Macdermid PWOlazabal TKeogh JHortobagyi T2024-05-292024-05-292022-01-28Macdermid PW, Olazabal T. (2022). The Relationship between Stroke Metrics, Work Rate and Performance in Slalom Kayakers. Biomechanics (Switzerland). 2. 1. (pp. 31-43).https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/69684The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between work rate, stroke metrics, and performance in whitewater slalom. Twelve Spanish, nationally competitive whitewater slalom kayakers took part in a simulated competition while using an instrumented kayak paddle to record stroke metrics over a simulated race, total duration and sectional splits. Performance time was highly correlated to overall power output (r2 = 0.511, p < 0.001), where kayakers demonstrated a positive pacing strategy with power output significantly decreasing over successive sectional splits (158 ± 40, 112 ± 32 and 65 ± 33 W, p < 0.001). This resulted in an increased stroke duration (p < 0.001), time to peak force (p < 0.001), a decrease in stroke peak force (p < 0.001), and rate of peak force development (p < 0.001) over elapsed time. As such, work rate is deemed an objective metric to monitor performance, prescribe training, and ascertain optimal pacing strategies in canoe slalom.(c) The author/shttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/canoeingpower meterwhitewater slalomJournal article10.3390/biomechanics20100052673-7078CC BYjournal-article31-43