15 km staggered-start Nordic ski races in 2001-18 winter Olympics and World Championships: champions’ tactics analysis

ˑ: 

PhD, Associate Professor A.V. Shvetsov1
PhD, Associate Professor I.V. Nikishin1
PhD, Associate Professor A.E. Matveyev1
PhD, Associate Professor V.V. Kleshchev1
1Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow

Keywords: tactical trainings, Nordic skiing elite, 15km staggered-start race, ski race tactics, speed pro-files, World Winter Championship, Winter Olympic Games.

Background. Speed management layouts/ profiles are ranked among the key competitive success tactics by the modern Nordic skiing sport elite [1-4]. It is commonly believed that a competitive success in the cyclic sports should be secured by a stable high average speed on distance with a special priority to the movement economizing/ efficiency aspects, with the speed peaks and falls varying within some 3% of the average competitive speed on distance [2]. It should be emphasized, however, that the actual speed on distance can hardly be kept stable enough due to the hard terrains with steep ups and downs and, hence, wide speed variations. This is the reason why the stable speed control models are normally complemented by a range of terrain-specific tactical solutions – for example V.L. Utkin [2], V.N. Platonov [1] and A.V. Shvetsov [5] offer eight, six and three basic situation-specific tactical models, respectively.
The 15km staggered-start event was included in the World Winter Championship program since 1954 and in the Winter Olympic Games programs since 1956. In 1992 to 1999, the 15km staggered-start event was a part of the pursuit race; since 2001 it was back to the prior format; and since 2005 the alternating race styles were allowed.
A competitive success in this event nowadays is secured by the modern competitive tactical models, with a special role played by the start number assigned by a draw. Generally, the starting positions may be classified into the following two key options: (1) major rivals start earlier and, knowing their times, the athlete shall find the best race tactics; (2) major rivals start later, and the athlete shall run as fast as possi-ble in the beginner phase [3, 6].
Soviet skiers competed in ten Winter Olympic Games and twelve World Winter Championships in 1954 through 1991. In the Winter Olympic Games 15km races, N. Bazhukov (1976) and M. Devyatyarov (1988) won gold medals; F. Simashev (1972) and E. Belyaev (1976) silver medals; and P. Kolchin (1956) and V. Smirnov (1988) bronze medals. In the World Winter Championship 15km events, Soviet athletes won three silver medals (P. Kolchin in 1958, E. Belyaev in 1978 and A. Zavyalov in1982) and five bronze medals (A. Shelyukhin in 1958, F Simashov in 1970, V. Rochev in 1974, M. Devyatyarov in 1987 and V. Smirnov in 1991). And the modern (since 1992) Russian history reports only one bronze medal won by D. Spitsov at 2018 Winter Olympic Games. This poor modern-time national progress in the 15km staggered start event may be indicative of our lagging behind in the modern comprehensive and focused training systems.
Objective of the study was to find the best tactical models for the modern 15km staggered-start Nordic ski race based on analyses of the 2001-18 Winter Olympic Games / World Winter Championship winners’ tactics.
Methods and structure of the study. We assumed that the world-best 15km skiers’ competitive perfor-mance analysis will help find the best tactical models and apply them to improve the training systems and competitive performances of the national athletes. With this purpose, we processed 15km staggered-start event competitive records of the 2001-18 Winter Olympic Games / World Winter Championship to pro-duce the distance speed control layouts of the winners: see Table 1 hereunder.

Table 1. 15km staggered-start distance speed control layouts of the 2001-18 Winter Olympic Games / World Winter Championship winners

Year/ style

Champion

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Time

Average speed (%)

2001 / C

P. Elofsson

6,65 (+4)

6,06 (-4)

-----

39.26,0

6,34 (8)

2002 / C

A. Veerpalu

6,87 (+2)

6,63 (-2)

-----

37.07,4

6,74 (4)

2003 / С

А. Taihman

7,52 (+6)

6,60 (-6)

-----

35.47,5

6,99 (12)

2005/ F

Piller-Cottrer

7,36 (+3)

7,11 (-1)

6,96 (-3)

34.49,7

7,18 (6)

2006 / C

A. Veerpalu

6,79 (+3)

6,39 (-3)

-----

38.01,3

6,58 (6)

2007 / F

L. Berger

7,21 (+3)

6,80 (-3)

-----

35.50,0

6,98 (6)

2009 / С

A. Veerpalu

6,45 (0)

6,39 (-1)

6,44 (0)

38.54,4

6,43 (0)

2010 / F

D. Cologna

7,44 (0)

7,44 (0)

-----

33.36,3

7,44 (0)

2011 / С

M. Haikinen

6,73 (+3)

6,27 (-3)

-----

38.14,7

6,54 (6)

2013 / F

P. Nortug

7,28 (+1)

7,12 (-1)

-----

34.37,1

7,22 (2)

2014 / С

D. Cologna

7,02 (+8)

5,98 (-8)

-----

38.29,7

6,49 (16)

2015 / F

Y. Ulsson

7,23 (+1)

7,04 (-1)

-----

35.01,6

7,13 (2)

2017 / С

I. Niskanen

6,47 (-5)

7,17 (+5)

6,8 (0)

36.44,0

6,79 (10)

2018 / F

D. Cologna

7,67 (+3)

7,17 (-3)

-----

33.43,9

7,42 (6)

