I just made myself a SCAQ t-shirt at: 'MySOTI.com'

MySoti is an acronym for "My Stuff On The Internet." It is a site where one buy or sell various products like t-shirts, posters, etc. for a price determined by the user on top of the base profit price that mysoti.com wants collect.

For instance, I just wanted to make myself a SCAQ team shirt. I created the art and when asked what percentage over $14.99 that I would like to collect, I put down 0%.

This is a great way for small teams or large to raise money or do "one-offs" for themselves like I am doing. There are other sites too like cafepress, zazzle, which I made use to make a long sleeve t-shirt and I am sure there are many others.

I am collecting no fee, no favor, no gift, nor even a hug or a kiss for promoting this site but small teams that want to make do a beautiful four-color t-shirt can and sell it at a reasonable price.

TYR Sport inc. vs USA Swimming/Speedo/Mark Schubert/Erik Vendt pre-trial ruling

I have uploaded the ruling for the pretrial motions in the TYR versus USA Swimming/Speedo/Mark Schubert/Erik Vendt lawsuit to my personal website for downloading.

I ask humbly for others to upload it to their sites too or just go ahead and post the whole 26 pages so my personal site won't get so hammered.

Here is a link to the PDF: [Link]

Now, I am going to drop an opinionated bomb here and I hope FINA is reading. This is my opinion only: If any paid Speedo endorser was on the voting tribunal that decided which suits should be FINA approved and which suits should not be approved, please take note that the same antitrust situation that USA Swimming is having to defend against could be applicable to FINA if European law is similar to that of US law.

Nullify that vote if this is the case!

Let me phrase it this way - I suspect a class action suit is not out of the question if it means Jaked, blueseventy, Diana and others are "run out of town" over a "paid-vote" or two rather than straight science!

Update from yesterday:

Why this lawsuit is not as Craig Lord says, "...on the fringe of the current suits crisis," but rather at "grand zero" is that According to TYR, Speedo is being accused of setting up USA Swimming as a covert marketing arm for it's products so as to set up a de facto monopoly in the high-end suit market.

The judge seems to agree with 9-out-of-10 assertions that this is the case. Most notably the hiring a paid endorser of Speedo; (Coach Mark Schubert), to convince the USA Olympic Swim Team to wear nothing but Speedo. According to TYR, blatant lies were used to sell swimmers such as Erik Vendt that this was the case.

With that said, One has to ask, and certainly Craig Lord isn't asking this, is Speedo doing this same nonsense with FINA and is FINA merrily buying into, or being handsomely "bought" into doing this?

Very brief snippets from the TYR ruling

Snippet about USA Swimming Coach Mark Schubert:

"... But there is more. The Complaint alleges that Schubert went beyond criticism and threatened athletes who chose to wear the TYR product:

• “I would strongly advise them to wear the [Speedo] at trials, or they may end up at home watching [the Olympics] on NBC.” (Complaint, ¶ 16(l).

• “Schubert has gone so far as to suggest that he will use his authority as Head Coach to mandate use of SPEEDO equipment.” (Id., ¶ 16(e).) He was reported as stating that he will tell his team to wear Speedo at the U.S. Trials. (Id.)

• “Some athletes (including Defendant VENDT) have followed through on SCHUBERT’s recommendation that they breach contracts with their equipment providers in order to avoid ‘staying home’ during the Olympic Games.” (Id., ¶ 33.)

Read in the light most favorable to TYR,7 these allegations support a claim that Schubert used his position to coerce swimmers to wear Speedo swimsuits or face being left home for the Olympics. To be sure, the facts here are different from Hyrdolevel where a trade group’s standard had the de facto force of law. But the same impermissible element of coercion is present where Schubert sets the standard (Speedo) and then enforces it by threatening to remove swimmers from the Olympics. The exclusionary anticompetitive effect on TYR directly parallels the effect on the plaintiff cut-off valve manufacturer in Hydrolevel. [ Hydrolevel was a legal precedence - Tony]

Court finds that TYR properly pleads that the disparaging statements are “provably false” (Compl. ¶ 23); that Schubert essentially told the national team that the Speedo LZR could be the difference between making the Olympic team or staying home (id. ¶ 16(l)); that the swimmers who heard Schubert were likely persuaded (id. ¶ 17); that athletes had no way of knowing that Schubert’s claims of a “2% advantage” were false (id. ¶¶ 16(k), 17-18); that Schubert’s disparaging statements began at least in September 2007 and continued at least through April 2008 (id. ¶¶ 16(a)-(I)); and that Schubert’s position as Olympic team head coach gives his statements “a degree of credibility that would never attach to statements made by equipment manufacturers” (id. ¶ 17).

Therefore, the Court cannot dismiss TYR’s federal and state antitrust claims based ..."

Regarding USA Swimming having Immunity like the NFL

USA Swimming next contends that it has implied immunity under the Sports Act, as applied to federal and state antitrust laws. To establish its implied immunity in this case, USA Swimming primarily relies on persuasive authority from the Eleventh Circuit in JES Properties, Inc. v. USA Equestrian, Inc., 458 F.3d 1224 (11th Cir. 2006). But JES Properties is not controlling.

To begin with, implied immunity is strongly disfavored in the antitrust context. In Carnation Co. v. Pac. Westbound Conference, the Supreme Court made clear that

[r]epeals of the antitrust laws by implication from a regulatory statute are strongly disfavored, and have only been found in cases of plain repugnancy between the antitrust and regulatory provisions. We have long recognized that the antitrust laws represent a fundamental national economic policy and have therefore concluded that we cannot lightly assume that the enactment of a special regulatory scheme for
particular aspects of an industry was intended to render the more general provisions of the antitrust laws wholly inapplicable to that industry.

... Therefore, implied immunity cannot be extended from the face of the pleading.10

Federal Judge to 'Speedo' and 'USA Swimming': TYR's lawsuit against you has merit and you are going to court!

I got a hold of the Judge's ruling this morning and I will post a bunch of snippets from it tonight and I will include a link to the PDF.

For now here is the TYR Press release on the subject:

May 29, 2009 – In a ruling earlier this week in Santa Ana, California, a federal judge has denied legal challenges by Speedo (USA), USA Swimming and Mark Schubert to antitrust claims filed by TYR Sport, Inc.

TYR filed its lawsuit in May 2008, alleging that the relationship between USA Swimming and Speedo, and Schubert’s dual role as Olympic team head coach and paid Speedo endorser, was an unlawful restraint of trade. TYR and Speedo are leading competitors in the $200 million market for competitive swimwear and equipment. USA Swimming is the national governing body of the sport, and shares an exclusive endorsement relationship with Speedo.

Among the assertions made by TYR is that Schubert used his stature as national and Olympic team head coach to promote Speedo’s products. TYR also claims that Schubert made untrue and disparaging statements about products manufactured by TYR, as well as those of other Speedo competitors.

Speedo, USA Swimming and Schubert filed motions seeking to dismiss TYR’s claims, and a separate motion was filed by USA Swimming and Schubert to strike TYR’s state law claims. In response, United States District Judge James V. Selna issued a 26-page opinion upholding the state and federal antitrust claims brought by TYR.

"We are pleased by this ruling," said TYR’s counsel, Larry Hilton. In total, nine claims will proceed toward trial on the court-appointed date in March 2010.

Under water photos by alinka echeverría: 'The unbearable lightness of being!'

These shots of synchronized swimmers taken under water and then flopped upside down bend reality giving the illusion that these women are actually above the water.

Originally found at NotCot.org but presented by youmightlikethis.com.

15-year-old Italian prodigy storms the 100-meter breast at Italian Championships!

