Article
Anthropometric parameters play an important role in kayaking and canoeing. They determine stroke length, mechanical efficiency, and an athlete’s ability to convert muscle power into the boat’s linear speed. However, despite existing research on the anthropometric characteristics of paddlers, the role of functional anthropometric body measurements in young athletes of various disciplines (kayak/canoe) over different race distances remains understudied.
The purpose of the research is to assess the influence of functional anthropometric parameters on the performance of canoeists and kayakers depending on the distance.
Methods and organization of research. A total of 201 kayakers and 107 canoeists, ranging from 3rd-class athletes to Masters of Sports, were examined. The athletes’ average age was 14.5 ± 1.1 years. To study anthropometric parameters, a method for measuring “functional body dimensions” in six positions was used. Statistical data processing was performed using the Python programming language, with the pandas, numpy, scipy, matplotlib, and openpyxl libraries. The analysis was carried out using a software script for processing sports-biological data. Partial correlation analysis was performed to assess the strength of the relationship between variables while statistically controlling for the influence of additional factors. Partial correlations were calculated using the method of linear regression residuals.
The research results and their discussion. Over short distances (200-500 m), a significant correlation was found between anthropometric parameters (arm span, shoulder width, and lever length) and performance among kayakers and canoeists: the longer the levers, the faster the paddling. As the distance increases to 1,000-5,000 m, the strength of the correlations decreases, and among canoeists it is completely eliminated, indicating a shift in priority toward technical and functional skill. Regression models explain 56-57% of the variance in 500-meter times, but at longer distances, anthropometry loses its statistical significance.
Conclusion. Anthropometric data (arm length, arm span) significantly influence performance only over short distances (200-500 m), making them a key selection criterion for kayakers and canoeists. At distances exceeding 1,000-2,000 m, and especially among canoeists, this correlation disappears, as the athlete’s technical training and functional capabilities begin to play a decisive role, rather than body dimensions. Over long distances, the priority in assessment and selection should shift from anthropometry toward skill and endurance.
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