The Real Science of Sport Podcast

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Show notes

Lesley McKenna is a pioneer in the world of action sports. A three-time Olympian (2002, 2006, 2010), she represented Great Britain on the snowboarding World Cup circuit, becoming the first GB snowboarder to win a World Cup event, and led the World Cup standings as the number 1 ranked snowboarder at the peak of her powers. Following her retirement, she transitioned into coaching and full time management, and was Team Manager of the GB Park and Pipe team from 2014 to 2022. As a veteran of six Olympic Games, she shares unique insights into the preparation, training and mindset of Winter Olympic athletes in the action sports.

She further expanded her understanding by embarking on a PhD with Leeds-Beckett University, that studied and explained how snowboarders and other action sports athletes develop skills, manage risk, and perform in high-pressure competition environments while staying true to the culture and authenticity of their sport This led to the development of a framework she called "The Risk Aesthetic Framework", which explains how action sports maintain meaning, creativity, and community in the competitive cauldron of the Olympic Games.

In this wide-ranging interview, Lesley draws from her experience and her research to share fascinating insights that ultimately reveal the science of "the stoke", and the hidden side of some of the most spectacular, jeopardy-filled sports in the world.

Links

Here is Lesley's website with more detail on her framework
The documentary Lesley recommended is called Pipe Dream - you can watch it on Netflix
Fancy a "backside air" - here's Lesley teaching you the way!
A documentary about Lesley with some footage of her in action
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In the Spotlight this week, we revisit a recurring theme to explore whether a paper claiming no advantage for males who identify as women has any validity, and we cover some news from the world of sport and health.

17:31 Our main focus is on a systematic review, published last week, claiming that evidence suggests no physical differences and thus no sporting advantages in trans identified males. We explain why the paper is misleading, and how the authors and journal ignored very obvious flaws in the research to arrive at their conclusion.

1:31 We also discuss an interview given by Imane Khelif in which the Algerian boxer confirms what was already widely known about male advantage, as well as some surprising details about suppressing testosterone, and defiance and denial about male advantage.

36:44 In sports action, Femke Bol made an 800m debut indoors - we discuss the performance and what it tells us of her ceiling.

43:20 Serena Williams is making a return, but appeared in a Superbowl halftime advertisement to promote ozempic for weight loss, which triggered a wave of criticism and fear about the displacement of exercise, diet and responsibillty for weight loss. We consider the arguments.

50:52 Continuous glucose monitors are in the spotlight, after a range were recalled for providing inaccurate data, which has lead to death and injury in people misled by dodgy data. We discuss the matter in the context of how wearables have to, at a minimum, provide accurate information when decision making will change on the basis of that information.

And finally, a Lance Armstrong movie is imminent, and Hollie Davidson referees a Six Nations match at the weekend. We end with brief thoughts.

Links

The systematic review on transgender women
A previous systematic review, minus the meta-analysis, that reaches the opposite conclusion by focusing on non cross-sectional research
The Imane Khelif interview
The Serena Superbowl Advert
Story on the recall of continuous glucose monitors
Hollie Davidson interview ahead of her Six Nations debut this weekend
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The opening five days of the Milan Cortina Winter Games have produced some spectacular performances and notable talking points. The Spotlight reveals some insights on those performances. We ask whether Lindsay Vonn's decision to race only 9 days after a ruptured ACL was a justifiable, correct one? Gareth has a new favourite sport - Cross-country skiing, dominated in spectacular fashion by Johannes Hofslot Klaebo and Sweden's women. Gareth is less enamoured with figure skating, but we discuss subjective sports and how coverage has improved to offer insights on scoring, and where it can continue to advance. We commend the coverage and footage from the Games, with revolutionary, spectacular drone footage. Speed skating is also in the Spotlight, and we share some insights that have been missing from the coverage, related to pacing. We also discover that some researchers suggest that the lane allocation offers significant advantages in some events.

And finally, we end on 'penis-gate', the story (or is that a non-story) about the search for ski-jumping distance through the most literal application of 'marginal gains' you can imagine.

That, and more, in the first of our Winter Olympic Spotlight shows.

Links

The story of ski jumpers injecting acid into their genitals for jumping gains
The Guardian's coverage of Lindsay Vonn's dramatic downhill
Our supporters weigh in on Vonn's decision to race, with some insightful comments and questions (supporters only - pledge above for access!)
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Professor Florentina 'Fleur' Hettinga loves speed skating. Not only has she competed as an athlete in the discipline, but she has also researched many elements of the sport, from the physiology of the top athletes to the technical expertise and equipment needed to be among the best. Based in Amsterdam, Hettinga is at the centre of Dutch speed skating excellence, serving as Head of Department of Human Movement Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit and as a professor at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences. Hettinga talks Mike and Ross through the fascinating equipment used in modern speed skating, the technical skills that need to be honed to be competitive, and the unique, non-event-specific training that many of the top speed skaters employ. If you're watching the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games, start here.

SHOW NOTES:

Fleur Hettinga’s research profile

The training insights of Nils van der Poel
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Show Notes

On the Spotlight this week, we wrap up the Australian Open where dramatic semi finals saw Alcaraz overcome cramp (to Zverev's dismay), Djokovic overcome Sinner (to Ross' prediction dismay), and then Alcaraz overpower Djokovic to win a career Grand Slam. Elana Rybakina won the women's title, powered by a dominant serve and a few harsh, but helpful words from her coach.

Then it's a concussion and head injury discussion, with a Spotlight on football and rugby. Should young children be tackling and heading a football? We explore those debates and discover that bans and delays don't play out quite the same way in the two sports, but that many unanswered questions remain. A recent paper by Ross and some colleagues finds that rugby players wearing headgear are more likely to suffer injuries than those not wearing headgear. An odd finding, but confounded by history and bias, as a lesson for how research limitations play out.

And finally, does Karsten Blummenfelt really have a VO2max of 101 ml/kg/min? The Norwegian triathlete published that number earlier in the week, and it was met with skepticism bordering on ridicule. We discuss why the number isn't physiologically believable, what it means, and how errors in measurement might occur.

Finally finally, if you enjoy the show and want to show your support, then become a Supporter with a small monthly donation, and you'll also get access to our Community Chat, and, as discussed in this show, upcoming Live Event Coverage.

Links

The Contact Conundrum: Are We Introducing Contact at the Correct Time in Youth Sports?

Wearing Regulation Soft-Padded Headgear Does Not Reduce the Risk of Head Injuries in Professional Men's Rugby Players: An Observational Cohort Study

The Spennymoor Heading Trial Article

Article on Blummenfelts 101 VO2max

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