Megamodo, an Italian news site, has a great recap on new Italian breaststroke record. Ilaria Scarcella from Genoa, Italy, is barely 15-years-old. In the 100- breaststroke she swam a 1:06.99 or a second-plus slower than the world record 1:05.09. set by (Leisel Jones, Australia, in 2006.)

Ilaria was so elated and so filled with emotion that she nearly cried at the wall!

Here is a sloppy translation from BabelFish of the Megamodo article:

It is a dream - it has said the portacolori of the Rivaroresi Swimmers - is the beautiful day of my life, I do not have words. I ringrazio my Tiziano [I phoned my coach? -tony] technician Novels.”

[Link]

In a later heat she lowered her time further making it the fifth-fastest in history. From Swimming World:

PESCARA, Italy, May 28. ILARIA Scarcella completed a remarkable two-day progression of the Italian record in the women's 100 breast at the Italian Long Course National Championships.

Scarcella clocked a time of 1:06.86 to lower her short-lived record of 1:06.99 from semis. Coming into the meet, Chiara Boggiatto held the mark with a 1:08.09 that she set in April. Robert Panara then dipped under that standard with a 1:08.01 before Scarcella crushed it with a 1:06.99 in the following semifinal.

[Link]

Finally, I am loving that pool. The tiles are so full of "awesomeness and win."

Swim News: "We are here to cut the cancer out," said FINA Executive Director, Cornel Marculescu, regarding speedsuits!

Cornel Marculescu, pictured to the right, is the Executive Director of FINA.

Now either this FINA Executive Director is a very biased chairman who likes to use 'hot rhetoric' to inform swimmers and suit companies of it's speedsuit intentions, or this quote was never uttered.

It was close to lunchtime, after a 9am, start at the Lausanne Palace Hotel, when Cornel Marculescu held up his hands in resignation, sighed and told a small group of journalists, mainly from France, Italy and Japan: "We cannot achieve everything ... [...]

"We are here to cut the cancer out," said Marculescu. FINA had not opted for "surgery now" but for a remedial, transitory treatment. He said that those working on a solution that would "continue to narrowing of the tunnel" to a lasting solution had been tireless in their efforts.

[Link]

Swim News mentioned that several journalists were present in the room when the quote was said, let us see if this quote is printed elsewhere.

If Marculescu did use words like 'cancer" and "narrowing of the tunnel," I bet he will be sooooo fired when when FINA votes on a new executive Director. Hence, how is it possible that he would say something like this?

This sort of rhetoric is not diplomatic, it denotes an emotional bias stated in hyperbolic terms, and it tells suit companies to pull out like Nike.

A FINA Executive would never do that. One does not rise to that level with that sort of rhetorical style.

Here is a quote from a reader at Swimming World regarding this pasrticular quote. It illustrates well what hot rhetoric gets you. It's at the bottom of the article:

"...The "cancer" is the governing body rife with conflicts of interests that result in spurious rules, not advances in suit technology...."

[Link]

'Pas de Deux' - Two swimmers at the Italian championships never more than a hundred-of-a-second apart in the womens 100-free!

A tie for second place: Alice Carpanese swam a 27.19 - 28.96 • Livia Travaglini swam a 27.20 - 28.95. Both did a 56.15 and apparently matched each others stroke as if they dancers. Simply incredible! [Results]

Ellen Butler nearly drowned when she was 5-years old - Now she thrives and creates art underwater!

Originally spotted at NotCot.org, Don't Panic has the details: [Link]

ROME: World Championship Pool seized by the Italian courts!

I have an Italian Correspondent now! Isn't that cool? All I can tell you about this person is that they can swim very fast!

On the front page of the Italian papers is news that the 2009 FINA World Championship pool has been seized by the courts for not adhering to an agreed upon urban plan for these structures.

Promises are being made that everything will work out in the end but as usual, money is involved and they have less than two months to work it out: [Link]

Jason Lezak interview at the Janet Evans Invitational! - Jason wore a Jaked swimsuit!

Jason Lezak wore a Jaked. It is unclear which model since the Jaked 01 is not legal whereas the Jaked 03 is.

Jason Lezak just misses a Michael Phelps record in the 100-free! - Jason Lezak is relevant, he is in the game, and he is hungry!

From Swimming World:

"... IRVINE, California, May 24. ROSE Bowl Aquatics' Jason Lezak provided some serious fireworks on the final day of the Janet Evans Invitational as he threatened the American record in the men's 100 free over long course meters.

In another head-to-head battle, Lezak smashed California's Nathan Adrian. Lezak took a run at Michael Phelps' American record of 47.51 in the men's 100 free, but settled for a smoking time of 47.80. Adrian could not keep up as he finished second in 49.14. Jason Dunford completed the top three in 50.38.

[Link]

Jason Lezak, swimming without a sponsor is currently the fastest, American, 100-free swimmer so far this year; (correct me by sending a comment please if I am mistaken).

He is motivated and winning. Every meet for Lezak is an opportunity.

I will say that I am profoundly disgusted with his talent management. It completely astonishes me that someone as capable as Lezak is not is not sponsored by TYR, blueseventy, Jaked, Mizuno or Arena for that matter. He could have been tearing up Europe at those short-course-meter racers that Peter Marshall was setting WRs at.

Win, place or show is how they bet in horse racing: Do you realize the exposure a suit brand would have garnered at one of those meets if Lezak simply showed up and either won, placed, or showed?

The buzz would have been great for everybody: The meet itself, the suit brand, and the American/European rivalry.

I bet TYR would have sent him, they sent Peter Marshall who I had never heard of for a fast $75,000, AND HE SET WORLD RECORDS!

Japan to ratify Ryosuke Irie's world record - will allow those suits unapproved by FINA in domestic competitions!

From Swimming World:

TOKYO, Japan, May 24. THE Japanese Swimming Federation held a press conference yesterday to confirm that the Federation will ratify Ryosuke Irie's world record as a Japanese record even if FINA does not recognize it.

[...]

"...Furthermore, the Federation stated that it WILL allow swimmers to race in non-approved suits in domestic competition until March 31, 2010...."

[Link]

FINA so screwed this up! How can FINA, with any moral authority, withdraw suit approvals just because they saw a "burning bush" on the way to Lausanne, Switzerland, that told them to reverse course?

Well, the Japanese and the Italians have seen a "burning bush" too.

Perhaps the manufacturers will see one too that tells them to sort it out in court?

Coach John Leonard of the ASCA predicted as much on March 4th 2009. You can read his article: What’s Up With The Suits? at the American Swimming Coaches Association site. (Scroll down to the appropriate date to find it.)

Coach John Leonard also has a seat on the Coaches Commission at FINA.

No "off-meets" for Aaron Peirsol or Jason Lezak either- Every meet demands a win and win they did!

There are no "off-meets" for these two. From Swimming World:

"...In a head-to-head battle between a pair of Olympians, the veteran Jason Lezak challenged the American record in the men's 50 free with a triumph over Nathan Adrian. Lezak, swimming for Rose Bowl Aquatics, won in 21.90. The American record is held by Garrett Weber-Gale with a 21.47 from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.

[Link]

Texas Senior Circuit: "...Longhorn's Aaron Peirsol crushed the field in the men's 200 back with a swift time of 1:56.38. [about 2-seconds off his personal best - Tony] Mustang Matt Thompson placed a distant second in 2:01.52 with Timothy Johnson taking third in 2:04.52.

[Link]

I grabbed the photo to the right of Jason Lezak at his website. (Yes, I did alter he photo.)

Can anybody tell me what suit he is wearing? It is kind of snazzy!

2000 Sydney Olympics: WR in the womens 4x100-free relay with Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, Courtney Shealy and Amy van Dyken

Jenny Thompson's wall work is amazing.

