KINESIOLOGIASLOVENICA3(1997)1 • 13- 17 13 CORRELATION OF THE ACTUAL AND THE SUBSTITUTE COMPETITIVE RESULT IN KAYAK SLALOM Aleks Leo Vest* ZVEZA MED DEJANSKIM IN NADOMESTNIM REZULTATOM V WAK SLALOMU ABSTRACT Competitive capability doesn'talways manifest itself entirely in each result, due tothe changingdynamics of various known and unknown factors. Non-stan- dard conditions in individual kayak-slalom races pre- sent further difficulties. The competitive result is the sum of achieved tirne and penalty points - usually the consequence of technical errors - w hich are un- predictable and because of their random nature an unstable and unrealistic indicator of competitive ca- pability. Twelve kayakers co-operated at four races in assessing the correlation between the actual and substitute result. Best times and results at individual races were taken as indicators of the actual compet- itive result and velocity in figure of eight test as the substitute result. lnspection of correlation stabil ity between the actual and substitute result in different conditions showed that the effort in figure of eight test closely matches that in kayak-slalom. Ranges of correlation coefficients between best achieved times at different races, actual results and substitute result give credibility to the supposition of a common ba- sis of these indicators and that the velocity in figure of eight testis an adequate indicator for assessing com- petitive capabi lity in kayak-slalom. This test enables an insight into those energy characteristics that most (co)define the actual competitive result. Key words: kayak slalom, theory of training, substi- tute competitive result * Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SLOVENIA IZVLEČEK Zaradi spreminjajoče se dinamike znanih in nez- nanih dejavnikov, se tekmovalna zmogljivost ne udejanja celovito v vsakem tekmovalnem rezultatu. V kajak slalomu povzročajo dodatno težavo nes- tanda rdni pogoji, v katerih se tekmovanja odvijajo. Tekmovalni rezultat je seštevek doseženega časa in pribitka kazenskih točk, ki so praviloma posledica tehničnih napak, so nepredvidljive in zarad i slučajnosti dogodka nestabilen in nerealen kazalec tekmovalne zmogljivosti . Pri preverjanju povezanos- ti dejanskega in nadomestnega tekmovalnega rezul- tata je na štirih različnih tekmah sodelovalo 12 ka- jakašev. Za kazalce dejanskega tekmovalnega rezul- tata so bili uporabljeni najboljši doseženi časi in rezultati na posameznih tekmah, za kazalec nadomestnega rezultata je bila uporabljena hitrost veslanja v osmici. Preverjanje stabi lnosti korelacij med dejanskim in nadomestnim tekmovalnim rezul- tatom v različn ih tekmovalnih pogojih je pokazalo, da je napor pri veslanju v osmici zelo podoben na- poru v kajak slalomu. Razponi korelacijskih koefi- cientov med najboljšimi doseženimi časi na različnih tekmah, dejanskimi rezultati na različnih tekmah in nadomestnim rezultatom, nakazujejo ve- liko verjetnost, da je osnova teh kazalcev enaka in je hitrost veslanja v osmici primeren kazalec za oceno tekmovalne zmogljivosti v kajak slalomu. Test omogoča nadzor t istih kazalcev energijskih značil­ nosti, ki najpomembneje sovplivajo na tekmovalni rezultat. Ključne besede: kajak slalom, teorija treniranja, nadomestni rezultat 14 Aleks Leo Vest CORRELA TION OF THE ACTUALAND THE SUBSTITUTE COMPETITIVE RESULT IN KA YAK SLALOM INTRODUCTION Sports achievements evaluated through results en- able one to separate and ran k sportsmen according to their quality. Competitive capability does not al- ways manifest itself entirely in each result, due to the changing dynamics of various known and unknown factors. The non-standard race conditions in some sports - kayak-slalom included - and the way the competitive result is computed present further diffi- culties. The competitive resu lt in kayak-slalom is namelythe sum of the achieved tirne and the penal- ty points. Analyses of the results show that top competitors usually complete the cou rse w ithout penalty points and differ mostly in the achieved tirne. The penalty points - usually the conseq uence of techn ical errors - are unpredictable and because of their ran dom na- ture an unstable and unrealistic indicator of the ac- tual competitive capability. From