Is Body Fat a Predictor of Race Time in Female Long-Distance Inline Skaters?

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate predictor variables of race time in female ultra-endurance inliners in the longest inline race in Europe. Methods: We investigated the association between anthropometric and training characteristics and race time for 16 female ultra-endurance inline skaters, at the longest inline marathon in Europe, the Inline One-eleven over 111 km in Switzerland, using bi- and multivariate analysis. Results: The mean (SD) race time was 289.7 (54.6) min. The bivariate analysis showed that body height (r=0.61), length of leg (r=0.61), number of weekly inline skating training sessions (r=-0.51) and duration of each training unit (r=0.61) were significantly correlated with race time. Stepwise multiple regressions revealed that body height, duration of each training unit, and age were the best variables to predict race time. Conclusion: Race time in ultra-endurance inline races such as the Inline One-eleven over 111 km might be predicted by the following equation (r2=0.65): Race time (min)=-691.62+521.71 (body height, m)+0.58 (duration of each training unit, min)+1.78 (age, yrs) for female ultra-endurance inline skaters.