My rebuttal to a Craig Lord's article "Why We Know This Is The Age Of Buoyancy " at 'Swim News'

The suit approval letter sent to FINA by Professor Jan-Anders Manson, from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Switzerland to FINA was re-posted at SwimNews.com.

Craig Lord had a different point a view regarding the interpretation of Professor's Mason's phrasing than I did.

"...While these swimsuits comply with the buoyancy value when tested in accordance with the defined procedure, we note that this kind of construction may cause significant air trapping effects when worn by the swimmers."

Prof Manson's letter makes something very clear: a ban on the use of non-permeable, non-textile fabrics of any kind is well overdue. [...]

For those who grasp at the word "may", it is used in this sense: "If you walk in the rain with your hood off, you may get wet hair". No-one is left in any doubt that hair would indeed get wet. ..."

[Link]

My Rebuttal: The honorable Professor designed a testing protocol with a de facto set of buoyancy standards that were made known to all the suit manufacturers in Dubai last March.

Several suit manufacturers underwent radical redesigns whereas some suit companies simply went with what they had.

Subsequently, those standards were met by all the "rubberized" suit companies and the first sentence makes that clear.

Next, It is my belief that Craig Lord; who I respect as a journalist and who has done some great work for the Times Online, does not define or provide an accurate example or definition of the word: "may."

Definition of the word "may"

may ¹ (m)aux.v. Past tense might (mt)

1. To be allowed or permitted to: May I take a swim? Yes, you may.

2. Used to indicate a certain measure of likelihood or possibility: It may rain this afternoon.

3. Used to express a desire or fervent wish: Long may he live!

4. Used to express contingency, purpose, or result in clauses introduced by that or so that: expressing ideas so that the average person may understand.

5. To be obliged; must. Used in statutes, deeds, and other legal documents. See Usage Note at can¹.

Finally, Scientists don't parse or measure words. the data is demonstrable or it is not. Professor Mason simply stated a conjecture with his use of the word "may" as noted in the definitions above.

If I am mistaken and this is not the case than it is Professor Mason's responsibility to clarify the letter and produce data that validates that "significant air trapping effects" produced a buoyancy factor that violated the protocol. If that cannot be done, then the suits passed and France, Japan, Italy and the USMS have got it right.

Sydney Morning Herald: Australian Coach, Alan Thompson, was on the panel in charge of the FINA swimsuit approval process!

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

"... Australian head coach Alan Thompson, who was on the panel in charge of the approval process, said yesterday the decision makes the most level playing field possible for the world titles, but it won't be fully level until the new rule changes come in January, where among them, swimsuits will be required to pass permeability testing.

As for Sullivan holding onto his records - the French ones are yet to be ratified - Thompson says in the wake of the failed tests Sullivan's should stand. ..."

[Link]

Some process, huh?

Well, if this is an accurate statement written by the Sydney Morning Herald, It suddenly becomes obvious why USA Swimming and Australian Swimming "fully support FINA with all their hearts and minds" versus the Japanese, the French, and the Italians?

No wonder rational minds and countries have a problem with this approval process. It's my belief that Alan Thompson should clarify if he is or has ever been a paid endorser by Speedo.

There are no "off-meets" for Dara Torres! - Every meet counts!

I was scolded in a comments section a few posts back for criticizing Ryan Lochte, and Katie Hoff for doing mediocre at the 2009 Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix.

I praised Frederick Bousquet for his victory in the 100-free and for knowing full well that a victory over Phelps would add tremendous value to his both his name and swimsuit.

I was told, it was an off-meet and that it did not matter. I was told to look how they both do when they swim a big meet like World Championships or Nationals. That opinion is valid and morally correct but it is not a correct business decision.

Dara Torres swam no "off-meets" to test her butterfly or new technique: She came to a meet that was "off every body's radar" and consequently Dara captured the American record in the 50-meter 'fly.

If both Hoff and Lochte had Dara Torres' business savvy, they should have come prepared to sweep all of their events and while Lochte would have looked like the "giant killer" to the clueless media for beating Phelps, Hoff would have had a satisfying return post Beijing.

Fred Bousquet understood the gravity of beating Phelps and I have a feeling he is now bigger than both Amuary Leveaux and Alain Bernard in France at this time.

In tomorrow's sport page Torres will have garnered lots of ink and/or electrons on our computer screens and her sponsors are going to be stoked! She may even be on national TV and I bet she gets a bonus. Hoff and Lochte will have to wait.

Dara Torres just swan a 25.8 in the 50-meter fly for a new American record!!

Amazing! The "Terminator" does it again but this time in the 50-meter 'fly.

From Swimming World Online:

"... During long course meter swimming in prelims, Torres clocked a time of 25.84. That performance wiped out Jenny Thompson's 26.00 set back in 2003 in Barcelona. Torres will be gunning for Marleen Veldhuis' world record of 25.33 set back in April..."

[Link]

Overhead on deck after the swim:

Kyle Reese: The 600 series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy, but these are new. They look human... sweat, bad breath, everything. Very hard to spot. I had to wait till [she] moved on you before I could zero on [her].

Sarah Connor: Look... I am not stupid, you know. They cannot make things like that yet.

Kyle Reese: Not yet. Not for about 40 years.

Sarah Connor: Are you saying it's from the future?

Kyle Reese: One possible future. From your point of view... I don't know tech stuff.

Fan video of the mens 100-free final at the Charlotte Ultraswim!

It has no sound but great footage of an enthusiastic Bousquet in his red Jaked suit. You could just feel that he knew he was going to win.

Universal Sports coverage of the 2009 Charlotte UltraSwim here: [Link]

It appears to me that 'USA Swimming' will "rubber-stamp" the FINA swim list!

I am openly biased in regards to the way USA Swimming conducts business. I have made this clear in several posts mostly when I talk about the TYR/Speedo/USA Swimming lawsuit or when they were tr7ing to get in bed with the Wasserman Media Group.

Now that this bias is again out in the open, I have a question for all of you: is it just me or does this press release from USA Swimming simply state that they are going to "rubber-stamp" the FINA decision with no forethought or consideration of the consequences whatsoever?

My interpretation of what I read is in the brackets. Here is the USA Swimming press release:

"... USA Swimming will follow the FINA ruling made Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland. As the World Governing Body for our sport, we rely on FINA to provide adequate testing and judgment on which suits can and cannot be used in competition.

[That is what I believe was the rubber-stamp part]

Certainly, such legislation has an effect on our more than 2,800 club teams and the athletes they represent. We want to assure our membership that we are reviewing the recent legislation and will soon provide an update on how this might affect swimming at the club level.

[That was the part where I believe they will tell the "barking dog" that they will "consider" throwing it an imaginary bone and to just trust them to do so.]

We appreciate your patience as we work to provide complete and accurate information on this topic.

[I can't think of anything witty to say but I am thinking that letter I posted was pretty darn accurate to me.]

USA Swimming has not yet taken any action with respect to the published list of approved suits and will not do so until after the Rules & Regulations Committee meeting scheduled for May 29-30. Following that meeting, a formal announcement will be made regarding how the approved list will affect USA Swimming and its rules & regulations.

[The above is a carefully written "escape clause" in case the "poop hits the fan" lawsuit-wise and USA Swimming needs to adopt a "USMS approach" to avoid getting hit by the incoming mess.]

If USA Swimming does not adopt a measured response such as the Italian Federation, The USMS, and Japanese, their management should be voted out.

'Italian Swim Federation' press release on unapproved speedsuits for Italian Championships!

A computer translation of an Italian Federation Press release regarding unapproved speedsuits.

