NET POWER PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE AT DIFFERENT STROKE RATES

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Economy in propelling a rowing boat is important in competitive rowing as, for a given power output from the rower, the more effective the rower is the faster the boat will go for a given power output. Velocity cost (average power required to propel the boat for each m s-1) is a measure that will discriminate between effective and ineffective rowers. The purpose of this study was to measure a number of capacity and technique variables (including velocity cost) during on-water rowing of paired boats at 20, 24, 28 and 30 str min-1. Among the four pairs of rowers tested clear differences were found at particular boat velocities in the velocity cost. A number of technique variables were identified as possible causes of these differences. A linear regression analysis included six of these parameters which together explained 97% of the variability in velocity cost