Entry Booklet for the XIII FINA Master World Chamionship is available online!

What really surprised me though was the fact that you have to be 25-years-of-age to compete. There will be no 18-24 age group. Very odd for they tell me that excluding the 18-24-year-old age group in a swim meet in is considered a sin in both Norse mythology and USMS age-group standards. Does this mean that WRs set in the 18-24-year-old age group are not recognized? I guess not. It simply must be a peculiarity that the USMS cares more about young adults swimming. Go America!

Here it comes from the "horse's mouth:"

It is my great pleasure to welcome the Masters Family to its major 2010 rendezvous, the 13th FINA World Masters Championships, to be held from July 27-August 7 in the Swedish cities of Gothenburg and Boras. This competition will once more reinforce the values of friendship, understanding, fitness and competition between athletes of over 25 years old

[...]

With the FINA World Masters Championships, we want to prove that even when retired from the high level competition, our athletes are still capable to delight us with their performances. Thousands of athletes, from 25 years old up to 90 or more, confirm that the aquatic vocation is still there no matter the age.

[Except for 18-24-year-old age group :-p ]

[Link]

Also, note how soft the qualifying times are. Wow!

Tech suits will be allowed in open water races - Watch that segment of our sport grow!

I smell a bit of rationality emanating from the FINA "ivory towers."

From a bluesevety press release:

Swimming record breaker welcomes FINA suit news

Swimmers, including Channel World Record holder Petar Stoychev, have welcomed news that body suits will be allowed in open water events next year. Stoychev holds a key position on the FINA athletes commission and is calling on the world governing body to secure the safety of athletes and development of the sport by ensuring that technical body suits remain in the sport for the future.

Body suits, such as the blueseventy Nero 10k, have been outlawed for pool swimming, but FINA has confirmed that the same rules will not apply to open water swimming.

The FINA press office said: “The new rules relating to swimwear do not apply to open water. They apply to swimming.” However, the types of fabrics to be permitted are yet to be determined.

Stoychev commented: “At every technical meeting prior to a race FINA officials aways say that the health of the swimmers is the most important thing. Full body suits protect the skin from sunburn and dangerous jellyfish. I was hospitalized after a sting in China in 2002 and it is much safer when the skin is covered by a suit.”

“There are no world records in open water. We don’t race against time, just against each other, so there are not the same considerations as in the pool. I agree that Channel swimming is different, it’s right that technical suits are not allowed, but we need them on other races for the future of the sport.”

Introduced to the Olympics for the first time in Beijing, open water swimming has seen a massive boom in popularity since. However, for the sport to progress the use of bodysuits and wetsuits is paramount.

Stoychev also feels strongly that commercial involvement in the sport is vital. He said: “Our sport was in the Olympics for the first time in Beijing and I feel it’s important that we have more opportunities for commercial involvement in order to progress. It is nice to have companies like blueseventy produce suits specifically for open water.”

The Nero 10k suit is a specific open water suit, and was worn by Olympic Champion, Maarten vd Weijden in Beijing last year and by medal winners in World Championships in Rome.

Van der Weijden commented: “The swimwear debate is particularly poignant at age group level, where the sport needs to attract novices. And at elite level races vary in terms of temperature as well as actual water conditions, I’m pleased this is being taken into account rather than just apply the same rules that apply for the pool.”

With events such as this weekend’s Great North Swim attracting thousands of competitors, swimming has a fantastic opportunity to increase participation and interest in the sport. Access to technical swimwear, and wetsuits for beginners, can only help ensure that more people feel confident to dive in to open water.

Steve Nicholls from blueseventy commented: “We are pleased that body suits will remain in the sport of open water swimming. It’s the right move to bring even greater numbers to open water swimming and increase overall participation in swimming.”

I just sent an interview request to, Jason Rance, the Vice President of Marketing for 'Speedo'

If Mr. Jason Rance agrees, I would like to submit a series of questions to him form all of you regarding speedsuits and FINA.

Hopefully we can get him to agree to pick which ten questions he would like to answer.

I would demand that the questions not be rhetorical statements which is something I would since I am biased, so keep them professional and specific to the topic.

They got to be serious, no softball questions such as: "Is Michael Phelps a nice guy!" More like, "Will you lobby the USMS to allow speedsuits?" - "Why do you feel swimming needs speedsuits rather than briefs?"