It is sketchy, but the point is made: The Italian Federation is taking the same path as the USMS and the Japanese:

"... The END confirms the authorization of the use in competition of all the authorized customs of new generation from the F.I.N.A until to the official notice diffused in the day of 19 tuesdays May

20 Wednesdays May 2009

ROME - With the present note confirmation that:

- in the respect of the engagements assumed from the societies and the athletes with own suppliers of technical material, and mainly of customs;

- to safeguard of generally supported expenses from the families of the athletes;

- waves to avoid to generate ulterior confusion on the delicate matter;

- in order to guarantee continuity to regulating agonistica activity;

- waiting for the clarifications demands to the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur on the homologation procedures of the customs of new generation;

the Italian Federation Swim confirms, till the fulfillment of the present agonistica season, the authorization of the use in competition in the national manifestations and federal of all the authorized customs of new generation from the F.I.N.A until to the official notice it prints diffused in the day of 19 Tuesdays May.

[Link]

Daina Swim unleased: Press release regarding unapporved swimsuit

My readers are so good to me and they contribute so much that it humbles me. Minollo sent us this press release from Diana Sport - It was translated into English rather qucikly:

Diana Sport is astonished learning that its own bodysuit “Cyclone” has not been approved by FINA, as [evident] from the official notice issued by the International Federation on 19th. May and from which results that others 135 costumes have been considered irregular.

"... The main shocking thing is that the costume Cyclone has passed all the scientific tests fixed by Fina and intended to verify the observance of requisitions and limits appointed by the Federation itself as regards to the buoyancy and to the fabrics thickness.

The missing homologation is due to a mere presumption formulated by the expert of the Federal Polytechnic in Lausanne, person in charge to effect the tests, who affirms that the costume “could cause air trapping effects”, effect in principle prohibited by the rules. Therefore we are in front of the paradox that tests fixed to control the respect of the bench marks in an incontestable scientific way will be overcome by a subjective [judgment] that asserts, on a purely hypothetical way and not supported by any empirical evidence, that the costume is not in compliance with such rule.

Due to this reason Diana contests in a more absolute and firm way Fina’s decision.

Relieved from the results of the tests that certify the regularity of its own costume Cyclone and sure that the right is not based on mere suppositions , Diana reserves the right to undertake every kind of action , nothing excluded, in order to protect its own economic and of image interests. ..."

[Link]

Thank you so much Minollo! :-*

My birthday is coming up and I will pretend I didn't see this! 0_^

Open water season is coming up! Originally spotted at Google images

Craig Lord at 'SwimNews': Italian Federation to allow the unapproved 'Jaked' swimsuit to be used at the Italian Championships!

The article is rushed, probably written in one sitting and it is more of an editorial than a news release but here is a snippet:

"... On Tuesday, the Italian national team fast suit, the Jaked01, was rejected for use in the race pool by independent suit tests that proved that the suit served as an aid to speed, buoyancy and endurance. - [Craig provides no proof or hypertext link to validate that statement - Tony] - But far from sending the suit back to the cutting room, its makers want to challenge FINA and the Italian federation has approved anarchy in the host nation of the FINA world championships by telling its swimmers: yes, you can wear illegal suits. ..."

[Link]

So far this is what we have on the international stage suit-wise: The USMS has issued a policy statement that seems well reasoned and coherent.

The Japanese will acknowledge Irie's record in an unapproved swimsuit due to all the confusion surrounding the approval process.

Finally, the Italian Federation is rumored to be allowing the unapproved Jaked into the pool at their Championships since the suit is undergoing an appeal.

Three governing bodies have essentially said to FINA: Get your ducks in a row and then we will listen to you!

The United States Masters Swimming statement regarding the FINA swimsuit approvals

Date: May 20, 2009

At this point in time no suits should be listed as banned by U.S. Masters Swimming for pool or open water swimming

While FINA has listed the 202 approved swimsuits, FINA has NOT listed the 10 suits that have been “rejected for not passing the tests of buoyancy and/or thickness” or made a ruling on the “136 swimsuits to be modified in accordance with “Dubai Charter”." Until FINA provides the definitive list of banned swimsuits and specific actions on the 136, we should not report any suit as banned in a USMS sanctioned event.

If you hear anything from FINA in contradiction to this statement, please inform me as soon as possible. The list of FINA approved suits can be found at: [Link]

The FINA press release can be found at: [Link]

Rob Copeland
President - United States Masters Swimming

Tracy Grilli, Membership Coordinator
U.S. Masters Swimming

--

Have you noticed that out of all the swimming governing bodies in the US, the USMS seems to be the only one run by rational adults?

Japanese Swimming Federation may accept Ryosuke Irie's 200-back WR despite FINA objection!

This is perhaps the biggest story of the year: The "speedsuit war" is escalating: The first shot fired was back in the Spring of 2008 when TYR filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court against USA Swimming, Coach Mark Schubert, and Speedo.

Now the second salvo: The Japanese Swimming Federation may acknowledge Ryosuke Irie world record in the 200-back despite FINA refusal to accept it due to the swimsuit he wore was not FINA approved.

Could the French do the same with Alain Bernard's world record in the 100-free?

From Swimming World: "..."Even if Irie's world record would not be ratified by FINA, the Japanese Federation will not omit it from the Japanese record book," Japanese Swimming Federation Executive Director Masafumi Izumi said. "The position of the Japanese Federation is different from FINA. Although there are discrepancies, and we are in confusion. The Japanese Federation will have to distinguish FINA's standard and our own standard in the ratification process...."

[Link]

What a mess! This is a "shot across the proverbial bow" of FINA's governing authority. That is to say, if Irie's world record is validated by the Japanese Federation, then his suit is validated as well.

I admit that all of the above is hyperbole but FINA is in trouble and it needs help and guidance.

My suggestion is that all swimsuits that have ever been approved by FINA be placed back on the approved swimsuit list till FINA can produce an engineering standard that is based on quantifiable data rather than theoretical opinions.

An online petition to FINA regarding reinstating the 'blueseventy' on the approved suit list is now posted!

Chris sent me this? Here is how it's worded:

WE THE SWIMMING COMMUNITY demand that the FINA-approved suit list (the List) be modified to include all suits meeting scientifically verifiable standards, that the evaluation process be free of all corporate interests so as to provide a true level playing field for all swimmers, and that the approval process should include price and durability in its evaluation.

The List, published May 19, 2009 and its evaluation process was designed to establish a method to regulate the progression of technology in swimming. The Dubai Charter was meant to entrench the athleticism and hard work of athletes at the center of the sport while also providing natural opportunities for the sport to evolve and progress accordingly.

The swimming community recognizes that the performance of the swimmer is somewhat owed to the suit he or she is wearing, Accordingly, we share FINA's goal of protecting the purity of our sport. We also want to allow our sport to grow and evolve at every level. The introduction of the techsuit at the Beijing Olympics was part of that evolution. Technology has been a part of our sport since the beginning, and WE believe that it is an essential component to our sport's continued success and growth. However, while the evolution must be regulated, FINA has not lived up to its own rules.

FINA has not been consistent in its interpretation of its own rules. The resulting Dubai Charter process was intended to be inclusive, unbiased, and based on verifiable scientific data. While manufacturers were consulted, FINA utilized Corporate-paid and sponsored individuals in the actual approval process resulting in an unfair bias against all other manufacturers.

This bias is visible in the List. Many of the banned suits passed the scientific tests, yet were deemed illegal on the criteria that they may exhibit an effect that has no objective scientific basis. Furthermore, many of these banned suits share design, construction, and materials with legal suits. This undermines the Dubai Charter's goal of objectivity and places final approval in the hands of subjective individuals.

