2007, Piran, Slovenia

Environmental Ergonomics XII
Igor B. Mekjavic, Stelios N. Kounalakis & Nigel A.S. Taylor (Eds.), © BIOMED, Ljubljana 2007
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF A SINGLE HANDED OPEN 60 CLASS
YACHT RACE, AROUND THE WORLD, 2 STOPOVERS
Phil Newton 1 , Martin Barwood 1 , Tara Reilly 1 , Ryan V.S. Taylor 2 , Joanne N. Caldwell 2 , Chris
Smith 3 , Robert Verona 3 , Neil Weston 1 , Michael Tipton 1
1 Department of Sport & Exercise Science, Portsmouth University, UK
2 Human Performance Laboratories, University of Wollongong, Australia,
3 East Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Contact person: phil.newton@port.ac.uk
INTRODUCTION
Very little published research exists on solo sailing, one reason being that only 163 people
have ever sailed around the world single-handed. The existing literature predominantly
focuses on dinghy sailors and in particular the biomechanical aspects of the sport. One study
however, assessed 11 crewmembers in the 1993-94 Whitbred round the world race (Branth et
al., 1996), but only assessed the nutritional requirements. This case study describes the
physiological changes that occurred within one skipper competing in the 7 th single-handed
circumnavigation of the globe. This race in particular is regarded as the “Ultimate solo
challenge” and is only conducted every 4 years. Originally called the “BOC Challenge”, then
“Around Alone” with new sponsors it is now referred to as “The Velux 5 Ocean’s Race.” A
crew of 10-15 usually man the sixty-foot yachts, but when sailing alone sleep is limited to 20-
40 minute periods, with an average of 3-4 hours sleep a day. The 30,000mile route started in
Bilbao, Spain (22 nd of October 06) and the only stopovers were in Fremantle, Australia
(December/January), and Norfolk, Virginia (March/April) before returning to Bilbao, Spain.
Leg durations lasted between 10-60 days and the route exposed the skipper to extreme
weather conditions, varying from crossing the equator to the cold fronts and storms of the
Southern Ocean and the Northern Atlantic.
METHODS
Ethical approval and the consent of the subject was obtained for the study, additional consent
was later received to present the data of this skipper as a case study. For logistical reasons the
study was limited to a battery of quick and simple to administer physiological tests, these
consisted of: General isometric strength tests on major muscle groups using a modified test
rig (Takai, Japan) and load cell (Biometrics Ltd, Uk) more specifically: arm (90 degree bicep
flexion); leg (90 degree quadriceps extension); back (30 degree hip extension); and left and
right hand grip strength and grip endurance (Biometrics Ltd, dynamometers, UK); thirty
second maximal effort on a modified arm crank ergometer (Monark) was used to simulate
winching activity. Jump height (Sargeant jump test) was measured; urine analysis (Beyer,
Multi-sticks) was conducted to assess cell damage and hydrational state; body mass and
bioelectrical impedance analysis (Tanita, UK) was followed by an anthropometric survey
using skinfold callipers (Harpenden, UK). As an indirect measure of aerobic fitness a 3-min
step test (Tecumseh) was conducted, this was immediately followed by a cold induced
vasodilatation (CIVD) test (15min middle finger immersion in 7°C water) as an assessment of
cold-induced alterations to peripheral vasomotion (2020 logger, U-type thermistors, Grant
instruments). The tests were all conducted two days before the start of each leg of the race and
within two hours of finishing each leg.
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