Issue 7 - Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Nutrition E-Bites Edition 7 December 2008
If you're not a cricket fan glued to the television for Day One of the Boxing Day test, your other favourite Boxing Day pastime may be watching the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. It's always such a spectacular scene seeing all those amazing boats leave Sydney Harbour, and tracking them on their journey. The sport of sailing is all about manipulating and controlling a sailing vessel in different wind and sea conditions, which requires both physical agility and skill. Daily training sessions can be grueling and proper nutritional strategies can help to maximise recovery and training adaptations. Sailing is an endurance sport and as a result both off-shore and inshore sailors need a training diet that is high in both energy and carbohydrate in order to support busy training schedules. Carbohydrate foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and starchy veggies need to be included in main meals and frequent carbohydrate-rich snacks such as bananas, sports drinks, vegemite sandwiches or muesli bars before and after training sessions are a great way to top up energy stores and improve recovery. During off-shore sailing events, the length of the event and weight of supplies are important to consider, as are the nutritional content of the supplies taken on board. Food supplies need to provide carbohydrate, protein and fluids, and must also be of high nutritional quality (e.g. contain other nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin C, omega-3 oils, etc). The foods below are ideal examples as they are low-weight nutritious options: OTHER NUTRITION TIPS Alcohol: there is an established culture of alcohol and sailing. Excess consumption can impair recovery and rehydration and can indirectly (or directly) impact on individual performance. So moderate intake. Water: can be made onboard offshore boats via desalination. It can be life threatening if these machines breakdown, so carrying emergency fluid rations is very important. Motion sickness: can affect even the most experienced sailor. Good hydration strategies, avoiding caffeine and medications can help to manage this problem SDA hope you find this a useful e-resource. If you have any suggestions of content or sports nutrition information you would like to know about, we will happily take ideas on board. Please email info@sportsdietitians.com.au Yours in sports nutrition, Sports Dietitians Australia **If you would prefer to receive these e-newsletters directly via email please contact info@sportsdietitians.com.au GETTING READY FOR THE SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE
SDA have just launched our new "Sailing" fact sheet, as part of the Food for your Sport series.