Additionally, the cost and durability of these suits are of prime interest to athletes, which FINA has completely disregarded. By banning some of the most durable and reasonably priced suits available, FINA is forcing consumers to spend more money than before.

WE DEMAND that all scientifically verified suits be listed as approved, the approval process be removed of all subjective and corporate influence, and the welfare of the swimmers be included in all current and future evaluations.

Respectfully,
The World Swimming Community WE THE SWIMMING COMMUNITY demand that the FINA-approved suit list (the List) be modified to include all suits meeting scientifically verifiable standards, that the evaluation process be free of all corporate interests so as to provide a true level playing field for all swimmers, and that the approval process should include price and durability in its evaluation.

The List, published May 19, 2009 and its evaluation process was designed to establish a method to regulate the progression of technology in swimming. The Dubai Charter was meant to entrench the athleticism and hard work of athletes at the center of the sport while also providing natural opportunities for the sport to evolve and progress accordingly.

The swimming community recognizes that the performance of the swimmer is somewhat owed to the suit he or she is wearing, Accordingly, we share FINA's goal of protecting the purity of our sport. We also want to allow our sport to grow and evolve at every level. The introduction of the techsuit at the Beijing Olympics was part of that evolution. Technology has been a part of our sport since the beginning, and WE believe that it is an essential component to our sport's continued success and growth. However, while the evolution must be regulated, FINA has not lived up to its own rules.

FINA has not been consistent in its interpretation of its own rules. The resulting Dubai Charter process was intended to be inclusive, unbiased, and based on verifiable scientific data. While manufacturers were consulted, FINA utilized Corporate-paid and sponsored individuals in the actual approval process resulting in an unfair bias against all other manufacturers.

This bias is visible in the List. Many of the banned suits passed the scientific tests, yet were deemed illegal on the criteria that they may exhibit an effect that has no objective scientific basis. Furthermore, many of these banned suits share design, construction, and materials with legal suits. This undermines the Dubai Charter's goal of objectivity and places final approval in the hands of subjective individuals.

Additionally, the cost and durability of these suits are of prime interest to athletes, which FINA has completely disregarded. By banning some of the most durable and reasonably priced suits available, FINA is forcing consumers to spend more money than before.

WE DEMAND that all scientifically verified suits be listed as approved, the approval process be removed of all subjective and corporate influence, and the welfare of the swimmers be included in all current and future evaluations.

[Link]

This WR by Alain Bernard in the 100 free may be nullified by the FINA swimsuit ruling!

Alain Bernard's swimsuit, the Arena X-Glide, was not approved yesterday by FINA thus putting his world record in the 100-meter free in peril.

I wonder if Alain Bernard's suit was not approved because it failed the science round of the FINA tests or the opinion round? hmmm!

Ryosuke Irie's World Record in the mens' Men's 200m Backstroke!

Poor guy, for the suit was legal at the time of the swim too, wasn't it?

'blueseventy' and others passed the buoyancy tests but if this letter is factual, they were denied with prejudice not science!

Science is not about fact or faith - it is about preponderance of evidence. When experiments cannot be reproduced, science will change it's model.

Again, science is not about faith nor it is it about suspicion or conjecture. It's about what you see right in front of you and even then, someone has to reproduce it. When "facts" change, science changes.

Above is a letter from Jan Anders Mason, Professor Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Switzerland, written to the Executive Director C. Marculescu of FINA.

Click image to enlarge!

The highlighted paragraph along with the paragraph above clearly state that the swimsuits with non-permeable fabric, such as the 'blueseventy' and perhaps the TYR Titan, complied with the buoyancy factor. THEY COMPLIED!

In plain words: THEY PASSED. The suits met the scientific standards agreed upon in Dubai and duly tested by the Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne yet the suits were denied because of the mere speculation or conjecture on the part of Professor, Jan Anders Mason.

Prejudice is defined as "...A judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known. In most cases, these opinions are founded on suspicion... A preconceived preference or idea. The act of forming a judgment beforehand without knowledge of the facts."

Hence, the 'bueseventy,' in my opinion, was denied over the suspicion of buoyancy rather than demonstrable evidence of it.

Here blueseventy's official statement:

"...New Zealand — May 19, 2009 — Today FINA released its list of approved suits for the World Championships in July. FINA rejected 10 high-tech racing suits and approved 199 others with 136 swimsuits to be modified in accordance with the “Dubai Charter”.

blueseventy submitted 11 models of suits for FINA approval, including tights and jammers. At this time, blueseventy suits are not listed on FINA’s site as approved models, including the models that had previously been submitted (in late 2007) and had received approval.

blueseventy is stunned by this omission. “As a company, and personally, we were very comfortable with the criteria for testing that FINA had outlined, our suits passed well under the threshold for buoyancy and thickness proposed by them,” stated blueseventy’s Global Marketing Manager, Dean Jackson. “We have had confirmation that our suits passed the independent laboratory testing for both of these tests.”

Officially blueseventy is classified as one of the suits that ”may cause significant air trapping when worn by the swimmers.” However, there are several other similar brands with suits that use exactly the same fabric, with a similar construction, that have passed without a problem. This confusing situation has led the company to seek clarification directly from FINA and blueseventy is awaiting their response.

blueseventy has 30 days to make modifications to the suit so that it no longer traps air, but the system around this is unclear since trapping air is not a measurable value and the subjective nature of this “testing” is not black or while. Initially the Dubai Charter and resubmission of these suits was in order to gain acceptance for the Rome World championships and it is blueseventy’s understanding that previously approved suits remain legal for all competitions.

“We are dedicated to working on the best solution to the short-term situation and will work closely with FINA on this process,” said Roque Santos, blueseventy Vice President of Swimming. “Most importantly, we care about swimmers, we care about our company and we care about fair play for all brands in this process.”..."

TYR Suits: Tracer Rise, Tracer Light and a suit in development were approved!

I called TYR and the cryptic names for the TYR suits listed on the FINA aproved suit list were indeed the Tracer Rise, The Tracer Light and a suit that is in development. I asked about this suit and evidently it's "top secret."

FINA: The suit list is out!

Caveat: The suit list may be incomplete! There are 199 on the list shy of the 202 mentioned!

Accepted suits from Swimming World list:

adidas
TechfitPowerweb S8140602BJ B85779 full
TechfitPowerweb S8140603BJ B85777SL full
TechfitPowerweb S8140609BJ B85762 full - knee
TechfitPowerweb S8140607BJ B85768 pants - long
TechfitPowerweb S8140606BJ B85771 pants - short

Agon Sport L.L.C.
2009 full - knee
2009 pants - long
2009 pants - short

Akron SRL
Halifax Allison full
Halifax Buster full
Halifax Ark pants - long

Arena Italia S.p.A.
Powerskin 2512450 full
Powerskin 2512850 full
Powerskin 2512550 full
Powerskin 2710650 pants - long
Powerskin 2906850 classic
Powerskin 2710550 pants-short
Powerskin R-Evolution 2522850 full
Powerskin R-Evolution 2522750 full
Powerskin R-Evolution 2522650 full
Powerskin R-Evolution 2786650 full - knee
Powerskin R-Evolution 2522550 full - knee
Powerskin R-Evolution 2522450 full - knee
Powerskin R-Evolution 2786250 pants- long
Powerskin R-Evolution 2786550 pants-short
Powerskin R-evolution + 2525650 full
Powerskin R-evolution + 2525450 full
Powerskin R-evolution + 2525350 full
Powerskin R-evolution + 2525750 full - knee
Powerskin R-evolution + 2525550 full - knee
Powerskin R-evolution + 2790050 pants - long
Powerskin X-treme 2513850 full
Powerskin X-treme 2514350 full
Powerskin X-treme 2513950 full
Powerskin X-treme 2513750 full - knee
Powerskin X-treme 2514450 full - knee
Powerskin X-treme 2514250 full - knee
Powerskin X-treme 2731750 pants - long
Powerskin X-treme 2925450 classic
Powerskin X-treme 2737650 pants-short

