A system and method for determining a time of an event participant passing a detection point having a participant identifier number by a timing system coupled to an RFID tag reader in proximity to at a monitored point and receiving RFID tag read times and coupled to a portable device with a transceiver and a location detector for selectively receiving a participant number read, the timing system receiving the geographic location of the handheld device, the handheld read participant number and a handheld time, determining that the received RFID tag read times timing system are not usable times and determining a time of passing of the participant by the detection point by determining a delta time between the proximity detector and the handheld device and an adjusted time of participant passing based on the determined delta time and handheld time.