Technical Components (2)

Grip positioning on the boom can also effect the pumping movement. An elite athlete will have their arms around shoulder width apart, this allows the power to be transferred from the body into the rig, this power transfer will have a positive effect on the pumping movement as it will make the action efficient and worth while completing. Research shows that ensuring hand positing is correct can help the positioning of the rig  and this rig positioning wi help create owed and flow throughout the rig. A forwards,upright rig is the most effect at ensuring that the pumping is efficient and creates a strong flow, in articles it is suggested that “Move your front hand right back to your front harness lines (to help tip the rig further forwards)” (G, Cribb 2005) This proves how important hand grip positioning is. 

From the two videos I can identify that the athlete has their hand grip around shoulder width apart, this is a positive as it shows that the power can be transferred into the rig. However the rig is lent backwards and sheeted out. This rig positioning will be the cause of the hand positing, from this I can see that both hands need to move forward around 2 hands in distance as this will allow the rig to be brought forward, by the rig being brought forward it will allow the power to transfer better through the rig having a higher beneficial effect for the athlete. The elite athletes hand positing creates a upright and sheeted in rig, this shows that they have, overtime, perfected their hand positioning in order to allow the rig to be in the most beneficial position. 

As my athletes hand positioning isn't 100% perfected this caused the rig to be in a less beneficial position, if this athlete was to race against an athlete that had perfected their grip positioning then it will give the first athlete a disadvantage as they will waste a higher percentage of energy, this is because the energy they create will not transfer through the sail as efficiently, therefore this athlete will have to work harder for longer as the energy transfer is less than the individual with the correct grip positioning who could work for a shorter period as the effects that they create will be higher. 

This could effect the athlete during competition circumstances as if they don’t create the full efficiency of pumping that there seed increase will be less than the other competitors. As mentioned perviously this could cause them to lose places throughout the race, even though they would be working hard. This could be frustrating for the athlete as they will not be creating the gains that they intended during the racing. therefore this grip positioning needs to be improved in the near future, as this small/minor change will allow the athlete to create a bigger speed increase through their pumping whilst not increasing their work rate, therefore working more efficiently around the course.