Asics Corporation
TIL ALS503 full
TIL ALS505 full
TIL AMA503 pants - long
TIL AMA502 pants - short
TIL ALS502 pants - short
TIL ALS500 classic
TIL ALS504 classic
TIL AMA501 classic
TIL ALS501 classic
TIL - Cloth AMX964-4 full
TIL - Cloth ALX964-5 full
TIL - Cloth ALX964-6 full
TIL - Cloth AMX964-3 pants - long
TIL - Functional Layered System AMA515 full
TIL - Functional Layered System ALS515 full
TIL - Functional Layered System AMA516 pants - long
TIL - Functional Layered System AMA511 inner tights
TIL - Functional Layered System ALS511 inner tights
TIL - Functional Layered System AMA510 inner top
TIL - Functional Layered System ALS510 inner top
TIL + AMX1087 full
TIL + AMX1087-2 full
TIL + AMX1087 full
TIL + AMX1098 full
TIL + AMX1086 full
TIL + AMX1085 full
TIL + ALX1085-2 full
TIL + ALX1085 full
TIL + ALX1086 full
TIL + ALX1098 full
TIL + AMX1088 pants - long
TIL + AMX1088-2 pants - long
TIL + AMX1088 pants - long
TIL + AMX1083 classic
TIL + ALX1083 classic

Descente LTD
III jan09 full
III jan09 full
III jan09 full
III jan09 full - knee
III jan09 pants - long
III jan09 pants - short
IV jan09 full
IV jan09 full
IV jan09 full
IV jan09 full - knee
IV jan09 pants - long
IV jan09 pants - short
I mar09 full
I mar09 pants - long
I mar09 full
I mar09 full
I mar09 classic
I mar09 full - knee
I mar09 classic
I mar09 pants - short
III mar09 full
III mar09 full
III mar09 full
III mar09 full - knee
III mar09 pants - long
III mar09 pants - short
III mar09 classic

Diana Sport
Submarine Shinning Arrow 232M SA full
Submarine Shinning Arrow 250W SA full
Submarine Shinning Arrow 251W SA full
Submarine Shinning Arrow 233M SA full - knee
Submarine Shinning Arrow 253W SA full - knee
Submarine Shinning Arrow 230M SA pants - long
Submarine Thermo Fusion 202M full
Submarine Thermo Fusion 210W full
Submarine Thermo Fusion 221W full
Submarine Thermo Fusion 203M full - knee
Submarine Thermo Fusion 213W full - knee
Submarine Thermo Fusion 200M pants - long
Submarine Thermo Fusion 201M pants - short
Submarine Thermo Fusion 219W classic

Finis Inc.
Amphibian pants - long
Amphibian ATS8-LTM28 pants - long
Amphibian ATS8-JM28 pants - short
Amphibian Long John ATS8-LJM32 full
Amphibian Long John ATS8-LJF30 full
Amphibian Short John ATS8-SJM31 full - knee
Amphibian Short John ATS8-SJF30 full - knee
Hydrospeed 2 Brief 1.10.131.101.28 classic
Hydrospeed 2 Clipback 1.10.024.101.28 classic
Hydrospeed 2 Jammer 1.10.132.101.28 pants - short
Hydrospeed 2 Race John 1.10.025.101.28 full - knee

Jaked SRL
J03 full
J03 pants - long

Kiwami
Kameleon full - knee

Mizuno Corporation
Accel Suits full
Accel Suits pants - long
Swimsuit A 85RB-100 full
Swimsuit A 85RB-101 full
Swimsuit A 85OB-100 full
Swimsuit A 85OB-110
Swimsuit A 85OB-111 full
Swimsuit A 85RB-10009 full
Swimsuit A 85RD-100 pants - short
Swimsuit A 85RC-100 pants - long
Water gene 85RB-850 full
Water gene 85OB-850 full
Water gene 85OB-851 full
Water gene 85OC-850 full - knee
Water gene 85OD-850 pants - long
Water gene 85RC-850
Water gene 85RD-850

Orca
RS1 full - knee
RS1 full - knee

Rocket Science Sports
Rocket Light classic
Rocket Light
Rocket Sprinter
Rocket Sprinter
Rocket Trainer classic
Rocket Trainer
Swimskin Suit Sleeveless full

Sailfish GmbH
Sailfish furious full - knee
Sailfish furious long full

Speedo
Flying Fish body no arms 8-05887 full
Flying Fish Body no arms 8-05889 full
Flying Fish Brief 8-05892 classic
Flying Fish Jammer 8-05891 pants - short
Flying Fish Legskin 8-05890 pants - long
Flying Fish recordbreaker bodyskin 8-05886 full
Flying Fish recordbreaker kneeskin 8-05885 full - knee
Flying Fish strikeback 8-05888 classic
LZR Racer Pro Body Skin No Arms full
LZR Racer Pro Body Skin No Arms full
LZR Racer Pro Jammer pants - short
LZR Racer Pro Leg Skin pants - long
LZR Racer Pro Record Breaker classic
LZR Racer Pro Record Breaker Body full
LZR Racer Pro Record Breaker Knee Skin full - knee
Japanese LZR Hybrid SPE015 full
Japanese LZR Hybrid SPE015 full
Japanese LZR Hybrid SPE015 full - knee
Japanese LZR Hybrid SPE015 pants - long
Japanese LZR Hybrid SPE015 pants-short
Fastskin Pro 8 008093218 pants - short
Fastskin Pro 8 008133218 full
Fastskin Pro 8 008153218 classic
Fastskin Pro 8 008143218 full - knee
Fastskin Pro 8 008053218 full
Aquablade 8 205157031 classic
Aquablade 10 072 7031 classic
Aquablade 8 101077031 pants - short
Fastskin 8 100090001 pants - short
Fastskin 8 100080001 pants - long
Fastskin 8 202230001 full - knee

Sports Hig
F-09 full
M-12 pants- long
M-01A pants- long
M-10 pants- long
M-08 pants- long

Tyr Sports Inc.
A12 full
A7 full
A10 full

Yamamotohokosyo Corporation
YH-M-F pants - long
YH-M-F2 pants - long

[Link]

Brisbane Times: "Several swimsuits have reportedly failed FINA's first round of testing..."

From the Brisbane Times: "Several swimsuits have reportedly failed FINA's first round of testing and Australian butterflyer Andrew Lauterstein couldn't be happier....

I'm a proud Speedo athlete who loves their suits, but I want to be able to stand up behind the blocks and know the guy next to me doesn't have an advantage and the best swimmer on the day will win. ..."

[Link]

Andrew, you need to measure your words: You just said your Speedo can't compete with rivals and you also said you endorse Speedo.

USA Today: "FINA to announce approved swimsuit list!"

Attention FINA: If a FINA staff member is being paid by a suit manufacturer, they should not be allowed on a FINA commission deciding which suits get to stay and which suits have to go.

From USA Today: "... LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Swimming's governing body was preparing to announce Tuesday which high-tech racing suits will be approved for this year's world championships.

The list has been created by a special commission which included national team head coaches Mark Schubert of the United States and Australia's Alan Thompson. ..."

[Link]

How is this for some background info: Mark Schubert, according the New York Times blog, Schubert was being paid by Speedo when coaching our Olympic team. Could Alan Thompson be on the Speedo's payroll too?