They got to be tough and important; I will let you all know if and when he agrees.

Post your questions to Jason as a comment to this post or send me an email. Anonymous email is okay too.

Welcome to 2009 - Technology in sports versus technology in swimming!

[UPDATED] Per Ted's suggestion regarding my choice of bicycles

Pictured above: Introducing the Nike LunarGlide+ :

LunarLite Foam
Nike first introduced LunarLite foam in the summer of 2008 in Beijing as the mid-sole cushioning system of the Nike LunaRacer and Nike Lunar Trainer running shoes and in the Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoe. Traditional cushioning systems only absorb energy upon impact while LunarLite foam has proven to provide superior cushioning and significant energy return.

When compared to swimming, that last sentence is the moral equal of alleged buoyancy in swimming. Energy return from a shoe makes your run easier plain and simple.

A "purist" from two centuries ago could argue that running barefoot is better for track & field since high-tech shoes make it easier for the "lesser athletes" to win.

Track & Field still adopted technology from rubber shoes to rubber tracks to draw interest to the sport and look how it grew.

Why should swimming be any different?

Here are some examples of other individual sports. Below are two bicycles, one competed in the tour de France in 1939, the other is a prototype:



Above and to the left is a bicycle ridden in the 1939 Tour de France called the Super Champion, a technological achievement due to the fact it had a derailleur so as to allow the rider to ride through the hills more effectively by choosing his gearing.

The 2009 NUIIA, designed by Bradford Wangh, is all about efficiency and reduced weight. The Super Champion on the left probably weighed as much as 35-pounds versus the potential 9-pound NUIIA on the right.

This efficiency again makes the NUIIA The bicycle to the right is Lance Armstrong's time trial bike. It is made of composite materials, aerodynamic angles and "down-bars" for better body position. It is my belief that Lance's bike is the moral equal to alleged buoyancy in swimming due to it's reduced weight and more efficient drive train.The art of peddling becomes easier.

Cycling moved into the future and the Tour de France is an epic battle between men and not machines. Yes, there are discussions regarding equipment but it is Eddy Merckx, Lance Armstrong, and Miguel Indurain who are discussed not their equipment.

The FS range of rackets uses 7000 series aluminium, a graphite reinforced throat. They are 'honker' big when compared to the vintage model.

Can you say Serena Williams? Do you know what equipment she uses? I don't and I am not asking what racket she uses when she plays, are you?

With her strength, coordination and a racket in her hand like that, she is both beauty and the beast and her games rock!

The lighter frame and enlarged area allows Serena to drill that ball with all her strength, Hence, a player of today is not a stylist but rather an athlete.

The weight reduction and larger contact area is once again the moral equal to alleged buoyancy in swimming.


Above is the TYR Titan made with the same style of fabric that the blueseventy and RocketScience suits are made from. It was banned under very mysterious circumstances. I have to leave it at that.

So unlike running, cycling, and swimming. Swimming under FINA is destined to embrace an "Amish existence" in regards to growth, technology and fun!

That must change!

Incoming FINA President rumored to favort a return to briefs!

From USA Today: Incoming FINA President rumored to favor briefs over speedsuits:

But FINA doesn't appear ready to budge.

"A swimsuit is not a device. A swimsuit is equipment," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told The AP. "They can propose whatever they want, we are in a democratic world, but a device is clearly defined in the rules."

But with the rules changing from month to month, manufacturers have been left guessing.

"I still don't know what rules to use starting in September. If the rules change for January, we need four months of time for redesigns," Arena's Musciacchio said.

Making matters more complicated is that Julio Maglione of Uruguay will take over from Mustapha Larfaoui as FINA's president on Friday.

Maglione is rumored to favor a return to briefs.

"I'm hope it's more than a rumor," Zimmer said. "The new president is going to have to clean house. That's really the only way that this can happen. And I don't just say that for us. We know that Arena is very upset, Speedo has got to be really upset about what's happening, just because we've all invested a lot of money.

[Link]

In my opinion, it's not going to happen for if FINA does not approve speedsuits, the suit companies will find someone, or create a sports governing body that will.

Swimming World: "...Professional Swim League has never made more sense than now!"

