CNN compares swimming body types of Olympic sprinters!

CNN sizes up swimmers and concludes size does matter but not so much weight. From CNN:

"... In the data, researchers noted, for example, that Duke Kahanamoku, who had world records for the 100-meter freestyle in 1912 and 1918, weighed 185 pounds and stood 6 feet, 2 inches. In 2008, Alain Bernard broke a record for the same race, weighing 190 pounds and standing about 6 feet, 5 inches.

But not everyone conforms to the pattern of increased height and weight -- at about 172 pounds, swimmer Eamon Sullivan weighed less than both Kahanamoku and Bernard, and also broke records for the same contest in 2008...."

[Link]

I like this kind of stuff. The last paragraph about a sprinter in the Roman Empire who weighed only 70% of what we weigh today was only a second slower in a 100 meter run.

In other words, size begins to hamper. Consider the size of a gymnast as compared to Alain Bernard? In a pound-for-pound ratio of strength, the gymnast may be stronger.

With that info in mind, also consider that a "heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler" 2,000-years ago only weighed 140 pounds. That is hardly MMA or WWE material. To think that an average "Costco shopper" today would be considered a "bad-ass" both cracks me up and puts me in awe as to how far we have come.

Matt Greevers would indeed be a GOD! Oh well, instead he will just have to settle for being an Olympian!

Also note, the study did not take into account our speedsuits, caps, goggles, lane lines, and chlorine as compared to swimmers from 100-years ago.

Rob of 'RobAquatics' interviews, Glenn Mills, the founder of 'GoSwim.TV'

Rob interviews Glenn Mills of GoSwim.tv - here was my favorite question:

Any waterproof camera recommendations for the aspiring amateur swimming film maker? Personally I really want to know what my stroke looks like underwater!

There are SO many great little underwater cams these days, it’s silly for a coach or serious swimmer not to have one. If you have a digital cam, it should be waterproof. Pentax has the W60 and now W80, which are 10-12 megapixels still, and HD video at either 15 or 30 frames per second. We’re talking just a bit over $200. Olympus has a great digital underwater cam as well as Sharp. Depending on your budget, I’m pretty sure you can grab a digital underwater cam for as low as $150.

[Link]

I am liking those numbers!

CBS Sports National Columnist, Gregg Doyel, tears into both FINA and Speedo!

First the bloggers, now the press is pointing fingers at Speedo! I guess I am not crazy.

Speedo should really do that interview for us and clarify how they do business. From CBS Sports:

"...Socialism is at work because FINA, the swimming governing body, has bowed to the sponsors who control swimming. Not contribute to swimming. Control it. Some of the equipment companies that make the biggest contributions to swimmers in particular and the sport at large, like Speedo, have had their trunks pulled down by lesser-known companies like Arena and Jaked. The irony is beautiful in that Speedo started this revolution, introducing the LZR that dominated at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but now Speedo has been passed like its swimmers are wearing concrete flippers. And Speedo doesn't like it. Breaks my heart.

[...]

"... You can almost see Schubert's lower lip quiver. The United States might not have swum as well as usual in Rome, but we pouted our asses off. Bob Bowman, Phelps' coach, threatened to withdraw his swimmer from future international events if the swimsuit controversy wasn't addressed, which is hilarious given -- again -- that Phelps' revolutionary (at the time) LZR swimsuit in Beijing helped him win eight medals and set seven world records. ..."

[Link]

Gregg Doyel does make an error thinking Nike is still in the swimsuit business but overall his arguments are well stated.

Phelps versus Cavic in the 100 meter butterfly!

Calling this race Phelps versus Cavic instead of the 100-meter Butterfly final is like relegating all the other great athletes in this race to being nothing more than "background action" or "movie extras" since the focus was simply on these two.

Phelps turns are simply lethal weapons.

SCAQ is the 2009 SPMA LCM Regional & Zone Champs!

SCAQ dominated the event with 56 swimmers all led by Coach, Erik Hochstein. The event was a huge success for masters swimming in our region with over 400 people competing.

We are thinking of winning the SPMA Short Course Meters Championships at the Belmont Plaza this December as well. Come with us or against us!

Mel Stewart writes a compelling article for Yahoo Sports about speedsuits and Tyler McGill!

Mel Stewart for Yahoo Sports:

"..."The sport's not about swimming anymore." [>.< ]

Most swimwear manufactures aren't necessarily on the same page.

