The Relative Age Effect (RAE) can be described as the advantage of being born early after a certain cut-off date within a group of selection. The effect has been found across a wide range of sports and is particularly evident in pre-elite sports and team sports with a high selection pressure. At the absolute top level in team elite sports, the advantage of being relatively older has been reported to disappear, and even reverse, so that the relatively younger athletes are advantaged. In order to further examine such a reversal of the RAE, we investigated the performance of the overall top 50 skiers each year in the alpine World Cup, over a period of 20 years, among men (N = 234) and women (N = 235). The data indicated that the relatively younger male athletes at the absolute top level had accumulated, on average, more World Cup points compared to the relatively older skiers. No such effect was observed among the female skiers. This finding suggest the existence of a reversed relative age effect in male elite alpine skiing.

The term relative age effect (RAE) refers to age differences between athletes within the same cohort, and is frequently found within a plethora of sports. Less clear than the actual occurrence of the effect has been the strength of the effect across, and within, different sports, and also variations across sex, age, and skill level. In this study, we analyzed birth dates among the fifty top ranked alpine skiers in the World Cup system over the last twenty years. The analysis included both male (n = 238) and female skiers (n = 235) grouped into either a speed group (downhill and Super-G) or a technical group (slalom and giant slalom) based on World Cup points. The results show an RAE among the male skiers in the speed disciplines. No significant RAEs were found in men specializing in technical disciplines, and none at all in women. This finding demonstrates that the RAE can vary across subdisciplines within alpine skiing at the elite level.

A comprehensive understanding of skill acquisition is important for different performance domains, and has practical implications for both sport sciences and public health. The study compared important constraints for expertise development in a physically demanding sport (cross-country skiing) versus a technically demanding sport (freeskiing). Eighteen world-class athletes reported the importance of different constraints for their developmental history subdivided into two age spans: (1) 7–15 years and (2) 16 years until present. The total amount of training did not differ between the groups, but from the age of 16, the cross-country skiers spend approximately 98% of their training specific to their main sport, compared to 75% for freeskiers. No differences were found between the distribution of organized versus non-organized training in main sport, but freeskiers reported a higher amount of unorganized training in other sports after the age of 16. No differences were found in perceived importance of facilities, enjoyment of performing their sport, or the need for early specialization of training. After the age of 16, the cross-country skiers reported a higher need for coach involvement compared to freeskiers. The two sports mainly share common paths to expertise but differ in the need for specific training and coach involvement.

While research on the effects of ‘birth month’ is usually referred to as relative age effects, the study of the effects of ‘birth year’ is described as the constituent year effect (CYE). In the present study we examined the impact of the CYE on participation in the Junior World Championship in alpine skiing. Based on previous research, we expected to find increasing numbers of participants the older the age-group, and that the CYE would be stronger in the speed events compared to the technical ones. The sample in the present study consisted of 1188 male skiers and 859 female skiers within the age range of 17 to 21 years at the time of competition. The results show that the number of male participants increased with increasing age, which can be described as a CYE. For female skiers, a CYE was found, but it dissipated two years earlier than for male skiers. The CYE varied with event and was more pronounced the higher the speed of the event. The findings thus suggest that a constituent year effect exists among skiers participating in the FIS Junior World Ski Championship in the alpine skiing championships, and that the effect varies with gender and event, rather unrelated to age. Thus, it seems that the effect may not be a relative age effect, but instead a relative development effect.

Background: Swimming and aquatic activities in aquatic environments have a significant impact on human physical activity and well- being, particularly in Nordic cultures with abundant water resources. The importance of swimming and water activities, from survival skills to recreational activities, underscores the need for aquatic movement competences and development of suitable pedagogical approaches/practices in aquatic education. The aim of this expert statement is to consolidate current practice and evidence-based knowledge related to aquatic education in the Nordic countries to inform future development of practice and research. Also, this statement intends to elaborate upon terminology, practical approaches, and perspectives on learning and pedagogy in aquatic education. Methods: The material for this position statement is based on a comparison of the different practices and an analysis of national documents in the Nordic countries related to aquatic education and drowning prevention. It also draws on a 2 1/2-day workshop where research and developmental activities and best practices in children’s aquatic education were presented and discussed. The data for this position statement were generated through presentations, discussions and comparisons of documents, and were analyzed using Eggebø’s (2020) collective qualitative analysis procedure. Analysis and statement outcome: Aquatic education and swimming lessons are mandatory in all Nordic countries, teaching swimming skills from grades 1–10. The goal is for students to achieve specific swimming competencies by the end of compulsory school, with a sport-focused approach emphasized. However, there is a need for a broader perspective on aquatic skills and competencies, emphasizing water competence beyond traditional definitions. Children should be able to handle various water environments and activities. Concepts like water competence and aquatic literacy can enhance lifelong enjoyment of movement and promote meaningful experiences. Research on swimming competence in the Nordic countries is lacking, with existing data being based on children’s perceived abilities rather than actual skills and competencies. This expert statement presents recommendations for researchers and practitioners to promote aquatic education and research for the benefit of children and young people.

This study examines constituent year effect (CYE) and race performance among junior alpine skiers in the World Championships. In various junior age cohorts competing together, variation in skiing performance can be expected not only due to practice load and experience but also due to inter-individual differences in physical and psychological maturation. Within a one-year cohort, this effect has been referred to as the birth month effect or the relative age effect (RAE). In cohorts with multiple age bands, the effect is termed the constituent year effect (CYE). The CYE works in principle as the RAE but can function as a magnifying lens of the development within a larger multi-year cohort. The results of the current study indicate that CYEs are present among junior alpine skier performance in the junior World Championships. The magnitude of the constituent year effect is greater in speed events (i.e., downhill and super-G) than in technical events (i.e., slalom and giant slalom), and greater among male skiers compared to female skiers. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research on relative age effects more generally and within the sport context specifically.