Analysis of V1 Skating Technique of Olympic Cross-Country Skiers

The alternate stride or V1 skate technique was the predominant skiing method used in the free technique races of the 1988 Calgary Games. High-speed films were recorded of two free technique races: the Men’s 50 K and the Ladies' 20 K. A moderate and a steep uphill were sites of the filming, and both temporal and kinematic analyses were made. Times for a complete skating cycle tended to decrease on the steep hill (cycle rate increased). Cycle temporal proportions shifted to longer poling and recovery phases while the skating phases shortened on the steeper terrain. Mean cycle velocities (CV), cycle lengths (CL), and cycle rates (CR) were determined. Differences in kinematic relationships were noted: Male skiers included both those who emphasized CL to maximize CV and those who emphasized CR; females were relatively more consistent in emphasis on CR. In either case, center of mass (CM) motions were related to CR and CL. Increased lateral motion of CM tended to increase CL while decreasing CR. Ski edging angl...