KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF SKATING TECHNIQUE OF OLYMPIC SKIERS IN THE MENS50-KM RACE

A project involving 3-D analysis of skiing technique during the 1992 O lympic Winter Games (Albertville, France) was carried out. This part o f the project focused on the open field skating technique of the male skiers of the 50-km race. Three synchronized, high-speed video cameras were used to record the motion of all racers as they passed a site on Bat terrain. Analysis was limited to those using the open field techn ique and whose skating cycle fit within the boundaries of the field be ing analyzed (n = 17). Several kinematic variables were determined: cy cle velocity, cycle length, and cycle rate. Several significant correl ations (p < .05) were observed related to performance: cycle velocity was positively related to cycle length (r = .76) but not cycle rate; c ycle velocity and cycle length were positively related to strong side knee extension (r = .48 and r = .51, respectively). Thus, faster skier s on flat terrain tended to ski with longer cycle lengths, which perha ps derived from more vigorous knee extension.