The age-related performance decline in marathon cross-country skiing - the Engadin Ski Marathon

Demographic and performance data from 197,825 athletes competing in "Engadin Ski Marathon" between 1998 and 2016 were analysed. When all finishers per age group were considered, there was no gender difference in time (2:59:00 in women versus 2:59:09 h:min:s in men; P = 0.914, η² < 0.001) and the main effect of age group on time was trivial (P < 0.001, η² = 0.007). When the top 10 finishers per age group were considered, men were faster than women (1:27:32 versus 1:34:19 h:min:s, respectively; P < 0.001, η² = 0.373), there was a large effect of age group on time (P < 0.001, η² = 0.590) and the gender difference was larger in the older than in the younger age groups (P < 0.001, η² = 0.534). The age of peak performance for all finishers by 1-year interval age group was 40.3 and 39.6 years in all women and men, respectively. The top 10 finishers by 1-year interval age group achieved their peak performance in the age of 38.4 and 42.2 years in women and men, respectively. The age of peak performance was older and the age-related performance decline occurred earlier in marathon cross-country skiing, compared to road-based marathon running.