Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Heart rate and GPS data analysis of kiteboard course racing during the Italian Championship

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sport Sciences for Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Despite the growing popularity of kiteboard course racing, there is a paucity of scientific literature about the performance in this sport.

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to analyze displacement (speed and direction) and heart rate (HR) data in high-level kiteboarders during competition.

Methods

Five kiteboarders, ages 33.8 ± 5.3 years, weight: 80.6 ± 4.8 kg, height: 181.2 ± 7.8 cm, were monitored with a GPS receiver and an HR monitor during four races of the Italian Kiteboarding Championship for a total of 46 regattas.

Results

Each regatta lasted 926 ± 175 s and was composed by 11 ± 1 beats. The average sailing speed recorded in competition was 8.9 ± 0.9 m/s. The speed was higher (p < 0.01) in the downwind leg (9.9 ± 1.4 m/s) than in the upwind leg (7.9 ± 0.3 m/s). The orientation of the kiteboard with respect to the wind direction during the upwind sailing phase was 66.4° ± 6.3°, resulting in being wider than in traditional sailing sports. The mean HR was 82.7 ± 0.9% of HRreserve and 86% ± 1.2 HRmax, showing a relatively high exercise intensity compared to most of other sailing sports.

Conclusion

The duration and intensity of a kiteboard racing suggest the need of specific physical training programs for competitive kiteboarders.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Glossary of sailing terms (2007) J Sports Sci 25(10):1077–1080. doi:10.1080/02640410601165197

  2. Nickel C, Zernial O, Musahl V, Hansen U, Zantrop T, Petersen W (2004) A prospective study of kitesurfing injuries. Am J Sports Med 32(4):921–927. doi:10.1177/0363546503262162

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Exadaktylos AK, Sclabas GM, Blake I, Swemmer K, McCormick G, Erasmus P (2005) The kick with the kite: an analysis of kite surfing related off shore rescue missions in Cape Town, South Africa. Br J Sports Med 39(5):e26. doi:10.1136/bjsm2004014795

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Lundgren L, Brorssona S, Osvaldera A (2012) Comfort aspects important for the performance and safety of kitesurfing. Work 41:1221–1225. doi:10.3233/WOR-2012-0306-1221

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bourgois JG, Boone J, Callewaert M, Tipton MJ, Tallir IB (2014) Biomechanical and physiological demands of kitesurfing and epidemiology of injuries among kitesurfers. Sports Med 44(1):55–66. doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0103-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Camps C, Zernial O (2011) Variation in heart rate and blood lactate concentration in freestyle kitesurfing. J Sports Med Phys Fit 51(2):313–321

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Vercruyssen F, Blin N, L’Huillier D, Brisswalter J (2009) Assessment of physiological demand in Kitesurfing. Eur J Appl Physiol 105(1):103–109. doi:10.1007/s00421-008-0879-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Buchanan M, Cunningham P, Dyson RJ, Hurrion PD (1996) Electromyographic activity of beating and reaching during simulated boardsailing. J Sports Sci 14(2):131–137. doi:10.1080/02640419608727695

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Dyson RJ, Buchanan M, Farrington TA, Hurrion PD (1996) Electromyographic activity during windsurfing on water. J Sports Sci 14(2):125–130. doi:10.1080/02640419608727694

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Castagna O, Brisswalter J, Lacour J, Vogiatzis I (2008) Physiological demands of different sailing techniques of the new Olympic windsurfing class. Eur J Appl Physiol 104(6):1061–1067. doi:10.1007/s00421-008-0863-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Chamari K, Moussa-Chamari I, Galy O, Chaouachi M, Koubaa D, Ben Hassen C, Hue O (2003) Correlation between heart rate and performance during Olympic windsurfing competition. Eur J Appl Physiol 89(3–4):387–392. doi:10.1007/s00421-003-0808-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Vogiatzis I, Spurway NC, Wilson J, Boreham C (1995) Assessment of aerobic and anaerobic demands of dinghy sailing at different wind velocities. J Sports Med Phys Fit 35(2):103–107

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Vangelakoudi A, Vogiatzis I, Geladas N (2007) Anaerobic capacity, isometric endurance, and Laser sailing performance. J Sports Sci 25(10):1095–1100. doi:10.1080/02640410601165288

