Development of Performance, Physiological and Technical Capacities During a Six-Month Cross-Country Skiing Talent Transfer Program in Endurance Athletes

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the development of performance, physiological and technical capacities as well as the effect of sport background among runners, kayakers and rowers when transferred to crosscountry (XC) skiing over a 6-month training period. Methods: Twenty-four endurance athletes (15 runners and 9 rowers/kayakers; 15 men and 9 women) were tested for performance, physiological and technical capacities during treadmill running and roller-ski skating, double-poling ergometry, as well as upper-body, one-repetition maximum-strength (1 RM) at baseline (pre) after three (mid) and 6-months (post) of XC ski-specific training. Results: Peak treadmill speed when roller-ski skating improved significantly (13%, P < 0.01) from pre-post, with a larger improvement in runners than in kayakers/rowers (16 vs. 9%, P < 0.05), whereas peak speed in running was unchanged. Average power output during 5-min and 30-s ergometer double-poling tests improved by 8% and 5% (both P < 0.01), with improvement found only in runners on the 30-s test (8 vs. −2% in kayakers/rowers, P < 0.01). Peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak) in running and double-poling ergometry did not improve, whereas VO 2peak in roller-ski skating improved by 5% in runners (P < 0.05). Submaximal gross efficiency increased by 0.6%-point and cycle length by 13%, whereas 1 RM in seated pull-down and triceps press increased by 12 and 11%, respectively (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Six-months of XC ski-specific training induced large improvements in sport-specific performance which were associated with better skiing efficiency, longer cycle length, and greater 1RM upper-body strength in a group of endurance athletes transferring to XC skiing. Furthermore, larger sport-specific development was found in runners compared to kayakers/rowers.

Comparison of High and Low Responders to a Cross-Country Skiing Talent Transfer Program: A Coach’s Perspective

“…The fact that the youngest athletes demonstrated better technical development than the older ones corresponds with previous literature on TT initiatives [8]. Furthermore, the fact that athletes with backgrounds in running were most represented in the high-responder group is further supported by the findings of Talsnes et al [9], which found a significantly larger sport-specific performance development among runners than kayakers and rowers. Furthermore, this also agrees with Vaeynes et al [8], who pointed out that some sports are more likely to act as donor sports in TT initiatives, and additionally, they outlined rowing and kayaking as sports that may be more suitable as recipient sports than donor sports.…”

“…In this study, a qualitative approach was chosen to gather detailed information from Norwegian XC-skiing coaches working with TT athletes about their reflections on differences between successful and less successful development in their respective TT program, used to develop XC skiers aiming for success in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Laboratory tests were performed to determine the TT athletes' development in performance, physiological, and technical capacities as described in detail by Talsnes et al [9]. These data further defined the groups of responders and non-responders and thereby formed the basis for the qualitative interviews presented in this study.…”

“…The athletes' development of performance, physiological, and technical capacities were measured in the laboratory as described in detail by Talsnes et al [9]. A performance index was developed to classify high and low responders to the six-month training period [14].…”

“…One vital aspect of TT programs is to understand the connection between 'donor' sports (the original sport an athlete used to practice in) and 'recipient' sports (the destination sport to which an athlete has transferred) [8]. Currently, the connection between 'donor' sports and 'recipient' sports is less examined; although, Talsnes et al [9] found runners to improve more than kayakers and rowers when Chinese athletes were transferred to cross-country (XC) skiing over a six-month training period. Another important aspect is to find the appropriate selection criteria, in which previous studies have criticized TT programs for adopting inappropriately narrow criteria, focusing mainly on physical and anthropometric factors [10].…”

“…In an approach by Talsnes et al [9], a group of 24 Chinese runners, rowers, and kayakers were transferred to XC skiing, one of the most technically and physiologically demanding endurance sports, over a six-month training period using state of-the-art training methodology [13] and high-level coaches. Here, large improvements in the development of sport-specific capacities (i.e., roller skiing and double-poling ergometry) were measured in the laboratory, with fewer changes in more general capacities (i.e., running) [9]. In a followup study by Talsnes et al [14], they compared high and low responders in the same group of TT athletes, and better physiological adaptations were found among high responders, whereas technical capacities were largely improved in both groups.…”