Quietly, out of the spotlight, they've been grumbling. Most are in favor of the hi-tech suits - and their high price-point, which drives revenue. These dollars drive swimwear contracts, and it's clear these contracts will be cut, or significantly reduced, for athletes just out of the medal hunt.

Will the fallout of the 2010 FINA ban on hi-tech suits result in little or no swimwear endorsement dollars for athletes like Tyler McGill?

[Link]

Others who have voiced the same opinions have been laughed off by a British swim journalist. I think the aftermath alone will illustrate what FINA has done to garment workers, athletes, swimsuit companies and the growth of the sport.

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.

Austrian swimmer Markus Rogan could use some advice!"

From USA Today:

Rogan, 27, told the Austria Press Agency that four bouncers beat him up Saturday night as he attempted to re-enter a discotheque in Ostia, on the seaside near Rome, after being ordered to leave "for no apparent reason." The night club said that the swimmer was ordered to leave for security reasons that included dancing drunk with a broken bottle in his hands. The club said that Rogan also fell as he attempted to get back inside the club.

[Link]

From the Globe and Mail:

“When I stepped back inside again, four bouncers jumped me,” he said.

Fabio Balini, an executive with the Shilling club, said that the swimmer was with his teammates when he was asked to leave by the club's personnel as part of standard security procedures. Balini said Rogan could be a danger to himself or others because he was drunk.

Balini said he had interviewed witnesses and reviewed security tapes and that there was no evidence that the personnel had acted improperly.

[Link]

If he does have issues, then get the guy the help he needs.

Top 5 moments both positive and negative for the 2009 FINA World Championships!

This is written from my point of view, your point of view may vary and I hope it does.

Top Moments:

1) Michael Phelps beating Milorad Cavic in the 100 buterfly.

Michael Phelps dug down deep and set a WR in an epic swim where "trash-talk" got swimming talked about all over creation. It was the UFC version of Brock Lesnar versus Fedor Emelianenko and the "good guy", Michael Phelps, won. (I was rooting for Cavic.)

Both swam under world record time and both put the race onto the international radar! There must be something to making a race into a soap opera.

2) Aaron Piersol setting a WR in the 200 back.

Aaron Peirsol, after failing to qualify in the 100 back, bounces back and sets a WR in the 200 backstroke making it clear he is the best ever.

Per his interviews he seemingly let go of his loss like it was "water under a bridge" and he moved on to become the champion that he really is. How existential is that?

3) Britta Steffen definitively proving she is the greatest female sprinter on earth. None of the greats could touch her.

Britta Steffen is German Swimming and she is expected to win or the German press will tear her apart. Again, despite this pressure she steps up and spanks the best and those swimmers include, Dara Torres, Therese Alshammar, and Libby Trickett who really wanted to beat her.

4) Therese Alshammar placing second to Britta Steffen!

Alshammar who is better known as a short course meters sprinter finishing second to, Britta Stefen, in an amazing 50-free. She just gets younger-and-younger, faster-and-faster.

5) We saw the greatest Italian athlete ever, Federica Pellegrini, breaking the four minute barrier in the 400 free.

On the covers of Italian national magazines and well clothed in Armani, she exudes style, class, charisma, a sketchy tattoo that crawls up her neck, and completes this package with abject swimming confidence.

She is the perfect "leading lady" for our sport. Swimming has never had someone this classy or this sexy. (Can you tell I am part Italian?)

Top 5 low points:

1) Bob Bowman's rant and rationalization for Michael Phelps' loss in the 200-free to Paul Biedermann.

Bowman was the "Ugly American" in hi-def ranting pathetically about speedsuits and FINA. His grand threat to pull Michael Phelps out of international competition if his demands were not met greatly soured me on Michael Phelps. I am sure others feel the same way.

2) FINA returning men to briefs and Jammers come January 1, 2010.

FINA responding in less than 24-hours to Bowman's tantrum and thereby restricting the use of speedsuit way ahead of schedule confirmed in my mind that the organization is in Speedo's pocket.

If you look at the biggest mouths yelling for a return to briefs, they are generally form National Governing Bodies with huge Speedo interests. This is my opinion.

3) Speedo Commonwealth swimmers; Period!

4) That British swim journalist guy!

World records are over, swim and swimmer sponsorships just lost 75% of their funding.

5) FINA open water officials waiting a day to award Fran Crippen a bronze medal.

Imagine going back to the hotel not knowing how you finished? This is about your life's work, your employment, your income.