"...What he did not mention is that the defendants, in asking for a continuance, provided sworn testimony from Stu Isaac, the director of marketing for Speedo, confirming that [Mark] Schubert is paid to endorse Speedo and that one of Isaac’s jobs is to manage Speedo’s relationship with USA Swimming. ..."

[Link]

Karen Krouse in the 'New York Times' on the FINA speedsuit issues.

From the New York Times: "...Officials from FINA, the sport’s international governing body, will convene Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to decide which suits will be legal for the rest of the year, a period that includes, most notably, the world championships in July in Rome. But to protect itself from legal action by swimsuit manufacturers, FINA will almost certainly not ban any suits currently on the market before Jan. 1, 2010. ..."

[Link]

Go to the article to see who the swimmer on the right is.

Where is the "swimsuit ka-boom?" - There was suppose to be an earth shattering "swimsuit kaboom!"

It is 3:35 PM in Lausanne, Switzerland and yet no news has come out regarding speedsuits. I stayed up late and woke up early for the news and nothing has been posted. I bet FINA is chicken and they are obsessing over this ruling.

Bousquet gracious in victory speaks about the strategy he used be defeat Michael Phelps in the 100-meter free!

Michael Phelps is quoted as well and not only does Bousquet talk about his admiration for Phelps, he discuses his point of view about the Jaked possibly being banned tomorrow by FINA. From APF:

"...I don't like swimming 100s in season," Bousquet said. "The fact he was in the race and in the lane next to me helped me get my head into it and get motivated.

"I would like to get him down to the 50. I don't want to stay around too long in the 100. With the years coming, I don't think I will beat him too many more times in the 100."

Bousquet cited Phelps's stroke switches as a reason to feel he will not long be able to beat the American.

"To go 49.0 and change strokes a couple of times during the race, that's very impressive," Bousquet said. ..."

[Link]

As for our suits: My prediction for tomorrow is bleak. I suspect the Jaked and the blueseventy will be banned. TYR may be bloodied too.

Possible scenarios: TYR will be extraordinarily upset if the Tracer Rise and/or the Titan are banned. If they are, I am sure TYR will be quite polite and gracious in public; (because they are a classy company), but privately they will escalate the lawsuit against USA Swimming and Speedo and insist upon keeping their trial date with no intention of settling out of court.

The trial date is slated to start in the Spring of 2010 which will be lousy timing for Speedo and USA Swimming since it could bleed into 2012. (the Microsoft anti-trust trial took 2-years.)

I suspect other suit companies if unable to design a winning suit or forced to use a Speedo patent will jump on board that TYR lawsuit making it a class action suit.

Does FINA, USA Swimming, or Australian Swimming want that?

So, does FINA go partisan, "old school suits only" or "split the baby."

Your guess is more educated and better than mine!

Amanda Wier takes all her meets seriously! - Sets meet record in the 100-meter free in Charlotte!

That pose and that face is what a sublime work ethic will give you. From Swimming World Magazine: "...Swim Atlanta's Amanda Weir emerged from a field of Olympians with a meet-record time of 54.06 in the womens sprint event. Weir's time whacked more than a second from her meet mark of 55.11 set in 2006. .."

[Link]

I was going to post a photo of Linda Hamilton from Terminator II and ask who would win in a fight but the juxtaposition was horribly ridiculous. Amanda Weir actually has a skin tone, hydrated musculature, and stands about about a foot taller. Hamilton looked anemic and practically feeble as a result of weight loss rather than exercise.

HUMILIATION: I swam a 29.65 in the 50-LCM free!

It was a sad day at the Santa Clarita LCM Masters Meet. I must do 30 push-ups before bed as penance. >_<

CRITICISM! Open Memo to Katie Hoff and Ryan Lochte!

As Cullen Jones would say, both of you are the CEOs of your careers and your "sales are down," review your coaching situation immediately.

Katie Hoff - you are swimming 1976 times in the 200 free. Sippy Woodhead, circa 1979, would have kicked your butt in her low-tech, Lycra suit.

Though you have access to better nutrition, immunizations her generation/mine never had, better starting blocks, deeper pool depths, dolphin kicks off the wall, and you are swimming in a swimsuit made by NASA's finest mad scientists, you are failing in taking the 200-free to the next level. The USA has not owned a record in that event for the past 30-years. Fix it.

Dagny Knutson is swimming 1979 times and Sippy can beat her too. One could ask what Dagny is doing differently to beat you but what one should really ask is what are the Europeans doing differently since they can "own" you both in an off-meet?

Laure Manadou knows how to swim a 200 Free and obviously so does Federica Pellegrini. They apparently sprint it like it's a quarter-mile, horse race. Laure Manaudou taught the Europeans how to do it why can't American swimmers learn how?

Here is an idea: You don't go out in a 58.00! You pretend your Libby Trickett, or Britta Steffen, and you go out in 55.00 and then when you are coming back and you can't hold on, you do what the Europeans do! You hold on!

Consider going to Italy or France and asking for help. Perhaps French Coach Philippe Lucas is available? Just do something, Australia has a nice ring to it too.

Ryan Lochte: It "smells" like you are over training. (Garbage yardage has an odor, right?) You changed something and it is not working. I would collect all of your times in both workouts and races and evaluate what you were doing when things were going great and discard those practices that are screwing with your "bonus money."

You are very charismatic and you could be the breakout swimmer like Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, or Johnny Weismuller are to their respective sports. Note, like a 50-meter free, it only takes one mistake to blow a medal.

Don't get married to a bad decision. The three aforementioned athletes certainly changed when they had to. You coach is your employee not your employer.

Special thanks to Mark Savage on this post.

The photo of Federica Pellegrini comes from Zimbio.com and they have another photo of her which they call Female Physique of the Day. :-O [Link]

DOMINATION! Frederick Bousquet - HUMILIATION! Michael Phelps swims in lane-one in the third-of-11 heats!

Clarification: I want to make it clear that Phelps has had a pretty good meet so far. He is experimenting and taking chances but the 50-free did not work out. All the other events, including the 2nd place finish to Aaron Piersol still denote that Phelps is still the best.

Frederick Bousquet flies to Charlotte at near last minute, swims jet lagged, yet dominates the 50-free against a very impressive field swimming a 21.33. (Cullen Jones placed second in a 21.96 as you probably already know.) It's a 1/2-second-or-so off his WR but still impressive considering how rushed he was to get to the states.

However, the French are doing something right and the Americans are not. Ironically enough Frederick trained at Auburn - Why are American sprinters not as fast? Could it be the suits? I think that is a fair question.

Here is what AP had to say about Phelps in the 50-free: "CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A sprinter, he's not. ..."

Phelps was assigned to lane one in the third of 11 heats — surely the first time in years he's gone that early — and lived down to expectations by touching in 23.24 seconds, far off Frederick Bousquet's world record of 20.94...."

Please Read: [Link]

Photo above: Compiègne - Meeting national - Novembre 2008. - Frédérick Bousquet (Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille), - Photo Nicolas Götz: www.sport-phot.com

The 'Washington Post' calls Dagny Knutson: The Dakota Pool Shark

Dagny Knutson was invisible to me six months ago. I had never heard of her and now she is the USOC's springtime ingenue.

The USOC is funding both her training and swim meet expenses and she will be traveling in the ensuing months to various Grand Prix meets so we will have more opportunities to see her swim.

She lives in North Dakota and faces tremendous adversity just getting to the pool in the morning and that is not hyperbole. When it's 14-degrees below zero and you got to go outside to get to the pool, that's not weather, that's a crisis!

From the Washington Post:

"...Knutson (pronounced Kah-NUTE-son), 17, won seven gold medals in January during the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Guam, where she swam the 200-meter individual medley in a time (2 minutes 10.79 seconds) that would have earned her fifth place at the Beijing Olympics. Her times in the 200 freestyle (1:57.73) and 400 individual medley (4:40.10) would have ranked her seventh and eighth, respectively.

