Table_1_Choice of Pole and Ski Lengths Among Elite Cross-Country Skiers: The Influence of Sex and Performance Level.XLSX

Cross-country (XC) skiers employ whole-body exercise to generate speed through poles and skis. The choice of optimal pole and ski lengths are therefore of high importance. The aim of this study was to document pole and ski lengths among elite male and female cross-country skiers in the classical and skating styles and to investigate sex differences in body-height-normalized pole and ski lengths. Our secondary purpose was to correlate body-height-normalized pole and ski lengths with performance level within both sexes. In total, Norwegian men and women (n = 87 and 36, respectively), participating in the Norwegian XC championship 2020, were investigated. Most athletes used poles close to the length allowed by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in the classical style among both sexes, with men using slightly longer poles than women (p < 0.05). Body-height-normalized pole lengths in skating were similar in men and women (around 90% of body height). Women used relatively longer ski lengths than men in both styles (p < 0.05). Women showed moderate correlations (r = 0.43, p < 0.05) between body-height-normalized pole lengths and sprint performance. Male and female cross-country skiers use as long classical ski poles as possible within the current regulations, while they use skating poles similar to recommendations given by the industry. The fact that men use longer body-height-normalized poles than women, where there is a correlation between pole length and sprint performance, indicate that faster women are able to better utilize the potential of using longer poles when double-poling. However, while women use relatively longer skis than men, no correlation with performance occurred for any of the sexes.

越野滑雪运动员通过全身运动利用滑雪杖和滑雪板来产生速度，因此选择最适宜的滑雪杖和滑雪板长度至关重要。本研究旨在记录精英男子和女子越野滑雪运动员在传统和速滑两种风格的滑雪杖和滑雪板长度，并探讨性别在身高标准化滑雪杖和滑雪板长度方面的差异。次要目的是探究身高标准化滑雪杖和滑雪板长度与两性运动员表现水平的相关性。在2020年挪威越野滑雪锦标赛中，共有87名挪威男子和36名挪威女子（n = 87和36，分别）参与了本研究。在传统滑雪风格中，大多数运动员使用的滑雪杖长度接近国际滑雪联合会（FIS）规定的长度，男性使用的滑雪杖比女性略长（p < 0.05）。在速滑中，男性和女性的身高标准化滑雪杖长度相似（约为身高90%）。在两种风格中，女性使用的滑雪板长度相对于男性较长（p < 0.05）。女性在身高标准化滑雪杖长度与短距离冲刺表现之间表现出中等的相关性（r = 0.43，p < 0.05）。男子和女子越野滑雪运动员在现行规则下尽可能使用最长的传统滑雪杖，同时使用与行业推荐相似的速滑滑雪杖。男性使用比女性更长的身高标准化滑雪杖，且滑雪杖长度与短距离冲刺表现之间存在相关性，表明速度较快的女性能够更好地利用使用更长滑雪杖进行双杖滑行的潜力。然而，尽管女性使用的滑雪板相对于男性较长，但在任何性别中均未发现与表现的相关性。