From Swimming World: A pro league would not only be a lot of fun, it would extract FINA from a horrible quagmire it meandered into:

"... Create a Professional Swim League, and a new aquatic industry will be born.

Just as snowboarding was born out of skiing and then was launched into the X Games, so could a Professional Swim League evolve. We have a responsibility to create an environment that attracts new products and companies into the aquatic family. If we encourage new product growth within a pro league, then advertising and sponsorship dollars would surely carry over into funding pure, traditional competitions.

To limit technology in order to preserve a sport is to limit the growth of an industry. By creating an entirely new racing environment, FINA's world records would remain pure within the Olympic movement, and a new industry would be born.

The time has come to split the pie and make two. ..." -- Brent Rutemiller

[Link]

A lot of people are talking about starting a pro-league, including me, but everyone is just talking, including me, and ultimately just doing nothing, including me!

So I am going to submit an ad hoc road map for a Pro Swim League which I wish I could take credit for, but in reality, these are simple project management tasks that I found here-and-there in project management explanations during a Google search:

0) A mission statement

Example: To land a man on the moon and return him to earth safely by the end of the decade. -- President John F. Kennedy

1) Define the Scope

Budget, operational talent, space, equipment, all of the above from "zero to hero!"

2) Define a Timeline

There will be many timelines within the project but a solid date and venue would really put an impetus on getting it done.

3) Assemble the Project Team

"I's got skillz" - technical experts, operational experts, PR & marketing ninjas, etc.

4) The Project Team Defines all the Necessary Milestones

This includes both the big stuff like, securing the venue and fireworks show, to supplying cookies and milk for the timers.

5) Develop a Baseline Plan

The project leader takes the milestones above and assembles all the necessary milestones in subsequent order. Such as: who is responsible for each step and when are they getting it done. resubmits to the experts for tweaking and finally forms the baseline plan

6) Execute the Plan - Monitor the progression, meet and talk about it, and document everything!

Also, note, have a "Plan-B" , "Plan-C" , and "Plan D" for every milestone execution in case something goes wrong. Especially for the stuff that could not possibly go wrong. The stuff that may go wrong is generally easy to fix. The stuff that can't possibly go wrong is generally really hard to fix.

Steps 1-5 could be developed without a budget if the professionals in steps 3-5 volunteered or deferred their pay. I would be willing to volunteer.

Once a team has a really straight-forward budget in place, plans that include operations, marketing, public relations, television, web, etc., etc., I think money would be easy to find.

Here is a thought, how about the FINA fork up some money as penance for the trouble they have caused.

Other funding sources include suit companies who would provide the teams, then the usual sports media outlets could be considered, of course the casinos, and finally the fans who want to sit in the stands or watch it on pay-per-view.

The person who should project manage this bold idea should be someone with event management experience but a person who does not have event management experience could still do a good job if one of the experts they pick had event management experience.

Britta Stefen's WR in the 100 free and her suit comment soon thereafter!

Britta Steffen set a new WR in the 100-LCM free in a time of 52.85 at German Nationals. (Congratulations, Britta, the SCAQ Blog likes you. :-)

Soon thereafter she commented that the suit material her new Adidas Hydrofoil suit was made of would destroy the sport.

She had surpassed Libby Trickett's former WR by 3/100ths-of-a-second which is a really a small margin. Actually, it practically a tie.

I was recently beat during a 200-SCY freestyle relay that I was leading off in by SCAQ teammate, Dan Leonard, who beat me by 3-100ths-of-second as well.

I looked over at him like a bad boy as our hands were reaching for the wall and he beat me by only half-a-finger length. So over a 100-LCM race, Steffen, was half-a-finger-length faster than Tricket or simply just .42-seconds faster than her WR in Beijing before Trickett snatched it.

I don't see that sort of a time drop as a sure sign that the sport of swimming is going up in flames.

Since FINA is being so incompetent, Perhaps the athletes at large should just vote instead of the know-bests at FINA?

Let's have age-group swimmers, college swimmers, and here is a thought, let's have women swimmers vote too since not one woman had a say in the speedsuit votes in the first place. (Masters get to wear whatever we want. ;-P )

Reference to Britta's WR and comment, CBSsports.ca: [Link]

"Quis custodiet, ipsos custodes" - Who watches the watchmen?

