Pacing Behavior and Tactical Positioning in 500- and 1000-m Short-Track Speed Skating

Noorbergen, Olaf S., Konings, Marco J., Micklewright, Dominic, Elferink-Gemser, Marije T. and Hettinga, Florentina (2016) Pacing Behavior and Tactical Positioning in 500- and 1000-m Short-Track Speed Skating. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 11 (6). pp. 742-748. ISSN 1555-0265

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Abstract

Purpose: To explore pacing behavior and tactical positioning during the shorter 500-and 1000-m short-Track competitions. Methods: Lap times and intermediate rankings of elite 500-and 1000-m short-Track-skating competitors were collected over the 2012-13 season. First, lap times were analyzed using a MANOVA, and for each lap, differences between sex, race type, final ranking, and stage of competition were determined. Second, Kendall tau-b correlations were used to assess relationships between intermediate and final rankings. In addition, intermediate rankings of the winner of each race were examined. Results: Top-placed athletes appeared faster than bottom-placed athletes in every lap in the 500-m, while in the 1000-m no differences were found until the final 4 laps (P < .05). Correlations between intermediate and final rankings were already high at the beginning stages of the 50-m (lap 1: r = .59) but not for the 1000-m (lap 1: r = .21). Conclusions: Although 500-and 1000-m short-Track races are both relatively short, fundamental differences in pacing behavior and tactical positioning were found. A fast-start strategy seems to be optimal for 500-m races, while the crucial segment in 1000-m races seems to be from the 6th lap to the finish line (ie, after ± 650 m). These findings provide evidence to suggest that athletes balance between choosing an energetically optimal profile and the tactical and positional benefits that play a role when riding against an opponent, as well as contributing to developing novel insights in exploring athletic behavior when racing against opponents.

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