The assessment of energy demand in the new Olympic windsurf board: Neilpryde RS:X.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the energy demands of sailing the new Neilpryde RS:X Olympic windsurf board. Ten skilled male subjects performed an exhaustive incremental treadmill test to determine their maximal physiological parameters. Thereafter, four tests were performed in a randomised order using two wind conditions, light [2-4 ms(-1) (4-8 knots)] and strong: [9-11 ms(-1)(16-22 knots)]. Oxygen consumption (VO2, ml min(-1) kg(-1)), blood lactate concentration (la, mmol l(-1)), and time spent pumping (% total time) were recorded during 10 min of up-wind leg and during 6 min of down-wind leg. The results indicate that sailing on RS:X is associated with a high level of energy demand using both aerobic and anaerobic pathways whatever the wind conditions. During the down-wind leg, VO2, (ml min(-1) kg(-1)), la (mmol l(-1)), and time spent pumping (% total time) values for the light and strong wind conditions were 56.5 +/- 5.9 versus 55.5 +/- 3.6; 10.2 +/- 1.5 versus 9.6 +/- 2.3, and 69 +/- 5 versus 64 +/- 2%, respectively. In contrast, during up-wind leg the same parameters for light and strong wind were 53.9 +/- 4.5 versus 40.4 +/- 7.2; 9.7 +/- 2.8 versus 5.0 +/- 2.7 and 66 +/- 3 versus 37 +/- 8%, respectively. During the up-wind leg with strong wind conditions, less time was spent pumping (p < 0.05), mean oxygen consumption values were close to 60% VO2max and post-exercise blood lactate was less than 50% maximal lactate concentration. These results could be related to the time spent in pumping action, involving whole body activity. When sailing with the RS:X board, the physiological demand seems to be higher than with the previous official Olympic windsurf board [Mistral One Design (MOD)]. This difference could be mainly attributed to the specific biomechanical constraints induced by each board characteristic.