Anthropometric Profile of Male Amateur vs Professional Formula Windsurfs Competing at the 2007 European Championship

This study aimed to describe the current anthropometric profile of Formula Windsurf competitors during the 2007 European Championships and establish a set of reference values useful for future investigations on player se-lection, talent identification, and training programme development. Fourty-five male participants (mean age 30±9.77 years; body height 182.04±6.3 cm; body mass 81.67±7.35 kg) were selected for the anthropometric profile, including 15 which the International Windsurf Association had defined as professionals. The anthropometric pro-files included measurements of skinfolds, segment lengths, breadths, and girths. Somatotype measurements were also calculated into the equation. The male professional windsurfers had larger length, breadth, and girth measure-ments than their amateur counterparts. The three somatotype components showed that both groups were predomi-nantly mesomorphic, but the professionals were more ectomorphic than endomorphic, whereas the amateurs were slightly more endomorphic than ectomorphic. The descriptive analysis of the anthropometric data provide relevant information concerning the morphological indicators of competitive success in this sporting discipline.