UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
Winds of
Gold
Aerodynamic testing by athletes is mandatory for winning, particularly in power and speed sports like track cycling. Dr Kenji Takeda, Sciences at the University of Southampton, U.K. explains how his facility helped Team GB produce an unprecedented level of success at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as well as providing many similarly successful aerodynamic contributions to motor racing, yacht and powerboat design. Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa America’s Cup yachts, developed by WUMTIA engineers
T
eam GB’s performance in
Beijing’s Velodrome in August 2008 stunned the world as rider after rider won Gold Medals in the Olympic Games’ most impressive display of track cycling ever. Other nations were stunned as the British won medals in 80% of the track cycling events, including a dozen Gold Medals, and without dropping a single heat in the men’s sprint events. It is a victory that would have made Reginald Joseph Mitchell proud. For RJ was the designer of the Spitfire that was victorious over the skies of southern England during the last World War. It is in the wind tunnel bearing his name at the University of Southampton that Hoy, Kenny, Wiggins, Romero and other heroes at Beijing were able to hone their technique and equipment to take on the world once more.
Engineers from the Wolfson Unit for Marine Technology and Industrial Aerodynamics (WUMTIA) in the School of Engineering Sciences have worked closely with UK Sport to elevate the development of track bikes and riders to the level of the America’s Cup and Formula One. By using their extensive knowledge, skill and intuition, they have focussed on areas in which performance gains of tenths of a second can make the difference between a medal and nothing. Track cycling is all about power and speed. About 80-90% of a cyclist’s effort is used to overcome air resistance, hence the importance of wind tunnel testing. Subtleties such as rider position, helmet design, and even the suits they wear, can be optimised to reduce aerodynamic drag, allowing the cyclists to go faster. Wolfson Unit engineer Dr. Martyn Prince, who worked with British cyclists in the Southampton wind tunnel, said: “We congratulate the British Cycling team on this amazing achievement. It is great to be able to apply our engineering expertise in this way and a privilege to work with these top athletes. 2009 | WIND TUNNEL INTERNATIONAL
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