Biomechanics of the ski cross start indoors on a customised training ramp and outdoors on snow

An effective start enhances an athlete's chances of success in ski cross competitions. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the biomechanics of start techniques used by elite athletes and assess the influence of different start environments. Seven elite ski cross athletes performed starts indoors on a custom-built ramp; six of these also performed starts on an outdoor slope. Horizontal and vertical forces were measured by force transducers located in the handles of the start gate and a 12-camera motion capture system allowed monitoring of the sagittal knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow kinematics. The starting movement involved Pre, Pull, and Push phases. Significant differences between body sides were observed for peak vertical and resultant forces, resultant impulse, and peak angular velocity of the shoulder joint. Significantly lower peak vertical forces (44 N), higher resultant impulse (0.114 Ns/kg), and knee joint range of motion (12°) were observed indoors. Although movement in the ski cross start is generally symmetrical, asymmetric patterns of force were observed among the athletes. Two different movement strategies, i.e. pronounced hip extension or more accentuated elbow flexion, were utilised in the Pull phase. The patterns of force and movement during the indoor and outdoor starts were similar.     

Experimental work at Hellerup Seminarium,Denmark

Sloth, O. “Experimental work at Hellerup Seminarium, Denmark,” Revue ATEE Journal 3 (1980) 37‐42.

The author describes the approach of one Danish College of Education to a problem which is by now internationally known: in this age of integration into the normal class of all but the demonstrably and severely educationally subnormal or handicapped, how can we equip student teachers, during their initial training, to cope with these problems of Special Education. He outlines the attempt at Hellerup Seminarium, Copenhagen, to solve the problem by integrating and restructuring the compulsory pedagogic subjects and educational specialisms and so build up within the legal framework what he calls a Special Education Teacher Education (SPECTE).