Utjecaj morfoloških obilježja na natjecateljsku uspješnost vrhunskih jedriličara klase Finn

The main objectives of this paper were to determine the morphological characteristics and somatotype of Olympic Finn sailors and to determine the effect of morphological characteristics on general and situational competitive efficacy. The subject sample consisted of 57 elite Finn sailors who competed at the Open European Championship. Subjects' mean chronological age was 25.54±4.64 years, mean body height was 187.64±5.05 cm, and mean body mass was 95.17±5.03 kg, whereas their mean somatotype was 3.94±1.19-5.50±1.19-1.63±0.74. The independent variable set included chronological age, 10 morphological variables measured by an anthropometric kit following the ISAK protocol (body height, body mass, elbow diameter, knee diameter, upper arm circumference flexed, calf circumference, triceps skinfold, back skinfold, abdominal skinfold, and calf skinfold, from which the sum of 4 skinfolds, Body Mass Index, and somatotype following the Heath-Carter method were subsequently calculated), and 9 morphological measures determined by the Bioelectrical impedance analysis method (body fat percentage, muscle mass, trunk muscle mass, arm muscle mass, fat mass, trunk fat mass, arm fat mass, and leg fat mass). The dependent variable set included 6 variables determining general and situational competitive efficacy (general competitive efficacy, situational competitive efficacy, situational competitive efficacy in low wind conditions, situational competitive efficacy in moderate wind conditions, situational competitive efficacy in moderately strong and strong wind conditions, situational competitive efficacy in races which were sailed under the “free pumping” rule). Correlation and regression analysis determined significant predictive correlation of chronological age and measured morphological characteristics on general and dependent variables of situational competitive efficacy. Predictive correlation of chronological age and measured morphological variables on competitive efficacy in low wind conditions was not determined. Univariate analysis of differences (ANOVA) and discriminant analysis were used to determine the differences in chronological age and measured morphological variables between groups of sailors at different efficacy levels in all dependent variables of general and situational competitive efficacy. Differences were not found between groups of sailors in the situational competitive efficacy in low wind conditions variable. Differences inchronological age and measured morphological variables were determined in all other dependent variables between groups of sailors with different levels of efficacy. The greatest positive effect on situational efficacy was determined in morphological variables representing the voluminosity dimension, whereas the greatest negative effect on situational efficacy was recorded in the variables representing the fat tissue dimension. Significant differences between groups of sailors at different levels of competitive efficacy were also found in these variables. The results indicate that optimal body mass, with the highest possible percentage of muscle mass relative to the fat tissue dimension, is necessary for competitive efficacy in the Finn class.