Open water is evolving and this has to be fixed. I recommend "photo finish video."

The photo above comes from the The Big Picture gallery at Boston.com. [Link]

According to Australian announcers in Rome, all FINA World Champiohships must now be held in indoor pools!

So this years 2009 World Championship will be the last dance for outdoor pools, speedsuits and world records! What is next, mandated suit brands and eye color? Way to go FINA!

Someone in the media; and Ted Baker, contacted me and said that heat was a problem for the media in Rome and that they would not want to wait if an event got canceled due to weather. Hence, the controlled environment of an indoor pool.

New SCAQ Masthead for this week!

This is the new masthead for the week. The shot was taken by Corbis celebrity photographer, Mark Savage, and his non-swim related work can be viewed here: [Link]

"It doesn't matter what suit you wear,'' Phelps said. "It matters how you train.''

WHOA! What a u-turn that is! Can we have our suits back now!

Michael Phelps, in a super-human effort, puts forth a super-human time of 49.82 in the 100-fly, to beat Milorad Cavic who swam a 49.95!

After Phelps was beaten in the 200 free by German swimmer, Paul Biedermann, then after posting a mediocre time in the 4x200 relay, and finally allowing his coach, Bob Bowman, to globalize a middle-school tantrum filled with finger pointing, insults and excuses, I thought Phelps was distracted and quite finished.

So much for "tea leaves."

Phelps one again did the impossible.

Link to Universal Sports coverage of the race: [Link]

Here are two quotes that will outlast this world championships:

Michael Phelps: "It doesn't matter what suit you wear,'' Phelps said. "It matters how you train.''

Bob Bowman: "We've lost all the history of the sport. Does a 10-year-old boy in Baltimore want to break Paul Biedermann's record?" Bowman said. "The sport is in shambles right now and they better do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these suits." [In reference to Bob Bowman pulling Phelps out of competition]

I respect the spirit and amazing talent of Michael Phelps, but I can't root for him anymore nor support his sponsors.

"Just Dive In" - From the 'Big Picture' at 'Boston.com'

The The Big Picture gallery has 35 images of all sorts of diving circumstances from competition diving, competitive swimming and even a polar bear. [Link]

FINA material guidlines are out! - It actually is biased towards woman!

FINA guidelines have been release and per the guidelines I selected to comment upon, female swimmers will essentially sacrifice less speed-wise than the men and suffer no loss in modesty. The boys however will wear briefs and jammers.

Picture if you will the female version of the TYR Sayonara Shortjohn Swimskin above with no zipper and a textile fabric and there you have it: A de facto shortjohn speedsuit for woman.

Surface covered: Men swimsuit shall not extend above the navel nor below the knee and for women shall not cover the neck or extend past the shoulders nor shall extend below the knee.

Variety of materials: Different materials may be used in one swimsuit provided they are textile fabrics as defined above and they comply with all other criteria including notably thickness and permeability (measures to apply to total layers). Combination of materials shall further not create outstanding shape(s) or structure(s). Layered materials must be completely attached/bound/stuck together except where required to protect sensitive parts ("privacy layers").

[...]

Construction: No zippers or other fastening system is allowed. Seams shall be limited to functional systems and shall not create outside shapes.

[Link]

For womens' suits I foresee swimsuit companies choosing a fabric for the core area that is more constrictive than the breast& shoulder area and then choosing another fabric all together for the back area to aid in buoyancy and compression.

Then picture a small entry opening which the female slides into thus giving them an ad hoc shortjohn without a zipper. Voilà - Woman get to wear a speedsuit!

Boys, on the other hand will lose more speed than the woman and there will be no modesty avenues to explore whatsoever. It's briefs and Jammers; just the way Schubert, Bowman and Speedo probably wanted it.

If someone tells the truth, are they mouthing off? - Milorad Cavic gives his honest assesment of Michael Phelps and Speedo!

These are Cavic's quotes leading up to the 100-fly showdown between he and Phelps tomorow and his opinions are quite compelling!

Also, the article is filled with who and what Mark Schubert is to Speedo and what he tried to do before these Championships.

So, is Cavic mouthing off or is every word he is saying true? From AP:

“If Mike wants an Arena, he just has to say it,” Cavic said. “If he wants a Jaked and they don’t want to give it to him free, I’ll buy it for him. He has options. I think in the media it’s been portrayed that he has no option, he has to swim for (Speedo). It’s a complete lie.”

