Preceding Race Efforts Affect Pacing and Short-Track Speed Skating Performance

Purpose: To examine whether preceding high-intensity race efforts in a competitive weekend affected pacing behaviour and performance in elite short-track speed skaters. Methods: Finishing and intermediate lap times were gathered from 500, 1000 and 1500 m Short Track Speed Skating World Cups during the seasons 2011-2016. The effect of preceding races on pacing behaviour and performance was explored using two studies. Study I: the effect of competing in extra races due to the Repechage (Rep) system, leading to an increased number of high-intensity race efforts prior to the subsequent main tournament race, was explored (500m: N=32, 1000m: N=34; 1500m: N=47). Study II: the performance of skaters over the tournament days was evaluated (500m: N=129, 1000m: N=54; 1500m: N=114). For both analytic approaches, a two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess differences in pacing and performance within the skater over the races. Results: An additional number of preceding high-intensity race efforts due to the Rep system reduced the qualification percentage in the first main tournament race for the next stage of competition in all events (500m: Direct qualification=57.3%, Rep=25.0%; 1000m: Direct=44.2%, Rep=28.3%; 1500m: Direct=27.1%, Rep=18.2%), and led to a decreased pace in the initial two laps of the 500m event. In contrast, Tournament day (Saturday vs Sunday) only affected the pacing behaviour of female skaters during the 1500m event. Conclusion: High-intensity race efforts earlier on the day affected pacing and performance of elite skaters, while the effect of high-intensity race efforts from the previous day seem to be only marginal.