title: Sprint kayaking and canoeing performance prediction based on the relationship between maturity status, anthropometry and physical fitness in young elite paddlers.
abstract: This study aimed to identify the maturity-related differences and its influence on the physical fitness, morphological and performance characteristics of young elite paddlers. In total, 89 kayakers and 82 canoeists, aged 13.69 ± 0.57 years (mean ± s), were allocated in three groups depending on their age relative to the age at peak height velocity (pre-APHV, circum-APHV and post-APHV) and discipline (kayak and canoe). Nine anthropometric variables, a battery of four physical fitness tests (overhead medicine ball throw, countermovement jump, sit-and-reach test and 20 m multistage shuttle run test) and three specific performance tests (1000, 500 and 200 m) were assessed. Both disciplines presented significant maturity-based differences in all anthropometric parameters (except for fat and muscle mass percentage), overhead medicine ball throw and all performance times (pre > circum > post; P < 0.05). Negative and significant correlations (P < 0.01) were detected between performance times, chronological age and anthropometry (body mass, height, sitting height and maturity status), overhead medicine ball throw and sit and reach for all distances. These findings confirm the importance of maturity status in sprint kayaking and canoeing since the more mature paddlers were also those who revealed largest body size, physical fitness level and best paddling performance. Additionally, the most important variables predicting performance times in kayaking and canoeing were maturity status and chronological age, respectively.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Activity and Sports , Catholic University of San Antonio , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López-Plaza
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Activity and Sports , Catholic University of San Antonio , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alacid
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Education Sciences, Nursing and Physiotherapy, Laboratory of Kinesiology, Biomechanics and Ergonomic (KIBIOMER) , University of Almería , Almería , Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muyor
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical Education , University of Murcia , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro Ángel
authors.initials: PÁ
authors.lastname: López-Miñarro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Maturity; canoeing; fitness level; kayaking; morphology