During the television broadcast of this year's Vasaloppet cross-country ski event in Sweden, viewers will be able to follow the heart rate of the top 50 skiers in real time.
The skiers will be equipped with chest belts from Activio which - by measuring their heart rate - will give viewers a better understanding of the physical demands being put upon them.
When 20 skiers in last year's race were equipped with the chest belt, the heart rate of many of them was about 85-90 per cent of their maximum during the toughest parts of the track. The winner had a heart rate over 90 per cent of his maximum when he was approaching the finish line.
In the TV broadcast a graphic showing the heart rate of the top skiers will be available in all live broadcasts from Vasaloppet in Swedish SVT and Norwegian NRK. The race itself stretches 90km between Sälen and Mora and is said to be one of the toughest races in which a skier can participate.
Activio's heart rate measurement system - developed in cooperation with the Swedish Olympic Committee, the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Karolinska institute - is currently used by some of the leading sportsmen and sports clubs in the world, including Real Madrid in Spain, Southampton in England and the Swedish national team in swimming.
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