New research aims to unlock potential of elite female athletes

A University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha (UC) research team is exploring how hormones affect elite female athletes' performance, breaking new ground for women in sport. 

In collaboration with Matatū and High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ), Rebecca Attwell, a UC doctoral student is leading a study which aims to shed light on a critically overlooked area of sports science — the impact of female sex hormones on athletic recovery and performance.  

“While current training methods do work for women in sport, there is a massive gap in how we can best support women's health and optimise performance through a female-centred approach," says Attwell.  

As part of the study, Matatū rugby union players have been wearing a WHOOP band to track physiological metrics including daily skin temperature readings.

The results of the study will deliver a deeper understanding of how the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives affect Matatū athletes training, recovery, and wellbeing.  

Matatū General Manager Sarah Munro says the team is proud to be part of the research. 

“One of Matatū’s core values is tūaho (legacy), so the ability for us to contribute to understanding the female high-performance athlete to help support future generations coming through this pathway is an exciting opportunity for our club and player base.” 

The players have also been providing daily saliva samples to measure hormonal fluctuations.

PhD student Violet Owans has created a new, low-cost method to analyse hormones in the saliva and track hormonal fluctuations.

Owans is leading the analysis of all player samples as part of her PhD. 

The research also highlights the importance of female-led research teams in addressing gender disparities in sports science — historically, sports science research mostly focused on male athletes.

   

In 2022, HPSNZ set up their Healthy Women in Performance Sport programme, to empower women to thrive in high performance sport.  

Programme Lead Dr Sue Robson says, “working with University of Canterbury is a game changer in how we look at female athletes and how they perform."  

Study lead Rebecca Attwell hopes her research will be the start of providing female athletes with tailored plans to manage their health and performance capacity proactively, accounting for variations in cycle phases and contraception use.  

“This research is not just about high-performance athletes; it has the potential to positively influence the next generation of female athletes," Attwell says.  

UC supervisors include Principal Research Specialist Marie Squire, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar Jackie Cowan, Dr Hannah Wyatt, and Professor Nick Draper. 

UC’s commitment to impactful, innovative research continues to drive projects that make a difference in Aotearoa and beyond, reinforcing its reputation as a leader in research that advances health, wellbeing, and gender equity in sport.