Introduction: While critical velocity (CV) and anaerobic distance capacity (ADC) have been measured in swimming for many years, the relationship between these two measures of performance capacity, as well as their relationship to competition performance, has not been thoroughly detailed. Methods: National level junior swimmers (22 males, 26 females, age= 15.8 ± 1.2 y; mean± SD) completed a 400 m, 200 m and 100 m freestyle maximal effort time trial on consecutive days. A subgroup of 22 athletes (8 males, 14 females) also completed four 25 m maximal freestyle efforts, from which the fastest effort was recorded. Critical velocity was measured as the slope of the regression line for the three maximal effort time trials, and the ADC was established as the intercept of this line and they-axis. Competition performance within 3 months prior to CV testing was compiled and expressed relative to the world record (WR). The swimmers' best event was the race for which they were closest to WR. Results: Critical velocity and ADC were negatively correlated (p < 0.001) for both male (r = -0.75, -0.88 to -0.54; r-value, 90% confidence interval) and female (r = -0.72,-0.52 to -0.85) swimmers. In the freestyle sub-group, the ADC and fastest 25m performance were also highly negatively correlated (p < 0.01) for both males (r = -0.96, -0.82 to -0.99) and females (r = -0.72, -0.38 to -0.89). Across both male and female athletes a 5 m higher ADC corresponded to a decrease in CV of 0.05 m/s . Female swimmers whose preference was a 400 m event had 6.1 to 8.5% faster CV values when compared to all other distances, the same was found for male 1500 m swimmers compared to male 100 m swimmers, 7.1% faster. Critical velocity was also significantly correlated with competition performance regardless of stroke or distance for males (r = -0.59, -0.79 to -0.29), and for performance in 200 m events regardless of stroke for females (Spearman's rho= -0.49,-0.75 to -0.07, p < 0.05, n =20). Female swimmers also had a significant negative correlation between ADC and 100 m performance regardless of stroke (r = -0.50, -0.73 to -0.16, p < 0.05, n = 21). Conclusions: The moderate negative relationship between CV and ADC fits well with the conventional notion that swimmers often exhibit either an aerobic or anaerobic orientation. While both systems can be improved with training, different swimmers often focus on one system, potentially to the detriment of the development of the other. The CV-ADC relationship may provide insight into the potential effects of having an excessive focus on one energy system in training. lt appears junior male freestyle swimmers exploit their anaerobic capacity to a greater degree than junior female swimmers over 25 m. Critical velocity and ADC are also related to 100 m competition performance, further strengthening the case for their use in the monitoring of swimmers.
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