Special assignment for developing expertise 2026 (OKE 2026)

The OKE 2026 project consists of two work packages:

WP 1: The national Sports Data Strategy

WP 2:The development of elite athletes’ performance capacity

The work packages are based on discussions with winter sports disciplines. The project has been prepared in collaboration with the Finnish Olympic Committee, and the work packages align with the requirements of the elite sports data strategy.

Both work packages utilize the Coachtech measurement and feedback system developed at JYU-Vuokatti as a data platform. Coachtech is integrated with the UDS platform via an interface connection.

WP 1: The development of competition analysis in winter sports will continue, with the aim of extracting coaching-relevant insights from competition data. In addition, the integration of the SHL results archive into the sports data lake will be explored.

Competition-specific analyses will be conducted for Cross-Country Skiing World Cup events, based on GPS data files provided by FIS, which have been available to teams since the 2024/2025 season. As international federation databases continue to expand, ongoing annual development work is required.

Furthermore, athlete-specific competition data views and season/period monitoring tools will be designed and implemented.

WP2-1: Ski Jumping Force Plate System
A next-generation version of the technical force plate system developed in the CEMIS-UDDA project (Regional Council of Kainuu, ERDF 2023–2025) will be created. Video integration will be added to enhance the feedback interface. In addition, improvements will be made to the system’s mobility and field usability.

WP2-2: Development of Isometric Strength Testing in Slope Disciplines
This work includes the acquisition of sport-specific force measurement sensors for the testing facility recently established in Kuusamo.

WP2-3: Research and Development of Cross-Country Skiing Technique
Data will be collected during treadmill skiing tests on two techniques (V2 skating and double poling) using video-based 3D motion analysis at the Vuokatti Skiing Laboratory.

Statistical analysis will be conducted to compare motion analysis variables with other measured parameters from treadmill tests, such as skiing speed, cycle variables, and oxygen uptake.

The objective is to identify key performance factors in skiing technique and transfer these insights into coaching practice through sport experts. The data will also be utilized in theses and student coursework.