Characterisation of skiers’ mechanics, course setting and terrain geomorphology in World Cup Alpine Skiing using global navigation satellite systems: Injury risk, performance and methodological aspects

Abstract

This study was undertaken to characterize course setting, terrain geomorphology and skier mechanics in World Cup (WC) alpine skiing. Since there was no existing appropriate methodology to capture skier mechanics across large capture volumes under WC racing conditions in speed disciplines, a novel method was invented. The method was based on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and was tailored to assess position, velocity, acceleration and external forces while causing minimal interference to the athlete. The method was assessed in a field study against an independent reference system and found valid to assess skier position, velocity, acceleration and external forces in WC alpine skiing. Furthermore, the position results of five different geodetic GNSS methods were compared to an independent reference system. The comparison revealed that differential GNSS applying GPS and GLONASS satellite systems and the satellite signal frequencies L1 and L2 was the only configuration which consistently yielded postion results that were accurate enough to capture alpine skiing under WC conditions.

Paper I: Tatt ut av filen i Brage p.g.a. copyright-restriksjoner. / Not in the file in Brage because of copyright issues.

Paper II: Determination of external forces in alpine skiing using a differential Global Navigation Satellite System. Published in Sensors (Physical Sensors), Basel (http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/13/8/9821).

Paper III: Tatt ut av filen i Brage p.g.a. copyright-restriksjoner. / Not in the file in Brage because of copyright issues.

Paper IV: Tatt ut av filen i Brage p.g.a. copyright-restriksjoner. / Not in the file in Brage because of copyright issues.

Paper V: Tatt ut av filen i Brage p.g.a. copyright-restriksjoner. / Not in the file in Brage because of copyright issues.