Cross-sectional analysis of rowing power and technique of German junior women in the eight

Since ten years, the German Rowing Federation (DRV) annually conducted 2000-m-race-tests with the best-performing athletes at the beginning of the immediate-pre-competition-preparation (IPCP) for the World-Rowing-Junior-Championships (WRJC). According to previous findings, differences between year-groups, correlations between anthropometric-data, rowing-power and technique development were tested to identify trends and to define a performance-strategy. Twenty test-runs of the junior-women’s-Eight (N=156) were studied using a mobile-measuring-system that records rowing-force and rowing-angle. Body height, body mass, average handle-power with its components handle-force, velocity and handle-displacement per stroke and further rowing-technical characteristics of the rowing-stroke-length were considered and WRJC-race-times used as external-criteria. Single-factor-variance-analysis, linear-correlation, regression-analysis and cluster-analysis were calculated. Significant differences were found between year-groups in body height, body mass and in characteristic values for rowing-power and technique and significant correlations between body height and body mass with rowing-power. Further, six performance-groups were identified by rowing-technique-data. Significant reduction was found in crew’s WRJC-race-time, reflected in handle-power and its determinants. Cross-sectional-comparison showed significant increase in average handle-power and handle-force per rowing-stroke at higher stroke frequency. Based on the cross-sectional-data, selection and year-group influences, together with exercise-induced-effects, should be considered as causes. Results show a functioning preparation-system within the DRV for better prepared-junior-athletes to commence the IPCP