Dr.Hab., Professor S.E. Bakulev¹
Dr.Hab., Professor S.M. Ashkinazi¹
PhD, Associate Professor V.S. Kulikov¹
Dr.Hab., Professor V.V. Ryabchikov¹
Dr.Hab., Professor V.A. Tajmazov^1
1Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health, St. Petersburg

Keywords: sailing sport, yachting, data analysis systems, sports reserve, yachtsmen, technical and tactical skills.

Background. Modern data analysis systems with their data management capacities are ranked among the top priorities in the sports science. One of their key benefits is that the objective test data flows and analysis provide a sound basis for the training system being efficiently customized and management for success.

Presently the modern data analysis systems are increasingly popular in the sailing sport for the technical and tactical skills excellence and yachting technology resource mobilizing purposes [1]. The sailing sports data analysis systems are being actively developed by the leading foreign companies including B&G (UK), Garmin (US) and Raymarine (UK), with their benefits tested and proved in major international competitions (America's Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, TP52 MedCup, etc.). The sailing sports data analysis systems produce a wide variety of the yacht control parameters including course, roll, trim (bow/ stern tilt of the yacht), coordinates, ground speed, water speed, boom-sheet/ mainsheet/ forestay tension force, steering angle, sailors’ heart rates, etc.

It should be mentioned that the sailing sports data analysis systems applications in the training systems may by rather costly, with the costs dominated by the software and system procurement and operation and maintenance services. The situation is further complicated by the import substitution policy pursued by the Government of the Russian Federation in response to multiple sanctions with the violations of the global trade covenants [3]. Domestic information technologies remain among the most critical challenges for these policies as has been repeatedly mentioned by President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin [4].

It is also important that one of the key national progress goals for the period up to 2024 is "to ensure modern digital technologies being extensively implemented in the national economy and social sector" [4]. The draft Physical Education and Sports Progress Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 underlines the growing need for high-quality IT/ data analysis systems in the national Physical Education and Sports sector [2]. This is the reason why the national sailing sports community takes special efforts to implement the domestic data analysis systems in the sailing sports elite/ reserve training systems. Recently a research team from Peter the Great Polytechnics University and IT Academy (St. Petersburg) developed and offered an experimental Fast Skipper Data Analysis System for the national sailing sport community.

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of the new experimental Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems for application in the national sailing sports reserve training systems.

Methods and structure of the study. We run the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems piloting study under the "Theoretically grounded sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills and mental training systems excellence models” Research Project under implementation by the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health (St. Petersburg) on a special contract with the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation. We installed the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems on a few yachts to support the sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills excellence trainings; and analyzed the data produced and processed by the system to rate the practical technical and tactical skills of the yachtsmen.

Results and discussion. Every vessel was equipped with a tablet with the Fast Skipper Android-based data analysis systems that produces a variety of sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills rating data and analyses to fast rate practical performance of every crew member and make necessary adjustments to the training system on an individual basis. Technically, the Fast Skipper Data Analysis System is powerful enough to generate an extensive data flow to rate every technical and tactical action of the crew. Special attention in the data analyses was given to the technical and tactical responses to at least the following inputs: yacht speed, turn angle, action time, true wind angle on the yacht, relative (apparent) wind speed and relative wind angle.

The Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems data flows and analyses made it possible to rate the following: yacht speed on the course, turn control accuracy, control efficiency in every distance segment, etc.; with the sailing sports reserve coaches provided with detailed data and analyses to rate the following sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills: turn on the signs; yacht control under varying winds; tactical skills on the distance; sails control skills; speed-retaining contact zone passing skills, etc. We also found that the Fast Skipper Data Analysis System was rather helpful in detecting the speed-loss segments and times and turn control inaccuracies. It is not unusual for an experienced coach to visually detect the blunders, although the data analysis system objectively fixes every disorder/ failure in the digital logs for further analyses.

The Fast Skipper Data Analysis System testing experiment found the system having the following advantages as compared with a few foreign data analysis systems (e.g. the Italy-made Sail Data system):

- It is faster in the key data reading and analyzing aspects due to the more precise sensors and more advanced software toolkit;

- Its wind control station was found highly reliable and better fit for the top-difficulty weather conditions;

- The system uses a few wireless sensors in the key points of the vessel to read the top mechanical stresses; and

- The system generates high-frequency data flow to control the yacht position in whatever specific time point. 

Conclusion. Based on findings of the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems piloting study, we found the system beneficial for the sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills excellence trainings as its sensors and software generate extensive and accurate data flows and analyses to help the coaches effectively customize/ individualize the technical and tactical skills training systems using the informative digital data profiles so as to prevent and eliminate the technical and tactical errors made by every crew member.

References

1. Ashkinazi S.M., Ryabchikov V.V., Kulikov V.S. On some aspects of using information technology in sailing. Uchenye zapiski universiteta im. P.F. Lesgafta. 2018. No. 1. pp. 21-26.
2. Bakulev S.E., Taymazov V.A., Ashkinazi S.M. et al. Modern clinical blood tests in doping control initiatives. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2019. No. 2. pp. 3-6.
3. Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 4, 2015 No. 785 "On the Government Commission on Import Substitution". [Electronic resource]. Available at: https://base.garant.ru/71152492/ (Date of access: 16.01.2020).
4. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 7, 2018 No. 204 "On national goals and strategic objectives of the development of the Russian Federation for the period until 2024" [Electronic resource]. Available at: https://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/71837200/ (Date of access: 12.02.2020).

Corresponding author: sergei_ashkinazi@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of the new experimental Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems for application in the national sailing sports reserve training systems.

Methods and structure of the study. We run the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems piloting study under the "Theoretically grounded sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills and mental training systems excellence models” Research Project under implementation by the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health (St. Petersburg) on a special contract with the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation. We installed the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems on a few yachts to support the sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills excellence trainings; and analyzed the data produced and processed by the system to rate the practical technical and tactical skills of the yachtsmen.

Results conclusions. Based on findings of the Fast Skipper Data Analysis Systems piloting study, we found the system beneficial for the sailing sports reserve technical and tactical skills excellence trainings as its sensors and software generate extensive and accurate data flows and analyses to help the coaches effectively customize/ individualize the technical and tactical skills training systems using the informative digital data profiles so as to prevent and eliminate the technical and tactical errors made by every crew member.