Literature suggests that the original and "pure" elements of cross country course design have faded through time; in order to wholly enhance course design the original elements must be preserved and united with desired modern course elements. "Pure" sport is defined by an athlete's struggle and persistence that occur amidst tough competition, rugged course elements, and physical pain. In addition to identifying the desired elements through literature review, case studies, and self-experience of cross country course design, it was necessary to confirm the desired elements through interviewing eight key informants. The key informants were renowned and accomplished NCAA cross country coaches selected to represent a wide geographic. These eight informants were interviewed to unveil which elements of cross country courses were desired, important, essential, would advance design, and are underutilized and present in their favored courses. The results from the interviews confirmed a deep desire for enhanced course design by unionizing the elements present in the "pure" sport of cross country with contemporary desired elements. The new "pure" sport of cross country can be obtained through the utilization of the elements revealed within this thesis. Designing courses that will provide unchanged emotions from the "pure" sport of cross country, yet do not incorporate excessively rough course elements, will be the new "pure" sport of cross country. Overall, the results show designing for the athlete, which includes safety, well defined routing and proper carrying capacity, an accomplished sense of place, advanced technologies and facilities, sport appropriate and safe footing and reasonable terrain, and spectator engagement, would considerably improve design. In order to preserve the "pure" sport of cross country while also integrating modern desired and necessary elements, course designers must use pioneering design methods in order to incorporate all of the desired elements. The main objective of this research was accomplished and has established a foundation upon which subsequent research efforts may begin. This work serves as a catalyst to improving cross country course design by attaining the knowledge of proper, intensified, and innovative design.

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This dissertation focuses on assessing the sustainability of China’s long-term economic growth. The evaluation is performed, first, by examining economic and social issues from the past thirty years that shape China to where it is now, and second, by taking an empirical approach in understanding what factors are critical to China’s economic growth. The empirical model framework consists of three blocks representing the main areas of development in China: economic growth, health and environmental development, and the model is estimated with two-stage least squares methodology. We identify strong, simultaneous feedback between economic growth and health development. The estimation results show that continued improvements in the health status of Chinese workers are important to support stronger economic growth in China. Environmental stress is detrimental to China’s long-term health status, which indirectly reduces the country’s long-term economic potential. We test the robustness of our model, and confirm that, the proposed model setup produce a set of forecast values that are closer to the actual values than a model without health- and environmental-related variables. / Economics

Title: Characteristics and description of cross-country skiing resorts in the Czech Republic Aim: The aim of this work is to look for cross-country ski resorts in the Czech republic which are suitable for cross-country trainings and competitions of various categories. The extension of this work is the creation of a written and electronic list featuring these areas and including a brief description of their background. The electronic version of the overview of the cross-country resorts, mentioned in this work would be/will be/is posted on the internet for the needs of the ski clubs and cross-country skiing lovers. Methods: The basis of this work is data collection performed by analysis of documents referred to in the literature and on websites. A large amount of the information was provided by the skiers, administrators of sites and their operators. Another method used in this work to determine the actual technical details, especially concerning the individual ski resorts and cross-country skiing routes, was the survey. Given the low responding rate, and because of a very narrow range of questions asked, it was not appropriate to use a method of data collection by questionnaire. Results: Assessment of individual sites based on the offered training opportunities and organization of competitions for...

The thesis is focused on the origin and history of ski societies, clubs and ski centres in the Ore Mountains. For finding those facts and the events I had used and studied chronicles, annual reports, literature, start lists and photographs that document skiing in the Ore Mountains. The relevant part of this thesis are visits to ski museums and especially conversations with contemporaries and participants of ski competitions. The dissertation deals with the history of skiing as a whole and subsequently focuses on the sphere of the Karlovy Vary part of Ore Mountains, especially the region of Abertamy and its vicinity.

