TY - JOUR
T1 - Workload demands of laser class sailing regattas
AU - Winchcombe, Chelsie
AU - Goods, Paul
AU - Binnie, Martyn
AU - Doyle, Matthew
AU - Fahey-Gilmour, Jack
AU - Peeling, Peter
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - This study aimed to quantify the workload demands, internal stress response and perceptual fatigue experienced by Laser class sailors across multiple days of competition. Eleven elite male Laser Standard athletes (age: 23.2 ± 3.4y, body mass: 82.6 ± 2.3 kg, stature: 182 ± 5 cm) competing at two regattas were recruited. Athletes wore a heart rate (HR) monitor and global positioning system (GPS) unit whilst racing and completed a daily short recovery and stress scale (SRSS). Athletes spent longer sailing upwind (29:08 ± 2:13 min:s) than on a reach (5:19 ± 1:11 min:s), (P < 0.001) and downwind (13:13 ± 3:04 min:s), (P < .001) in each race. Mean HR during upwind sailing (159 ± 11 beats per minute (bpm)) was higher than downwind sailing (147 ± 15 bpm), (P < 0.001) and reaching (156 ± 16 bpm), (P = 0.002). Although regatta schedules are highly governed by environmental conditions, this study confirms that sailing upwind (i.e., hiking) is the most physically demanding aspect of racing. Additionally, perceptual fatigue increases over time in more demanding regatta schedules. These findings provide a framework to prescribe training and recovery regimes for Laser class sailing athletes, to optimise physical performance during sailing regattas.
AB - This study aimed to quantify the workload demands, internal stress response and perceptual fatigue experienced by Laser class sailors across multiple days of competition. Eleven elite male Laser Standard athletes (age: 23.2 ± 3.4y, body mass: 82.6 ± 2.3 kg, stature: 182 ± 5 cm) competing at two regattas were recruited. Athletes wore a heart rate (HR) monitor and global positioning system (GPS) unit whilst racing and completed a daily short recovery and stress scale (SRSS). Athletes spent longer sailing upwind (29:08 ± 2:13 min:s) than on a reach (5:19 ± 1:11 min:s), (P < 0.001) and downwind (13:13 ± 3:04 min:s), (P < .001) in each race. Mean HR during upwind sailing (159 ± 11 beats per minute (bpm)) was higher than downwind sailing (147 ± 15 bpm), (P < 0.001) and reaching (156 ± 16 bpm), (P = 0.002). Although regatta schedules are highly governed by environmental conditions, this study confirms that sailing upwind (i.e., hiking) is the most physically demanding aspect of racing. Additionally, perceptual fatigue increases over time in more demanding regatta schedules. These findings provide a framework to prescribe training and recovery regimes for Laser class sailing athletes, to optimise physical performance during sailing regattas.
KW - competition
KW - fatigue
KW - hiking
KW - olympic-class
KW - tacks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107803683&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/24748668.2021.1933846
DO - 10.1080/24748668.2021.1933846
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85107803683
VL - 21
SP - 663
EP - 678
JO - International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport
JF - International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport
SN - 1474-8185
IS - 5
ER -