My Polar Fitness heartbeat monitor watch has a uniuque data upload/download method...it uses the watch internal speaker to send out tones...you place it next to your PC microphone to download watch data (heartbeat rate log for your exercise). To upload date to the watch, you place it near the PC speaker and the watch picks up the sounds (internal mic or perhaps via the internal speaker acting as a mic).

Pretty cool.

They also have a model of watch that comes with an IR send/recieve system. Comes with a send/recieve IR unit that plugs into the PC USB port. Allows for faster/more reliable data transfers.

BTW, Suunuto makes a series of watchs, some sailracing specialized, that have race countdowns,barometers & e-compass functions.

I typically use my Ironman for starts.