this viewpoint the competitive result does not represent the best indi- cator for assessing competitive capabil ity, especial ly when the best achieved tirne does not figu re as an integral partof the competitive res uit. Non-standard w ild-water conditions, different gate placements, various constructions of artificial slalom courses and other factors are without doubt an additional specif- ic problem - one which places even the best achieved tirne amongthe not-so-rel iable indicators of competitive capability. The unstable conditions from which the competitive res uit o riginates do not al low the formation of a per- fectly rel iable model of energy characteristics of the competitive result. This is why different models of energy characteristics shou ld be used to find new ways of building more reliable and stable competi- tion models. It is onlywith such indirectapproaches that it is possible to gradually substitute the actual competitive result in kayak-slalom with the result in atest on fiat water, one that would be closest to the actual competitive situation in kayak-slalom. Analyses of t he competitive results a nd used tech- nique show that attention shou ld be paid - when searching for a substitute test- mostly to those indi- cators of competitive capability that decisively influ- ence the velocity of the kayak (6, 8, 9). The selection of energy characteristics i ndicators for the motor and physiologica l sub-spaces - ones that would be used in a model of specific characteristics of compet itors in kayak-slalom - is based in content on the specifics of kayak-slalom and ta kes into account relevant sci- entific findings dealing with measurement (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). The measurements of energy characteristics indica- tors were executed in conditions adapted to the specifics of kayak-slalom. Besides situational tests of strength and endurance in strength - measured on the water - laboratory measu rements were made of those physiological indicators that could not be mea- su red on the water, here a close simulation of the ac- tual competitive kayak-slalom effort was also stri ved for, w ith the use of a special kayak ergometer (9). On the basis of statistical analyses we chose the ve- locity in the figure of eight test (VFIG8) as the substi- tute resu lt. From the correlation table - velocity in the figure of eight test (VFIG8) with the actual com- petitive result (CRESULT) and the bestachieved tirne (BESTTIME) - it can already be seen that the corre- lation coefficient is very high (r=-0.96). The results in a stepwise regression analysis also show the good prognostic power of this indicator, as the test (VFIC8) explains the greatest partof the criterion variance in the basic regression equation (R square = O. 926 and sig. F = 0.000) (9) . According to these results it seems that the velocity in the figure of eight test is an adequate cr iterion for assessing competitive capa- bil ity - satisfying all scientific and sport praxis crite- ria. In spite of this there was stil i the possibility that such high coefficients are nota reliable picture of the cor- relation between the indicators of competitive ca- pability and the velocity in the figure of eight test. In order to verify further the correlation between the actual and the substitute competit ive result, addi- tional measurements were performed of both indi- cators in different competitive conditions. For the purposes of this assessment the results of selection races for the Slovene national team at Tacen (twice), at Lofer and on the Soča river were used. The races at Tacen were held on an artificial course, whi le those at Lofe r and Soča were on natura! slalom courses. These four competitions were held at very different water-levels. METHODS Subjects The sample consisted of twelve subjects of mean age 19 (± 4.3 years), body mass 64 .1 (±8.3kg), body height 174 (±7.5 cm) and assessed quality of 2.7 (±1.4) ona five point sca le, that took part in the Slovene nationa l team selection races. Ali subjects did not take part at ali the races, the sam ples were different both in number and structure. At the first race at Tacen twelve subjects competed, at the sec- Aleks Leo Vest