XXI olimpinės žiemos žaidynės, vykusios 2010 metais Kanados Vankuverio mieste buvo jau šeštos, kuriose startavo Lietuvos sportininkai. XIX olimpinėse žiemos žaidynėse Solt Leik Sityje 2002 metais pirmą kartą į slidinėjimo lenktynių programą buvo įtrauktos sprinto lenktynės, o XX olimpinėse žiemos žaidynėse Turine buvo vykdomos individualios ir komandinės sprinto lenktynės. Vankuverio žiemos olimpinėse žaidynėse Lietuvos slidininkai pirmą kartą startavo komandinio sprinto rungtyje. Šioms sprinto rungtims Lietuvos slidininkai rengėsi specialiai, vykdydami programoje „Vankuveris-2010“ numatytus uždavinius. Vankuverio žiemos olimpinėse žaidynėse tiriamųjų slidininkų sprinterių pasiekti rezultatai sprinto distancijose buvo įvertinti patenkinamai. Tyrimo tikslas ir uždaviniai - ištirti Lietuvos didelio meistriškumo slidininkų sprinterių rengimo ypatumus metiniu priešolimpiniu ciklu, nustatyti Lietuvos slidininkų sprinterių fizinio išsivystymo, fizinių ir funkcinių galių rodiklių kaitą metiniu rengimosi ciklu, apibendrinti Lietuvos slidininkų sprinterių varžybų sezono rezultatus. Slidininkų sprinterių rengimo technologija iš esmės skiriasi nuo slidininkų rengimosi ilgesniems nuotoliams. Visgi tai reikėtų pagrįsti moksliniais tyrimais. Buvo organizuotas dviejų Lietuvos slidininkų sprinterių veiklos tyrimas. Išanalizuotas fizinis krūvis, atliktas metiniu treniruočių ciklu. Atskirų mezociklų veiksmingumui įvertinti buvo atliekami laboratoriniai tyrimai. Buvo matuojami fizinio... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / XXI Olympic Winter Games were held in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. That was already the sixth Games for the Lithuanian athletes. First time individual sprint was included in the cross-country skiing program in XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002, after four years in XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin the cross-country skiing program had two sprint events: individual and team sprint. Lithuanian cross-country skiers first time took part in the team sprint event in Vancouver Winter Olympics Games. Lithuanian skiers were prepared specifically for the performance of the program "Vancouver-2010" objectives. The results of the Lithuanian skiers in individual and team sprints events in Vancouver Winter Olympics were assessed as satisfactory. The aims and objectives of research - to explore the cross-country skiing training program features of Lithuanian athletes in the last training macrocycle before Olympics, to estimate changes of physical and functional characteristics of Lithuanian cross-country skier’s sprinters physical development on preparations for the macrocycle, and summarize the results of Lithuanian skiers. Training Technology of cross-country skiers sprinters is basically different than cross-country skiers of longer distant. However, it should be based on scientific research. Sports action research of two Lithuanian cross-country skiers’ sprinters was organized. physical activity of training macrocycle were analyzed. Laboratory tests were conducted to... [to full text]

Master's thesis - - State University of New York College at Cortland, 2009 - - Department of Kinesiology. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 25-7).

Ce travail de thèse s'articule autour des caractéristiques de la performance dans la discipline du Vélo Tout-Terrain Cross-Country Olympique (VTT XCO). La performance produite dans une situation d’interaction homme-matériel résulte de l’adéquation optimale entre le pratiquant et son matériel. Elle résulte aussi bien de facteurs mécaniques (géométrie et rigidité du cadre, réglage des suspensions, taille des pneumatiques, transmission), biomécaniques (adoption d’un patron de pédalage adapté au terrain), physiologiques (économie du geste, endurance, fatigue) ou encore motivationnels (confiance en soi). La discipline spécifique du XCO a fortement évolué, au niveau réglementaire et technologique, depuis un peu moins d'une décennie. C’est pourquoi l’objectif de mes recherches a été de caractériser à la fois la performance in-situ et en laboratoire de manière à améliorer notre compréhension de la discipline dans son état actuel, afin de proposer des interventions au niveau de l'entrainement et sur des aspects plus fondamentaux du geste de pédalage en VTT. En s’intéressant notamment à la pratique de haut-niveau, à la dynamique des efforts et à certains aspects biomécaniques du pédalage, les résultats de ces travaux nous ont permis de mettre en évidence que le format actuel de course correspond à une épreuve de haute intensité à la fois acyclique et intermittente, mais aussi que la modification du matériel n’entraine pas forcément de changement dans le pattern de pédalage des coureurs. / This thesis focuses on performance characteristics in the Cross-Country Olympic Mountain Bike (MTB XCO) discipline. The performance produced in a man-material interaction situation results from the optimal adequacy between the rider and his equipment. It results as much from mechanical factors (frame geometry and rigidity, suspension adjustment, tyre size, transmission) as biomechanical (adoption of a pedalling pattern adapted to the terrain), physiological (economy of movement, endurance, fatigue) or motivational (self-confidence). The XCO's specific discipline has evolved considerably, both in terms of regulations and technology, in just under a decade. Therefore, the objective of my research has been to characterize both in-situ and laboratory performance in order to improve our understanding of the discipline in its current state, in order to propose interventions at the level of training and on more fundamental aspects of pedalling in mountain bikes. By focusing in particular on high-level practice, the dynamics of effort and certain biomechanical aspects of pedalling, the results of this work have enabled us to highlight that the current racing format corresponds to a high intensity event that is both acyclic and intermittent, but also that changing the equipment does not necessarily lead to a change in the pedalling pattern of riders.

