Influence of latitudinal factor on ski runners of the Komi Republic

To identify the possible influence of the latitudinal factor on the physically suffi- ciently trained athletes-northerners, we examined the team of ski runners of the Komi Republic living in the Far North regions (“northerners”, n=10) and in areas equated to the Far North (“southerners”, n=12). The examination was carried out at rest and with increasing “to exhaustion” loads on the Bicycle Ergometer. Para- meters of the cardiorespiratory system were recorded using the “Oxycon Pro” sys- tem (Germany). No physiological differences were found between the comparison groups at rest. At the load of 200 W, the “northerners”, compared to the “sou- therners”, showed a significant increase in heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and double product (DP), higher “pulse cost” and “pressure cost” of physical load, and lower cardiorespiratory system performance by oxygen pulse (OP). At max- imal load “to exhaustion” in the “southerners” we found greater changes in respirato- ry rate, respiratory minute volume (RMV), oxygen consumption (OC), energy costs as well as higher “specific respiratory cost per unit of physical load”, while the “nor- therners” showed higher “pulse cost” and “pressure cost” “per unit of physical load”. At the same time the “southerners” performed more physical work during the test, reached greater load capacity and demonstrated significantly higher levels of maxi- mum oxygen consumption (MOC), MOC/kg body mass, and anaerobic metabolism threshold (AT). Thus, that in the “southerners” the respiratory type of adaptation prevails with the predominant expenditure of reserves of external respiration, while in the “northerners” - circulatory type of adaptation (with the predominant expendi- ture of reserves of the circulatory system). We concluded that the latitudinal factor showed its negative impact in highly trained athletes-northerners when, moving to the pole, the difference was only about 4 degrees latitude.