CORRELATION OF THE ACTUALAND THE SUBSTITUTE COMPETITIVE RESULT IN KAYAK SLALOM 15 ond - also at Tacen - six, twelve at the race on the Soča river and ten at Lofer. Variables The measurements of the competitive results were executed for each slalom race separately. The indi- cators of the actual competitive result were the best achieved tirne and result (in points) at the individu- al races at Tacen (TAC1 BEST, TAC1 RES, TAC2BEST, TAC2RES), on the Soča river (SOČABEST, SOČARES) and the race at Lofer (LOFB EST, LO FRES). O n the basis o f prior find ings (9) the test figure of eight was chosen as the substitute competitive result. The chosen indicator of substitute resu lt, velocity in the figure of eight test (VFIG8) enables monitori ng energy characteristics in kayak-slalom in standard- ised substit utive competition conditions. The figure of eight test is performed in a kayak- slalom by paddling in a figureof eighton flatwater of depth more than 1 m . The length of the test course is 6 x 50 m and should be completed once, as fast as possible. At the begining, the forward tip of the kayak should be at the sta rting line. Time measure- ment begins when the body of the subject crosses the starting line and ends w hen it crosses the fin ish line. Times are measured correct to a tenth o f a sec- ond. Before the test - w hile in repose - and 3 min. after completion of the test 20 µI of blood is drawn from the ear lobe. The heart frequency is measured every 5 seconds w ith a pulsemeter. Statistical methods Basic statistical parameters were computed for all the variables - arithmetic mean, minimal and maxi- mal result, standard deviation, Kolmogorov and Smirnov coefficient (test of distri but ion normality) and its statistical significance. The correlation be- tween pairs of variables was assessed with Pearson correlation coefficients. AII correlations w here alpha error was less than O.OS were considered statistical- ly significant. Ali computat ion was done w ith the SPSS and CSS statistical packages. RESU LTS The basic statist ical parameters and the test for dis- tribution normality for the actual and substitute com- petitive results are shown in table 1. Correlation between indicators of actual competit ive result Pearson correlation coefficients were computed to assess the correlat ion of the ind ividual indicators of the actual competit ive result in different kayak- slalom cond it ions. These are shown in table 2. Table 1: Basic statistics of the variables of actual and substitute competition result Race Mean Minimum Maximum Standard K-S K-S deviation coefficient significance TACl BEST 111.71 7 103.600 118.610 5.052 0.718 0 .680 TACl RES 114.344 103.600 133.570 8.061 0 .598 0.867 TAC2BEST 133.197 126.01 O 144.120 7.698 0.526 0.945 TAC2RES 141.105 132.700 157.400 9.176 0 .648 0.795 SOČABEST 109.567 102 .690 122.710 6.282 0.997 0.273 SOČARES 11 1.233 104.000 132.710 8.172 0.955 0.321 LOFBEST 131 .527 124.460 144.770 6.866 0 .761 0.608 LOFRES 135.332 124.460 153.740 8.437 0.621 0 .836 VFIG8 2.534 2.350 2.670 0 .960 0.400 0 .997 The variable codes stanci for the following: • VFIG8 - velocity in the figure of eight test (rn/sec) • TACl BEST - best achieved tirne at the senior's selection race at Tacen (sec) • TACl RES - achieved result at the senior's selection race at Tacen (points) • TAC2BEST - best achieved t irne at the juniors' selection race at Tacen (sec) • TAC2RES - ach ieved result at the juniors' selection race at Tacen (points) • SOČABEST - best achieved tirne at the senior's selection race on Soča (sec) • SOČARES - achieved result at the senior's selection race on Soča (points) • LOFBEST - best ach ieved t irne at the senior 's selection race at Lofer (sec) • LOFRES - achieved result at the senior's selection race at Lofer (po ints) 16 Aleks Leo Vest CORRELA TION OF THE ACTUALAND THE SUBSTITUTE COMPETITIVE RESULT INKA YAK SLALOM Table 2: Coefficients of correlation between the indicators of actual competitive result TAC1 TAC1 TAC2 BEST RES BEST TAC1 BEST 0.69 TACl RES 0.85 1 0 .18 TAC2BEST 0.69 0.18 1 TAC2RES 0.44 -0.19 0 .85 SOČABEST 0.76 0.78 0.51 SOČARES 0.78 0.59 0.78 LOFBEST 0.91 0.85 0.9 LOFRES 0.84 0.91 0.99 • Ali correlation coefficients with statistical significance p