Laure Manaudou wearing a 'TYR' suit that looks nothing like the 'TYR Tracer Light' that you can pre-order at the TYR website!

In the picture to the right, Laure Manaudou is wearing a TYR that looks a lot like the Speedo LZR yet this is not the TYR Tracer Light we see at the TYR website that you can pre-order. Apparently this is a prototype TYR completely off the radar much like the revised Arena R-Evolution Mark II that Flippo Magnini wore at the European Championships. Obviously both suits are an improvised rebuttal to the Speedo LZR. Laure Manaudou wore this TYR in her 3rd place finish this past weekend in the 400m. Her quote soon thereafter is she wants the new Arena suit.

In this article at SMH.au.com: "...

DUNKIRK, France, - Swimming diva Laure Manaudou's Olympic campaign has hit choppy waters with the world record holder ruled out of the 200m freestyle in Beijing.

Manaudou, who lost her first 400 metres freestyle race in four years on Monday, did not wear the Arena suit of her sponsor on Tuesday, but the latest suit from rival swimwear company, TYR.

Co-founder of TYR, Steve Furniss an Olympic medalist from 1972, told the New York Times that "We're kind of flattered [about Manaudou's decision] since it's such a big and important event."..."

The article also covers the numerous distractions she has had these past 12 months as well suggesting that the suit may not be the problem. [Link]

Manadour suffers first loss ever in the 400m Free!

This is old news but what hasn't been covered is that Manadou cried on the podium waiting for her silver Bronze medal and later made it clear that she wants a new suit from Arena. The one they are quickly throwing together in response to the Speedo LZR. She rarely gives interviews and I am curious as to whether this loss will motivate her to swim harder come Beijing or will it be a psychological detriment when she faces Kate Ziegler or the same woman that beat her, Camelia Potec of Romania.

I don't know what the European or Australian press are making of this incident but just about every article I read somehow ties the Speedo LZR or Arena's upcoming "solution" to it. [Link]

New "Powerskin R-Evolution" commercial

Commercial needed more suit and less drama. Here is a link to a higher-rez version: [Link]

Terry Laughlin sent me his thoughts regarding the post I made about the new 'Arena Powerskin R-Evolution ' speedsuit

My quote regarding the new suit: "What really has me interested in this suit is that a scientist named Alfio Quarteroni did the number crunching so as to develop computer models that would quantify drag reduction and speed increase too."

Here is a link to the orignal blog post: [Link]

Terry responds: "I get the Science of Sports newsletter and followed a link from it to your blog. This topic is of significant interest to me as well. One question that Jonathan and Ross raise that I do not hear from others that often is, if the drag reduction potential from a suit is that significant, how many more significant opportunities for drag reduction from biomechanical improvements are being overlooked. Given that the suits are most likely to have their greatest impact on reducing friction drag which is the least significant of the three forms of drag, how much more could swimmers and coaches be doing to reduce, say, wave drag, which is the most impactful form of drag and which the suit is not likely to impact at all? I suppose Alfio and friends could contribute something meaningful to documenting what technique adjustments do impact that and how much. But of course, who would pay the millions for that sort on non-commercial research.

In any case, I enjoyed reading. Thanks." Here is a link to the Total Immersion website: [Link]

It is accurate to say that Terry Laughlin has had a big impact on swimming and I am very flattered that he wrote me. I may not swim well, and I may not swim fast, but it is a real joy for me when I get letters or comments from giants in the field such as Terry Laughlin, Glenn Mills, Erik Hochstein, masters swimmers, bloggers, friends or the Olympians who post anonymously and either call me out or correct me.

The above photo is Team Arena which I found on the Arena website: [Link]