* Decimal Degrees (DD)

### Reusing Courses and Waypoints

* You can save commonly used setups as Frequent Courses, which makes it easy to reuse the same layout in multiple sessions.
* Use Frequent Waypoints to store named positions (e.g., common rounding marks) that speed up course creation.

If you need assistance while setting up your course, don’t hesitate to contact us.