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Energy expenditure of extreme competitive mountaineering skiing

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Multi-hour ski mountaineering energy balance may be negative and intake below recommendations.

Methods

Athletes on the ‘Patrouille des Glaciers’ racecourses (17 on course Z, 27 km, +2,113 m; 11 on course A, 26 km, +1,881 m) volunteered. Pre-race measurements included body mass, stature, VO2max, and heart rate (HR) vs VO2 at simulated altitude; race measurements HR, altitude, incline, location, and food and drink intake (A). Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from altitude corrected HR derived VO2.

Results

Race time was 5 h 7 min ± 44 min (mean ± SD, Z) and 5 h 51 min ± 53 min (A). Subjects spent 19.2 ± 3.2 MJ (Z), respectively, 22.6 ± 2.9 MJ (A) during the race. Energy deficit was −15.5 ± 3.9 MJ (A); intake covered 20 ± 7 % (A). Overall energy cost of locomotion (EC) was 9.9 ± 1.3 J m−1 kg−1 (Z), 8.0 ± 1.0 J m−1 kg−1 (A). Uphill EC was 11.7 ± 1 J m−1 kg−1 (Z, 13 % slope) and 15.7 ± 2.3 J m−1 kg−1 (A, 19 % slope). Race A subjects lost −1.5 ± 1.1 kg, indicating near euhydration. Age, body mass, gear mass, VO2max and EC were significantly correlated with performance; energy deficit was not.

Conclusions

Energy expenditure and energy deficit of a multi-hour ski mountaineering race are very high and energy intake is below recommendations.

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Abbreviations

ACSM:

American College of Sport Medicine

EC:

Energy cost

EE:

Energy expenditure

HR:

Heart rate

HRmax :

Maximal heart rate

HRmod :

Modified heart rate

HRres :

Heart rate reserve

MET:

Metabolic equivalent of task

mvert :

Vertical meter

s 1 :

Speed 1

s 2 :

Speed 2

s 3 :

Speed 3

SD:

Standard deviation

VO2 :

Oxygen consumption

VO2max :

Maximal oxygen consumption

vt2 :

Ventilatory threshold 2

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the Swiss federal office for sports. We thank Philippe Vuistiner, Vincent Favre, Joachim Staub, Olivier Dériaz and the team of the Swiss Olympic Medical Center of Sion for their excellent technical help. We are also very grateful to the subjects for their precious time in participating in the study.

Conflict of interest

There are no conflicts of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sports Sciences and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Géopolis, Campus Dorigny, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Caroline Praz & Bengt Kayser

  2. Institute for Research in Rehabilitation, SuvaCare Rehabilitation Clinic, Sion, Switzerland

    Caroline Praz & Bertrand Léger

Authors
  1. Caroline Praz
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  2. Bertrand Léger
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  3. Bengt Kayser
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bengt Kayser.

Additional information

Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

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Praz, C., Léger, B. & Kayser, B. Energy expenditure of extreme competitive mountaineering skiing. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2201–2211 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2939-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2939-1

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