If the panels, plates or strutures on the Speedo LZR are rigid and corset-like, I really can't say it better than Scott:"... Muscle compression is the key to the suit’s success but only incidentally, because the compression is not a design feature – it is merely a consequence of the design. The body fits into the suit rather than the suit fitting up against the body. It is a racing shell which is worn! Forget the fact the LZR Racer is made out of fabric. The suit is to all intents and purposes a racing shell – a boat, albeit a soft sided boat, but a boat nevertheless! And using a boat to reduce your drag is most definitely a swimming aid, and aids to swimming are specifically banned under FINA’s own rules. FINA was looking in the wrong place. The LZR Racer is illegal! ..." [Link]
Here is a PDF document issued by FINA regarding swimsuit, goggles, and cap specifications:
In section 3.1 B, the document states: "...Regular flat fabrics and exclusion of outside applications: the fabrics used shall be regular and shall not form outstanding shapes or structures, such as scales. No outside application shall be added on the fabrics (use of different fabrics, see below). ... It is further clarified that: the application of fabrics put on top of each other as a result of a manufacturing/application process to combine the fabrics is permitted provided that this remains in the usual thickness and does not create outstanding shape(s) or structure(s). ..."[Link]
"Natalie on the Half-Shell" above is a composited image I created by combining a scallop shell that I found from this website: [Link] And a promo image of the Speedo LZR posted at dailymail.co.uk here: [Link]
5 comments:
Personally, Tony, I think you could say it a lot better. He lost me at "boat." When I see someone sit in a LZR and start rowing, then I'll raise an eyebrow.
The reailty is, every development of suits has technically been a swimming "aid", so that alone doesn't violate FINA rules. FINA was involved every step of the way in the development, and Speedo has nothing to gain and a lot to lose by the suits being banned. Also, I imagine there is nothing "incidental" about the byproduct benefits of a suit developed in conjunction with NASA.
I think the more interesting question is, does it hurt athletes who are sponsored by other brands? And if so, should they be allowed to go off-sponsor in their swimwear when competing?
I should probably just shut up till I touch one or see if the panels are rigid but I can't because I am impulsive and unrestrained.
If it does offer a supreme technological advantage; emphasis on supreme, then competing companies will have to either pay more to retain swimmers or just not sponsor elite swimmers at all.
It may work out to be the latter for if everyone at the the Olympic level becomes a 2nd-string "Michael Phelps," then what is the point of paying a load of of money to retain an elite swimmer and then have that swimmer consistently lose while wearing your brand?
I have a feeling that FINA is worried about this too since companies like blueseventy and especially Arena sponsor FINA events and neither company has the R&D wherewithal to compete. Hence, why sponsor an event yur suit will lose at?
There is something so very "Ann Rynd" about this.
Au contraire mon ami Kerry. You need to reread Tony’s post again because clearly there is a point that an article of clothing which ‘aids’ swimming becomes illegal. That Speedo has nothing to gain and a lot to lose by having the suit banned is irrelevant. The question is whether or not the suit is illegal under FINA’s existing rules and I’m arguing it is. Certainly if enough tension is applied to normally pliable and soft materials they can be made hard and rigid – this principle is being seen more and more in architecture for example. But that’s not really central to my argument (even if I think this is how FINA came to wrongly decide the suit was legal). All the suit manufacturers use tension (compression) to minimize drag and apparently they’ve got it cranked up to incredible levels. Cesar Cielo dislocated both his thumbs trying to take off his TYR suit. Now that’s compression! What I believe has the other manufacturers crying foul is Speedo has gone the next logical step and used this compression to change the swimmer’s natural body shape into something more hydrodynamic and supporting. My referring to this effectively rigid outer casing (as it is once on the body) as a shell is perfectly correct. That FINA was involved in the design process is only peripheral to the central point. If I and the rest of the manufacturers are right (and here I’m assuming their argument parallels mine of course) then FINA’s involvement becomes something ultimately to be settled by lawyers.
I was just wondering, "Why is there so much controversy over the Fastskin LXR? Records are being broken and its bringing attention to the sport of swimming, which always takes backseat in America to football, basketball, baseball, etc." Then I started to think about other suits, and while I was watching a video of Ian Thorpe, I began to question his full body suit. I remember he was the first swimmer to ever wear a full body Adidas suit. Was this a deal he had with Adidas? that only he could wear the suit? If so, this is illegal according to FINA, but I have never heard Scott talk about this on his blog. Also, I remember the Adidas full body suit was engineered to direct water over the body to reduce drag, and even had 3 "stripes" on the butt to direct water away from the body. If these stripes increased the thickness of the suit, should it have been illegal?
If the FS LZR does become an illegal suit, will all the records that have been set be erased? Or kept but with an asterik? Also, if we do determine the Adidas suit was illegel, are we going to have to do the same thing with EVERY Thorpe record?
I think it would be the asterisk.
If the suit is utilizing urethane plates to assist in its buoyancy then it will be deemed illegal.
We need to see a test. Hopefully Maly forwards the test they did with the LZR, the TYR and the Arena.
Wouldn't it be funny if the TYR with the trip wires wins?
Post a Comment