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

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 (r(2)=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.