Att utöva fysiska aktiviteter ska vara möjligt för alla.Genom parasporten, som är sporter anpassade förpersoner med olika funktionsnedsättningar, görs dettamöjligt för alla, oavsett vilka fysiska förutsättningar manhar. Cross-country sitskiing är en gren inom parasportensom växer mer och mer i antalet utövare. Vid utövandetav Cross-country sitskiing sitter åkaren i en typ av kälkesom kallas sitski. Denna är anpassad efter individen ochkan därför se mycket olika ut. Vid tävling är det viktigtatt utrustningen passar bra och håller en låg vikt.Med syftet att förbättra prestationen för en åkare, samtgöra det enklare för andra att göra detsamma, gav SportsTech Research Centre rapportförfattarna i uppdrag attutvärdera och utveckla en sitskiåkares nuvarande sitski.Målet med arbetet är att ta fram ett produktionsunderlagför en ny sitski utifrån åkarens önskemål.Arbetet har skett genom de fyra faserna förstudie,konceptgenerering, konceptval och detaljkonstruktion. Iförstudien undersöktes marknaden i stort och enförståelse för sporten och sitskin skapades. Vidare ikonceptgenereringen undersöktes mer detaljer av desitskis som redan finns på marknaden och möjligalösningar började tas fram, dessa kombinerades till olikakoncept. I konceptvalet kontrollerades koncepten ochjämfördes mot satta krav samt mot varandra. De tvåkoncepten som togs vidare förädlades för att kunna väljaett slutgiltigt koncept. Detta koncept togs vidare till densista fasen, detaljkonstruktion, där det bearbetadesytterligare för att sedan kontrolleras med FEM-analyser.Resultatet gav en ny sitski med väldigt likvärdig viktmot den tidigare. Dock har den nya en öppnare vinkel ihöften, då detta var önskat för att försöka ökaåkeffektiviteten. Den nya sitskin är även merergonomisk än den tidigare, har bättre passform och ärmer personanpassad. / Performing physical activities should be possible foreveryone. Through parasport, i.e. sports adapted forpeople with disabilities, this becomes possible foreveryone - despite differences in physical conditions.Cross country sit-skiing is a competitive sport in theparasport community which has been growing a lot interms of number of athletes. Performing Cross countrysit-skiing, the skier sits in a type of sledge, which is calleda sit-ski. The sit-ski is usually fitted after each individualand can therefore have big differences in appearance andfunctionality. In competitive sports, it is important tohave well-adjusted equipment that also holds a lowweight.With the purpose to improve one skiers performancewhilst also making it possible for others to do the same,the task given by Sports Tech Research Centre was toevaluate and develop a sit-ski used by an athlete incompetition. The aim being to produce a documentationof production for a new sit-ski, adjusted to the skierspreferences.The work has gone through the four phases: prestudy,concept generation, concept selection and detail design.The prestudy analyzed the market in general and anunderstanding for the sport and sit-skis generally wasestablished. The concept generation consisted ofexamining details in sit-skis already on the market, andbeginning to produce possible solutions, which werecombined into different concepts. In the conceptselection, the concepts were checked and compared tothe requirements and to each other. The two conceptswere further refined, to finally be able choose a final one.The final concept was developed further in the detaildesign phase and checked with further FEM-analysis.The result being an improved sit-ski, although with aweight comparable to the old one, a wider angle at thehip to hopefully improve skiing efficiency. The new sit-ski is more ergonomic than the original one, better fittedand more personalized. / <p>Betyg 2020-07-08/2020-08-13</p>

This study examined the effects of two distinct phases of endurance training (summer and in-season training) in previously well-trained male and female high school cross-country runners. Eleven males and 11 females from the same high school training program were recruited for the three testing sessions: post-track season (June), postsummer training (mid-August), and post-cross-country season (early-November). However, due to injury and other circumstances, only 10 males and 4 females completed all testing sessions. Thus, baseline characteristics were analyzed for both genders; however, longitudinal analysis was only conducted using the males. Submaximal measurements included running economy (RE), blood lactate concentration ([BLa]), and heart rate (HR) at three running speeds in females (6, 7, and 8 mph), and males (7, 8, and 9 mph). Maximal measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2max) and HR, neuromuscular characteristics of isokinetic knee extension strength and vertical jump height, and body composition were also measured. Baseline results showed that the males possessed a higher VO2max, greater neuromuscular characteristics, and lower submaximal [BLa] and HR values than the females. Longitudinal analysis of the males showed that there was an increased VO2max, decreased maximal HR, and decreased neuromuscular strength following summer training. In-season training precipitated further increases in VO2max, an increase in maximal and submaximal HR, and increased neuromuscular characteristics. RE and [BLa] did not significantly change (p<_ 0.05) throughout the course of the study. Likely, it is the subtle changes in these variables in previously welltrained runners which account for the slower performance times at the beginning of the cross-country season and the improvements thereafter. / School of Physical Education