Maximising Triathlon Health and Performance: the State of the Art

This Special Issue presents some of the latest findings at the cutting edge of triathlon health and performance. The idea for this issue arose from round table discussions on how to optimise training and performance between Dr Veronica Vleck, Professor Maria Francesca Piacentini, and some of the best coaches, medics, sports physiologists, researchers, and athletes in the sport. This reprint includes an Editorial and 18 published papers on triathlon health in training and or competition (health evaluation, event medical care, open water swimming, and heat acclimation); training and risk factors for maladaptation (as evidenced by injury, illness, and non-functional overreaching and/or performance stagnation); and optimising training and race preparation at the cutting edge. The latter encompasses preparation for the Olympic Games, what can scientists tell coaches and vice versa, what athletes want, and how technology can change the game with regard to research into the aetiology and prediction of maladaptation. Our aim was for this collection of papers to encourage the expansion of collaborative research projects that have the potential to improve applied practice in our sport and optimise performance and health in sports in general.