A month earlier at the U.S. national short-course championships in Atlanta, she beat Olympic star Katie Hoff's one-year-old American record in the 400-yard individual medley by .04 of a second with a time of 4:00.62. A month before that, Knutson, a junior at Minot High, broke three national high school records, including one set in 1988 by Janet Evans.

"I didn't see this coming," Knutson said. "I've been really focused, really just working hard to reach the goals I have in mind."

In January, the U.S. Olympic Committee awarded Knutson funding it usually reserves for members of national teams...."

[Link]

The 'Spree Bridge Badeschiff' in Berlin will get a new roof!

From the Travel with Frank Gehry blog: "... A 30 year old barge was modified in a nearby dockyard. It was reduced to its shell and filled with preheated and chlorinated water to form a 32m long pool complemented with a wooden bridge and a sun terrace. All technical installations are concealed in the edge profile and yet allow an unobstructed view across the river when swimming. ..." [Link]

Berlin gets quite cold in the winter and the new "capsule" will keep people swimming.

There are more photos of this project at the blog and each one is pretty neat, especially what the pool enclosure looks like at night.

The more thing, the pool is 32-meters long.

Quick: Go watch the Charlotte Grand Prix here:

Univesal Sports has all the action this morning: "...Michael Phelps makes his return to competition this weekend at the Charlotte UltraSwim in North Carolina, and Universal Sports will be there for every stroke.

You can watch Phelps in his first races on May 15, the early heats of the 200m freestyle. And our cameras will be rolling from 6-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday as the gold medals are awarded. Two-time Olympic champion Summer Sanders; [boo-hiss] will provide commentary during each broadcast, and swimming producer Jason Devaney will be on site to file daily previews, recaps and live blogs from poolside. All live videos will be available on both UniversalSports.com and Universal Sports TV. ..."

Speedo athletes continue to hammer FINA over swimsuit technology!

Let me translate for those who can't speak PR:

When Michael Phelps says: "...They are the normal typical suits for me to wear. Speedo is the fastest suit I've ever worn and I'm going to stick with that brand."

What he is really saying: "...I am making mad, phat, bank and there is no way I am going to bite the hand of the guy who signs that check. [I take no responsibility for the mixed metaphor simply because that is the way it translates.]

When Bob Bowman says: "...I would like to see FINA take a step toward getting this thing standardized, I know the people who are setting these records are working very hard. Clearly some things have happened that are out of the range of normal improvement and we need to work on that."

What he is really saying: "Their damn suits are faster than ours and these lesser mortals wearing these suits are going to spank us in Rome and London unless we can game FINA politically to ban them!"

When Eamon Sullivan says: "...FINA is hopefully going to finally give a ruling on the thickness of suits, the materials to be used and the buoyancy and from what I have heard so far, the suits have not been approved by FINA..."

What he is really saying: "The fix is in, baby!

When Mary DeScenza says: "...When goggles first came out they were experimental," she said. "It's the sport progressing. It's good for the sport. I think it's good to break records. I think it's good to have the technology.

"It's the athlete that is making the difference. The suit is not breaking the records."

What she is really saying: "I can't believe you guys actually said all that with a straight face! You all are just are a bunch of cry babies!

Man-up!

It must really piss you off that your "fancy-shmancy," LZR, which was designed and welded together by NASA robots, can't compete with what human beings designed and hand sewn. :-P

I hope my translation services helps!

Here is a link to these quotes from AFP: [Link]

The oddest swimming quotes I have ever read!

"Breaststroke is an athletic event; butterfly is a political statement." ~ Senator Paul Tsongas

"If I were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was a thousand miles away, I'd still swim. And I'd despise the one who gave up." ~ Abraham Maslow

"Chlorine is my perfume." ~ Author Unknown

"It's been told that swimming is a wimp sport, but I don't see it. We don't get timeouts, in the middle of a race we can't stop and catch our breath, we can't roll on our stomachs and lie there, and we can't ask for a substitution." ~ Author Unknown

"Seven days of no swimming makes one weak." ~ Author Unknown

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'Perier Melting' commercial from France!

Loving that breathy French voice at the end of the spot! Makes me want to bring a case of Perier and an ice chest to SPMA LCM Regionals this July!

May 18th will be FINA's version of 'high noon' for some speedsuit manufacturers!

Above is the new redesign of the Rocket Science speedsuit. Note how the legs have been shortened and the arms removed. I actually like the look of this suit better when compared to the original design.

With all these changes in mind will this suit, the Jaked, or the bluseventy Nero be deemed illegal for the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome? We find out, or find out something on May 18th, 2009

From the Canadian Press:

"... LAUSANNE, Switzerland — A panel of swimming experts will meet Monday to decide which models of high-tech swimsuits can be worn at the world championships this summer.

FINA, swimming's world governing body, said Wednesday independent laboratory tests have been completed on all models of suits which have been used by swimmers to rewrite the sport's record book in the past 15 months.

"Now we have the results of the tests," FINA said in a statement. "The commission will analyze the results and draw a list of the swimsuits that are approved and not approved."

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How do you like that last sentence? That tells me that there will be rejected suits. The consequences of that are far reaching for this will effect age group swimmers, the college teams and USMS masters swimmers.

I suspect that the approval process will be highly political and that FINA is not loving this situation at all.

For instance, what if the LZR is found to be the only "scientifically acceptable" speedsuit and all the others are deemed too buoyant? The amount of lost revenue to suit manufacturers through R&D research, lost sales, and blown-out ad budgets could potentially bankrupt some suit manufacturers and perhaps cripple global sponsorships. This includes the USMS, FINA events and perhaps college swimming.

Yes, FINA is not loving this at all.

This second round of approval is odd. The suits were approved once and now they have to be approved for a second time at great expense. This is the equivalent of an umpire in a baseball game reversing his "strike-call" to a "ball" at the behest of the opposing league coaches.

In this case my perception of the "opposing coaches" metaphor comes from my observation that it was the National Governing Bodies calling for a second suit review rather than living with the first approval round. Governing bodies like USA Swimming; (who is being sued by TYR for a an anti-trade bias with Speedo), and Australian Swimming whose coach has made it clear he supports the Speedo LZR.

For example: Alan Thompson quoted in FOX Sports Australia:

"We have to know scientifically what is really happening."

Australian head coach Alan Thompson said talk about the suits detracted from the performances of the swimmers.

"People saying the suits doing it takes away from the athletes, there are rules that govern these things and Speedo did what they need to get them passed. I have no problem," he said.

"World records go down at this time you would hope (in the lead-up to an Olympics)."

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Next example of a Speedo bias comes from USA Swimming Olympic Team Coach, Mark Schubert, who was being paid to endorse Speedo while coaching our Olympic team.

For instance: On June 28th, 2008, in the New York Times Blog: RINGS 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, Karen Crouse wrote this about Mark Schubert's relationship with Speedo

"...What he did not mention is that the defendants, in asking for a continuance, provided sworn testimony from Stu Isaac, the director of marketing for Speedo, confirming that [Mark] Schubert is paid to endorse Speedo and that one of Isaac’s jobs is to manage Speedo’s relationship with USA Swimming. ..."

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Both National Governing Bodies have made it clear that they want speedsuit design suppressed. This occurred after several dynamic and innovative competitors entered the market with suits made of a different rubber and a simpler way to manufacturer than the Speedo LZR.

Is this truly a buoyancy "fix" or is it more like something Tony Soprano would say such as: "the fix in"?

Once FINA has makes their decision, how will consumers react and what will be the consequences?