INTRODUCTION: Long-term training concepts in adolescent athletes are designed to emphasise training from general to specific motor abilities 2. Among physiological variables, e.g. aerobic, anaerobic capacity or maximal oxygen uptake, cross-country (XC) skiing performance is correlated with different motor skills 3. The purpose of the present study was to compare general motor abilities of german adolescent XC skiers in a 3-year period, where SARS-CoV-2 lockdown restrictions caused interruptions in regular training and annual fitness testing. METHODS: 247 distinct adolescent XC skiers (129 ? mean (SD) age 17.0 (1 yr), height 176.5 (7.2 cm), weight 64.5 (8.6 kg), 118 ? age 17.2 (1 yr) height 167.5 (6.0 cm), weight 58.2 (7.0 kg) performed a motoric test battery in 2019 or 2022. XC skiers were grouped for sex, age groups (U16, U18) and season. Raw data from 7 exercises (mobility test, balance test, 10-fold jump test, push-ups, plank exercise, 30-m sprint, obstacle run) were transformed into a total score. Subjects performed all tests within one day, considering test criteria for sport motoric tests 1. A three-way ANOVA with sex, age group and season as fixed factors was used to analyse differences in all tests. Significance level was set at level of p = 0.05. RESULTS: A significant decrease in total score (mean diff.-41.8, p < 0.028; d -0.53) as well as a highly significant difference in plank exercise (mean diff.-21.2, p < 0.001; d -0.96) in females were found. No significant differences in male participants were observed. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that female XC skiers are more likely to experience a reduction in core strength when transitioning from U16 to U18 compared to male adolescent athletes. Thus, female athletes should emphasise core stability as part of their resistance training when transitioning to mitigate potential detraining effects. To precise these findings, more research in these particular age groups should be addressed. REFERENCES: 1 Bös, K. (Hrsg.), 2001. Hogrefe Verlag; 2 Granacher, U. et al., 2016. Front Physiol; 3 Stöggl, R. et al., 2015. Scand J Med Sci Sports
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