Laboratory-Based Factors Predicting Skiing Performance in Female and Male Biathletes

Skiing in biathlon is a high-intensity, intermittent endurance discipline. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between laboratory-derived physiological variables and skiing performance during a field-based biathlon competition (BC) for female and male biathletes. Fourteen female (23 ± 3 year, [Formula: see text] O(2max) 56 ± 4 mL·kg(−1)·min(−1)) and 14 male (24 ± 4 year, [Formula: see text] O(2max) 66 ± 3 mL·kg(−1)·min(−1)) biathletes performed a submaximal incremental test and a maximal time-trial (TT) using treadmill roller-skiing for the assessment of oxygen uptake at a lactate threshold of 4 mmol·L(−1) ([Formula: see text] O(2@4mmol)), gross efficiency (GE), aerobic (MR(ae)) and anaerobic (MR(an)) metabolic rates, peak oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text] O(2peak)), anaerobic capacity and TT performance. Field-based skiing performance was assessed during a BC. The TT and BC skiing performances were significantly correlated in both sexes (r = 0.68–0.69, p < 0.01). [Formula: see text] O(2peak) (31/21%), anaerobic capacity (1/0%), and GE (35/32%) explained 67 and 52% of the variance in BC skiing performance for the females (p < 0.01) and males (p = 0.051), respectively. A second model showed that [Formula: see text] O(2@4mmol) (30/35%), anaerobic capacity (0/0%) and GE (37/13%) explained 67 and 48% of the variance in BC skiing performance for the females (p < 0.01) and males (p = 0.077), respectively. Results of this study suggest that a high [Formula: see text] O(2@4mmol) and GE, but not anaerobic capacity, are important for BC skiing performance, especially for females. In addition, a laboratory-based TT could be useful for regular laboratory testing of biathletes due to its relationship with field-based skiing performance in biathlon.