Well, in FINA's case it could be Roland Schoeman but Roland would rather have it be we the swimmers!

This whole suit mess with FINA truly began when the suit selection process post Dubai was proven to be rigged.

This has become FINA's "Hurricane Katrina" and they have demonstrated in so many ways that they don't know what they are doing.

South African Olympian, Roland Schoeman feels "our" custodians at FINA need a custodian themselves. Roalnd feels that the particular custodian or watchman FINA needs should simply be us!

Glenn Mills sent this from Roland's FaceBook page:

FINA have until now exerted far too much control on the world of swimming. We as swimmers and the major attraction behind any national/international swim meet need to finally stand together and unite as one voice so that we can help control our sport.

Day in and day out decisions are being made for us by FINA, it is clear that our international representatives sitting on FINA's board are unable to make a significant impact and aid us.

I am trying to establish a swimmers association where we will gain back some power in the world of swimming. That we will have a greater say in matters of significance.

If you feel strongly about this please join this group. If not then feel free not to.

This is only a first step, after the group is established and we have enough support we can look at officially starting an association and getting further legal assistance.

-- Roland Schoeman

My take: Roland is not asking to replace FINA but rather make a lobbying group and/or a "watchdog" who, when witnessing incompetence in progress, can use its political will, voting power where applicable, and/or phone calls to sponsors or those who oversee the NGBs what they actually think about perceived incompetence or unethical behavior.

I am going to keep an eye on this since we as swimmers have no representation whatsoever over where swimming is heading. Note that it is the age-group parents, the swimmers at large, and the suit companies that give FINA as much as 2-million dollars per month to exist in the first place.

From the 'Telegraph' - 'bluseventy' will launch legal action against FINA in the Swiss courts!

From the Telegraph.co.uk: "...Ten swimsuits were rejected while 136, including 11 Blueseventy designs, were deemed to require modifications. Manufacturers were given 30 days to make the necessary changes.

But Blueseventy insists it has been left in the dark about what modifications need to be carried out, despite repeated requests to FINA for clarification.

Blueseventy's designs were classified as suits that "may cause significant air trapping when worn by the swimmers", despite apparently passing FINA's thickness and buoyancy tests. ..."

After witnessing how USA Swimming conducts their business and how FINA conducts theirs, I am convinced that swimming our national governing bodies need a auditing done by the IOC and/or their respective governments.

Something as simple as swimsuits at the age-group level and beyond has turned into a "Hurricane Katrina-like" debacle swallowing up age-groupers, college swimmers, Olympians and Masters Swimmers, and even FINA officials in it's path.

[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! :-*

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.

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]

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]

Newsweek: 'America's Unemployed Olympic Hero'

Newsweek has an article on Olympic champion and 4x100 superhero, Jason Lezak. From Newsweek:

It was late morning in Beijing on Aug. 11. In the waiting area before the start of the 4-by-100 freestyle relay, Lezak called a huddle with his young teammates, Cullen Jones, Garrett Weber-Gale and Michael Phelps. Lezak told them he had been a part of this relay in 2000 and had come in second. He was a part of this relay in 2004 and got bronze. The message: enough. They nodded and walked out to the pool.

Newsweek: [Link]

The article goes on to discuss monetary compensation that Lezak is asking for and while reading it the name, Evan Morgenstein, appears. He is the sports agent who refuses to do any work with TYR due to a lawsuit TYR filed against one of his clients, Eric Vendt, for switching suit brands while on the TYR payroll.

My reference is this quote from Morgenstein posted at SwimNews.com:

"...TYR Sport is no longer on our list of active apparel companies with whom we will do business with in the future." However Morgenstein's decision to speak out against their treatment of Vendt will not effect their current TYR sponsored swimmers. ..."

[Link]

According to the Newsweek article, Morgenstein's client list includes Brendan Hanson, and Aaron Peirsol, who both may also be in the same boat as Jason Lezak; that is to say: Unemployed.

It makes me think of Peter Marshall, a guy TYR sent off to Berlin, Germany, to participate in the FINA, Swimming World Cup and he consequently set three world records in the backstroke. He also came away away with $75,000. Not bad for a fast weekend: [Link]

I have to wonder if TYR had those three amazing swimmers in their stable how well would they have done if sent off to Berlin? Sure would have made one hell of IM relay.