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cunningham P, Hale T (2007) Physiological responses of elite Laser sailors to 30 minutes of simulated upwind sailing. J Sports Sci 25(10):1109–1116. doi:10.1080/02640410601165668

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Farley ORL, Abbiss CR, Sheppard JM (2017) Performance analysis of surfing: a review. J Strength Cond Res 31(1):260–271. doi:10.1519/JSC0000000000001442

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hillis GS, Hata J, Woodward M, Perkovic V, Arima H, Chow CK, Zoungas S, Patel A, Poulter NR, Mancia G, Williams B, Chalmers J (2012) Resting heart rate and the risk of microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Am Heart Assoc 1(5):e002832. http://jaha.ahajournals.org/content/1/5/e002832

  17. Karvonen J, Vuorimaa T (1988) Heart rate and exercise intensity during sports activities: practical application. Sports Med 5(5):303–311. doi:10.2165/00007256-198805050-00002

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Witte TH, Wilson AM (2004) Accuracy of non-differential GPS for the determination of speed over ground. J Biomech 37:1891–1898. http://www.jbiomech.com/article/S0021-9290(04)00120-4/abstract

  19. Formenti D, Trecroci A, Cavaggioni L, Caumo A, Alberti G (2015) Heart rate response to a marathon cross-country skiing race: a case study Sport Sci. Health 11:125–128. doi:10.1007/s11332-014-0187-8

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rodek J, Sekulic D, Kondric M (2012) Dietary supplementation and doping-related factors in high-level sailing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 9(1):51. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-9-51

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Spurway NC (2007) Hiking physiology and the “quasi isometric” concept. J Sport Sci 25(10):1081–1093. doi:10.1080/02640410601165270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Vogiatzis I, Tzineris D, Athanasopoulos D, Georgiadou O, Geladas N (2008) Quadriceps oxygenation during isometric exercise in sailing. Int J Sport Med 29:11–15. doi:10.1055/s-2007-964993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lundgren L, Brorsson S, Hilliges M, Osvalder A-L (2011) Sport performance and perceived musculoskeletal stress, pain and discomfort in kitesurfing. Int J Perform Anal Sport 11:142–158

    Google Scholar 

  24. Vogiatzis I, Spurway NC, Jennett S, Wilson J, Sinclair J (1996) Changes in ventilation related to changes in electromyograph activity during repetitive bouts of isometric exercise in simulated sailing. Eur J Appl Physiol 72:195–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Callewaert M, Boone J, Celie B, De Clercq D, Bourgois JG (2015) Indicators of sailing performance in youth dinghy sailing. Eur J Sport Sci 15(3):213–219. doi:10.1080/174613912014905984

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bourgois JG, Callewaert M, Celie B, De Clercq D, Boone J (2016) Isometric quadriceps strength determines sailing performance and neuromuscular fatigue during an upwind sailing emulation. J Sport Sci 34(10):973–979. doi:10.1080/0264041420151082613

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Tan B, Aziz AR, Spurway NC, Toh C, Mackie H, Xie W, Wong J, Fuss FK, Teh KC (2006) Indicators of maximal hiking performance in Laser sailors. Eur J Appl Physiol 98:169–176. doi:10.1007/s00421-006-0260-3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Marchaj CA (1979) Aero-hydrodynamics of sailing. Dodd, Mead & Co, New York

    Google Scholar 

  29. Guével A, Maısetti O, Prou E, Dubois JJ, Marini JF (1999) Heart rate and blood lactate responses during competitive Olympic boardsailing. J Sports Sci 17:135–141. doi:10.1080/026404199366235

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Vogiatzis I, De Vito G (2015) Physiological assessment of Olympic windsurfers. Eur J Sport Sci 15(3):228–234. doi:10.1080/174613912014920925

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and discussions on the original manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Science, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 10, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Gianluca Caimmi & Gabriele Semprini

  2. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via del Pilastro, 8, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    Gabriele Semprini

Authors
  1. Gianluca Caimmi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gabriele Semprini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gianluca Caimmi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

All athletes gave their consent to participate in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Caimmi, G., Semprini, G. Heart rate and GPS data analysis of kiteboard course racing during the Italian Championship. Sport Sci Health 13, 79–85 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-017-0346-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-017-0346-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation