1. A timing system including: a glyph associated with an object to be timed; at least one camera for capturing images of the glyph and associated object; a computer that: generates a virtual line; identifies the glyph; defines an outline for the object associated with the glyph; associates the virtual line with at least one of the images; and determines when the outline of the object associated with the glyph intersects, crosses or has crossed the virtual line; and a database that records the identity of the glyph and the time that the outline of the object associated with the glyph intersected or crossed the virtual line.