Lezak has the talent, but does he have the talent management he needs to be employed?

FINA Releases Proposed Ammendments for Speedsuits!

Swimming World Snippet:

Material:

• The material used shall have a maximum thickness of 1mm;
• When used, the material shall follow the body shape;
• The application of different materials shall not create air trapping effects;
• BUOYANCY: The swimsuit shall not have a buoyancy effect of more than 1 Newton (100gr)

[Link]

I am breathing a sigh of relief.

Speedsuits: An informal FINA speedsuit meeting just happened!

I was thrilled to get a call from Lausanne, Switzerland just an hour ago from a individual who just attended the FINA swimsuit manufacturers meeting. This is a pre-meeting the manufacturers decided to have so as to be on the same page before meeting with the FINA officials tomorrow. A final announcement about the fate of speedsuits will be rendered in Dubai next month.

Here is are some snippets from a TVNZ article about the meeting that will take place tomorrow:

The manufacturers have never had it so good and they will not want any bans imposed.

Strong, persuasive argument is expected from all sides and FINA will need to be tough and unrelenting in its pursuit of the right answer. About 20 manufacturers will be present in Lausanne along with a number of coaches, athlete representatives and the FINA technical committee.

FINA will announce its decisions at a meeting in Dubai early next month so that the new laws will be introduced before the world championships in Rome in August. It would be a huge surprise if a ban on multiple suits is not imposed, along with strict guidelines on the area of the body which can be covered, but whether FINA is prepared to go much further than that is the major question.

[Link]

I was told that all the suit manufacturers are on the same page in that they want a de facto buoyancy test, suit thickness guidelines, a rule to ban multiple suits and/or duct tape "mods" and most importantly clear cut rules so that suit innovation can take place without the fear of a nebulous interpretation wiping out bundles of money in R&D expenses at the last minute.

I was surprised to hear that they are all getting along and that each company is going to make it clear that they will support FINA and will promote swim meets and open water events in the future.

Apparently Speedo is being the most vocal of the bunch and Jason Rance, the "mad scientist" who runs Speedo R&D, was interviewed by The Telegraph and made himself heard:

But Jason Rance, who headed the Speedo research and development team that produced the all-conquering suit with the aid of NASA scientists, has denied that it offers any extra buoyancy and is willing to prove it in a laboratory.

"What I can be clear on is that Speedo has always tested for buoyancy because we don't believe it's fair to have a suit that basically allows you to float on the water," he said.

"We would welcome an independent buoyancy test to make sure that our suit is not buoyant because I think that is something that people have jumped on."

[Link]

I asked about the TYR people and the blueseventy people since I really don't care about the Speedo people and they repeated that confidence is very high, each manufacturer wants swimming to do very well and all they just want are clear rules so they can support their swimmers and FINA swim events in the future.

I want to thank the person who called me, it was quite thrilling to get a call from the other side of the Atlantic especially about a subject I am very invested in.

FINA is requesting 8 new events for the 2012 Olymics!

FINA is requesting 8 new events for 2012. Two which would include adding an 800m free for men and then a 1500m free for woman. However, the Times Online accuses an "American led lobby" of wanting to screw that up and drop the 800m free altogether and just add a 1500m free for the women.

Personally, I think they should let NBC decide and I am sure they would want as much swimming as they could film. Heck, they are paying for it.

The Times Online article is not very fleshed out but this would certainly effect Rebecca Adlington who is quoted in the article.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is considering a request by FINA, swimming’s governing body, to add eight new events in time for 2012. They include a 1500m freestyle race for women and an 800m race for men.

Sources say the IOC, which is keen to limit expansion, is unlikely to grant such a request and could instead opt for a compromise favoured by the American-led equality lobby that would see Adlington’s strongest event dropped and allow women to step up to 1500m for the first time. The IOC’s executive board will decide on the matter later this year.

[Link]

'Swimming Australia' sounds like a bunch of grumpy old men!

