Indicators of maximal hiking performance in Laser sailors

Laser class sailors have to hike out, i.e. hook their feet under the toe straps near the centreline of the boat and hold their upper bodies over the edge of the boat, to counteract the heeling forces generated by the sails. To identify the parameters that are associated with maximal hiking performance, this cross-sectional observational study measures various knee extensor and hip flexor muscle performance characteristics in 55 Laser sailors and correlates each with the area-under-the-curve hiking moment over 3 min of hiking on a hiking dynamometer (HM180). Our results showed that higher body mass and HM180 were significantly associated with better race scores (Spearman’s rho = − 0.69 and − 0.62, respectively, both P < 0.01) in male sailors who participated in the National Inter-School Laser competition. Body mass (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, r  ≥ 0.95, P < 0.01 in both males and females), maximum voluntary isometric strength of the quadriceps (r ≥ 0.80, P < 0.01 in both males and females), and 3-RM knee extension strength (r ≥ 0.80, P < 0.01 in both males and females) were associated with a higher HM180. The correlations between height, abdominal muscle endurance (crunches), explosive lower body strength (vertical jumps), cycling time-to-exhaustion, quadriceps strength endurance, or isometric quadriceps endurance with incremental loads (bucket test), and HM180 were weaker (r < 0.60). HM180 may be a useful performance indicator for Laser racing. Since strength measures correlated well with HM180, greater emphasis should be placed on developing maximum strength in the quadriceps to improve maximal hiking performance.