Influence of anthropometry on race performance in extreme endurance triathletes: World Challenge Deca Iron Triathlon 2006.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of anthropometric variables on race performance in ultra-endurance triathletes in an ultra-triathlon.


METHODS
Descriptive field study.


METHODS
The "World Challenge Deca Iron Triathlon 2006" in Monterrey, Mexico, in which everyday for 10 consecutive days athletes had to perform the distance of one Ironman triathlon of 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling and 42.195 km running.


METHODS
Eight male ultra-endurance athletes (mean (SD) age 40.6 (10.7) years, weight 76.4 (8.4) kg, height 175 (4) cm and body mass index (BMI) 24.7 (2.2) kg/m2).


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Direct measurement of body mass, height, leg length, skinfold thicknesses, limb circumference and calculation of BMI, skeletal muscle mass (SM), percentage SM (%SM) and percentage body fat (%BF) in order to correlate measured and calculated anthropometric variables with race performance.


RESULTS
Race time was not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by the directly measured variables, height, leg length, body mass, average skinfold thicknesses, or circumference of thigh, calf or upper arm. Furthermore, no significant (p>0.05) correlation was observed between race time and the calculated variables, BMI, %SM and %BF.


CONCLUSIONS
In a multistage ultra-triathlon over 10 Ironman triathlon distances in 10 consecutive days, there was no effect of body mass, height, leg length, skinfold thicknesses, limb circumference, BMI, %SM or %BF on race performance in the only eight finishers.
Knechtle
Beat
B
Gesundheitszentrum St Gallen, Switzerland. beat.knechtle@hispeed.ch
Knechtle
Patrizia
P
Andonie
Jorge Luis
JL
Kohler
Götz
G
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*