Every sport has adopted technology to make the experience more enjoyable: Runners got "plushy" running shoes, cyclists got faster bikes, American football players got better helmets, and baseball players got bigger gloves

From the Australian:

" ...[Swimming Australia president David] ...Urquhart, who met FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu in Singapore two weeks ago, said he expected FINA to act to curb the worst excesses of suit development.

He believes FINA should outlaw multiple suits and suits that are fastened with zippers, because they allow the suits to be tight enough to gain unnatural support through the core. ..."

[Link]

Guys like Urquhart remind me of old men wearing white suits and straw hats while playing bocce ball or Tennis in the1920s. Swimming is a game not a religion, it moves forward, it evolves and gets better.

I think Swimming Australia should listen to the swimmers and the public at large: we want speedsuits. They are fun, fast and modest.

This creative commons photo "CC" was found at km6xo photostream at Flickr.com

15 out of 17 European National Governing Bodies have signed a protest which will be presented to FINA in February

From the Independent: Pursley said: "It demeans the records and kind of cheapens them to an extent. Up to this generation of suits I think it's just been maximising performance but I think we're crossing the line to enhancing performance and to me that is a whole different area." FINA are set to meet with coaches and suitmakers in the next two months and Pursley wants action to be taken. He added: "There is a strong consensus in the coaching community that feel that at the very minimum there needs to be regulation and there needs to be monitoring and there needs to be a strict approval process. And whatever is approved needs to be available to all the teams and all the athletes at least a minimum of 12 months in advance of the competition. ..." [Link]

I smell political gamesmanship!

FINA to study and confront 'speedsuit rage' in February 2009!

Times Online: "...FINA, the world governing body for swimming, revealed yesterday that it is to hold a forum to discuss the use of high-tech bodysuits. The news came on the day when a German swimmer, Paul Biedermann, raced inside one of the last two world records held by Ian Thorpe, of Australia, and the 89th world record of the year brought to a close the 2008 World Cup season. ..." [Link]

From Swim News: Cornel Marculescu, Executive Director of FINA ... told SwimNews that it had been a "busy year". It was now "time to breathe, to review all issues with the suits in the sport". There could be "no doubt", he noted, that the latest generation of bodysuits enhance performance to one degree or another. "Now we know there is something there, for sure - we need to know what and where is the limit," he said. His is the first official acceptance given without hesitation or fear that it was not only the surface image of the sport that had changed. It was not good for swimming, he acknowledged, that a player such as Nike had decided to walk away from the pool.

Was that the definition of "under statement" or what? [Link]

The Canberra Times: The world governing body, FINA, faces elections next year, with long-standing president Mustapha Larfaoui of Algeria likely to be challenged by the FINA treasurer Julio Maglione of Uruguay. Both men are under increasing pressure to state their views about the future of the revolutionary swimsuits, which use compression and low-drag material more akin to plastics than fabrics to improve times, and have polarised the swimming community. ..." [Link]

My Unqualified Opinion: When Johnny Weissmuller broke a minute in the 100-meter free, he wore a short-john, swimsuit made of wool. The swimsuit must have weighed 5-kilos as soon as it got wet and I am sure that the last 15-meters of the race were overly difficult.

The evolution of swimsuit material from circa 1922 to the Nylon swimsuits of 1964 led to roughly a 10% faster WR in the 100 meter free.

Now the leap from the Nylon suit circa 1964, throughout the 1970s when caps, Lycra swimsuits and goggles were accepted, all the way through to 2008, the technology again has led to roughly 10% faster WRs in the 100-meter free. In other words, the speed gains from 1922 to 1964 have been just as symmetrical as the speed gains from 1964 to 2008.

So, is this modern day argument to repeal bodysuits about buoyancy, coefficient drag, or both?

In my opinion, coefficient drag reduction should be off the table and should be fair game for suit manufacturers. They should be allowed to make their suits as form fitting and as slippery as they want to.

However, the issue of buoyancy is important. FINA needs to define what neutral buoyancy is and come up with an obvious test to measure it. A mannequin made out of ballistics gel or live models weighed underwater while wearing the product as a de facto measure of buoyancy seems horribly obvious.

References:

1. 100 meter free WR progression from Wikipedia: [Link]
2. German Olympic team Speedo from 1964 made out of Nylon material from the PowerHouse Museum: [Link]

The photo above is of a swimmer wearing a Nike Hydra swimsuit.