Biomechanical analysis of diagonal stride techniques in cross-country skiers of different skill levels

Aim. To identify the kinematic characteristics of diagonal stride in cross-country skiers of different skill levels and detect the potential for technique enhancement in young athletes. Materials and methods. The biomechanical analysis of diagonal stride was performed on 30 strongest female cross-country skiers before the FIS Cross-Country World Cup (Finland) and 50 female cross-country skiers before the National Championships among cross-country skiers ages 15-16 (Syktyvkar). Video records were processed with the Dartfish Pro software to obtain space- and time-kinematic characteristics. The statistical processing of the data obtained was performed in R Studio. Results. The strongest female skiers demonstrate statistically higher speed, step and sliding length with a lower frequency of movements. The sliding to standing period ratio was 0.22:0.28 and 0.28:0.24 s for girls and women, respectively. An analysis of joint angles in key positions showed that young cross-country skiers performed an active squat with an excessively wide lunge, which did not allow the effective use of push off in the sliding step. The comparison of angular velocities indicates that young athletes demonstrate high push off speed, and the main reason for long standing is the non-optimal kinematic structure of their skiing technique. Conclusion. The kinematic characteristics of diagonal stride in elite athletes reflect current trends in cross-country skiing and can be a guideline in the technical training of young cross-country skiers.