<div class="row">  
  <div class="span4 countdown">
    <h1><%= (Date.new(2013, 10, 16) - Date.today).to_i %></h1>
    <h2>Days Left</h2>
  </div> 

  <div class="span4 instructions">
      <h3><%= t("help.start.rider.title") %></h3>
      <ol>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.one"), new_user_registration_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.two"), teams_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.three"),  new_ride_path %></li>
      </ol>
  </div>
  <div class="span4 instructions">
      <h3><%= t("help.start.captain.title") %></h3>
      <ol>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.captain.one"), new_user_registration_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.captain.two"), new_team_path %></li>
        <li><%= t("help.start.captain.three") %></li>
      </ol>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="row">  
  <div class="span4 countdown">
    <h1><%= (active_competition.end_on - Date.today).to_i + 1 %></h1>
    <h2>Days Left</h2>
  </div> 

  <div class="span4 instructions">
      <h3><%= t("help.start.rider.title") %></h3>
      <ol>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.one"), new_user_registration_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.two"), teams_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.rider.three"),  new_ride_path %></li>
      </ol>
  </div>
  <div class="span4 instructions">
      <h3><%= t("help.start.captain.title") %></h3>
      <ol>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.captain.one"), new_user_registration_path %></li>
        <li><%= link_to t("help.start.captain.two"), new_team_path %></li>
        <li><%= t("help.start.captain.three") %></li>
      </ol>
  </div>
</div>

Use active competition end date for countdown
Use active competition end date for countdown