Note: C- classical style; F- freestyle; * best style-specific times

Results and discussion. The above Table demonstrates that in 11 cases out of 14 the speed control lay-outs in the 15km staggered-start event assumed the speed falling on distance, regardless of the racing style; albeit the speed falling patterns were different.
In two cases (2013/ 2015 World Winter Championship), the winners maintained the stable competitive speed on distance, with the variations limited by 2% only; and in two cases (2009 World Winter Champi-onship and 2010 Winter Olympic Games) the speed variations were even lower. Such tactical models are only possible when secured by perfect technical, tactical, physical and mental fitness and high confidence. This tactical model was used, for example, by D. Cologna when he won the 15km free style race with time of 33.36.3 (2010) in. More popular was Tactical Model 2 that assumes the speed sagging over the distance (in 6 cases out of 14) within the range of 6% at most.
Tactical Model 3 assumes the speed falling relatively fast over the distance within the range of 8% and more – as found in three cases for the study period (2001/ 2003 World Winter Championship and 2014 Winter Olympic Games). Thus A. Taykhman won the 15km classical style race with time of 35.47.5 (2003).
And Tactical Model 4 (quite seldom as it was used in 2017 only for the period) assumes the race speed being lower than the competitive average in the startup segment to maintain a reasonable ‘stock’ of ener-gy; then it peaks in the middle of the distance and falls down to the competitive average in the final seg-ment of the distance, with the speed varying within 10%.
It may be mentioned that since 2001 the event was won by ten racers, with eight of them winning it once, and A. Veerpalu and D. Cologna wining it three times for the period. A. Veerpalu from Estonia won the 15km classical style events at 2002/ 2006 Winter Olympic Games and 2009 World Winter Championship, with his win tactics including the speed-falling (in two Winter Olympic Games races) and stable-speed models.
The Swiss skier D. Cologna made an outstanding success in the event as he won it three times in a row (2010/ 2014/ 2018 Winter Olympic Games) using both racing styles due to his great technical and physical fitness. These successes were secured by the following three tactical models: stable-speed model (2010 WOG); fast speed sagging (within the range of 16%) model (2014 Winter Olympic Games); and smooth speed sagging (6%) model (2018 Winter Olympic Games).
Conclusion. The study data and analysis showed that the modern 15km staggered-start Nordic race tac-tics cannot be limited by some ideal guaranteed-win option. The world ski racing elite opts for one or an-other speed control tactics as required by the individual competitive fitness and a wide variety of competitive factors. The world elite was found to most often prefer the startup maximal-acceleration tactics followed by a smooth/ expressed speed sag up to the finish line. This tactical model offers the highest benefits in the energy economizing aspects since the competitive energy supply is known to make a gradual transition from the energy-intensive substrates of glycogen in the liver and muscles to the less energy-intensive fatty acids based energy sources. This may be the reason why the 15km staggered-start Nordic race elite normally prefers a powerful startup acceleration as long as the individual fatigue tolerance allows to achieve the individual maximum (in between the IPC and ANSP levels) and maintain the speed over the distance fighting against fatigue as long as possible. We recommend to give special attention to this tactical model in the training and competitive systems for success, with a special priority to the best individual distance speed control profiles with the reasonably planned startup maximums and the stable-speed averages.

References
1. Platonov V.N. Olympic training system: general theory and its practical applications. Kiev: Olimpiyskaya literatura publ., 2004. 808 p.
2. Utkin V.L. Biomechanical foundations of sports tactics. M.: Fizkultura i sport publ., 1984. 128 p.
3. Fedotova V.G., Shvetsov A.V. Basics of tactical training of cross-country skiers. Teaching aid . Malakhovka: MSAPC publ., 2006. 44 p.
4. Shvetsov A.V. Choice of rational tactical scheme to pass various competitive distances by cross-country skiers -Olympic Games and World Cup champions. Problems of sports kinesiology: Proc. Int. scientific conference. Malakhovka: MSAPC publ., 2009. pp. 142-146.
5. Shvetsov A.V. Tactical options for skiing from mass 50 km start for Winter Olympic Games and World Championship winners. Uchenye zapiski universiteta imeni P.F.Lesgafta. 2017. no. 9 (151). pp. 249-252.
6. Shvetsov A.V. Tactical fitness and its implementation in cross-country skiing and biathlon. Current trends in the development of theory and methods of physical education, sports and tourism: Proc. II nat. with international participation res.-practical conference. Malakhovka: MSAPC publ., 2018. pp. 398-404.

Corresponding author: Shvedcov2004@yandex.ru

Abstract
The key tactical fitness component in cyclic endurance sports is the choice of a rational tactical pattern (option) of covering the distance and the use of this tactical pattern depending on the competitive situa-tion.
In this regard, objective of the study was to analyze the dynamics of competitive speed at the distance of 15 km in the world-class racing skiers, which enabled to identify the optimal cross-country skiing tactics able to become an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of competitive activity and athletic training process.
For this purpose, we processed the data of the final protocols of the World Championships and Winter Olympic Games from 2001 in 15 km ski races from a staggered start, which made it possible to determine the indicators of competitive speed (average and at distance segments) and its dynamics.
The study showed that the world-class racing skiers choose a rational tactical pattern of covering the 15 km distance from a staggered start depending on the level of their athletic fitness as well as a large num-ber of specific aspects of cross-country skiing and competitive activity. Most often, in the 15 km stag-gered start cross-country skiing race, the world-class racing skiers use the tactical pattern of "maximum initial acceleration" followed by a smooth (or pronounced) decrease in the competitive speed up to the finish line. This is logical from the point of view of energy supply, as with an increase in the duration of competitive activity, there is also a gradual transition from energy-intensive substrates of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles to less energy-intensive fatty acids. Therefore, the main tactical actions of racing skiers in the 15 km ski races from a staggered start are: powerful starting acceleration, warming-up time, reaching near-maximum speed (at the level between maximal oxygen consumption and anaerobic thresh-old), and the ability to maintain this speed as long as possible, withstanding fatigue to the maximum de-gree.
It is this model of speed dynamics at the distance that the authors recommend reproducing during train-ings and competitions.