“I know he’s making a lot of money from Speedo,” Cavic said. “It’s loyalty. But throughout all my experiences, I’ve learned this—free will is a gift with a price tag, and whatever you choose to do you’re going to pay, but how much you’re going to pay is really dependent on you.”

“I think there’s three options for Michael,” Cavic said. “The first option is to use the suit that he’s wearing, the second option is to get one of these (polyurethane) suits, which I guarantee Arena will provide him within the hour, as soon as he wants. The third option would actually be a dream of mine, to have the whole final everybody swimming in briefs. I swear to God, this is it, this is what I want, but this is the most unrealistic of all scenarios.”

“Last year at the height of the suit controversy, Mark Schubert said, ‘Do you want the money or do you want the win?”’ Cavic said. “Michael Phelps has plenty of money. Who knows what it is? I think it’s just loyalty and he’s very gracious for everything Speedo has done for him.”

[Link]

I am rooting for Cavic and his suit comapny!

All my swimmer friends are smarter than me! - Of course that's not much of a challenge!

John Q. and I chatting on Yahoo about the recent FINA ruling and how it applies to the USMS and I like his take!

We are FINA and we welcome you to "Absurdistan!" - briefs and jammers for men only on January 1, 2010!

[UPDATED] to include Speedo slam!

The press conference ended 10-minutes ago and FINA made a declaration that is is back to jammers and briefs for men; women get the advantage of short johns with no compression.

From AP:

ROME — Swimming's governing body has set a firm date of Jan. 1 for banning record-breaking bodysuits, which should remove the threat of a Michael Phelps boycott.

Earlier this week, FINA announced the ban but said it might not take effect until April or May — three or four months later than expected.

FINA moved up that timetable Friday after Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, threatened to pull his swimmer from international competition until the suits are banned.

[Link]

FINA stated they spoke with swimsuit manufacturers and they are on board, when asked who they were, FINA refused to name names. I called blueseventy and they categorically stated that they were not warned nor spoken to. I am calling TYR to see if they were alerted.

It's is just amazing how much power Speedo has. They could not win in the pool so through their paid surrogates, Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman, who threw a school yard tantrum thereby degrading Paul Biedermann's win, have now potentially crushed all rival swimsuit companies. TYR, Arena, Adidas, Jaked have now lost millions of dollars cumulatively in R&D and tooling.

What a coincidence that Speedo simply did not bring an updated speedsuit to market for the 2009 FINA World Championships and subsequently allowed their athletes to swim in what they wanted.

"The fix was in" as Tony Soprano would say. Speedo knew that speedsuits were done several months before this day!

FINA to make statement today at 5:00 PM - which is in 15-minutes Pacific time

The rumor is that suits are banned NOW instead of January.

I am amazed at how powerful Speedo is. Bowman makes a threat, he effects all of swimming.

ROME — Swimming's governing body has set a firm date of Jan. 1 for banning record-breaking bodysuits, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement by FINA had not been made.

The move comes after a threat from Michael Phelps' coach to pull his swimmer from competition until the suits are banned.

Rumor from CBC: [Link]

Rowdy Gaines interviewed - Not one media outlet asked him about Phelps!

Rowdy Gaines spoke with the Today Show three times, USA Today and they were not interested in hearing about Michael Phelps. They wanted to now about these really cool suits were wear.

Also, before I get any more anonymous comments calling me: "WITCH, WITCH, WITCH, Burn him!" These 2009 Fina World Championships have been all about the suit because both the athletes and FINA have made it about the suit.

Here is a direct link to the video for a higher resolution version: [Link]

'Jaked USA' store just went live

The price in American dollars is slightly less than the Euro price. It would be ironic if Europeans purchased their Jaked suits from the American store. [Link]

Maly from Fance is so good to us: Camera view solely on Alain Bernard's 100 free!

You can subscribe to her YouTube channel and see all sorts of swim related videos with some American pop-culture stuff as well.

[Link]

Hail Cesar! - "Veni, Vidi, Vici, the 100 free!"

Veni, Vidi, Vici - "I came I saw, I conquered!"

Julius Ceasar uttered those words to the Roman Senate after a glorious Roman battle had been won but what a battle the French put up trying to claim the victory against Cesar Cielo in the 100-meter free!

Brazil's Cesar Cielo claims the world record in the 100-free wearing an approved speedsuit.

Eamon Sullivan's former WR, the one that Alain Bernard broke in an unapproved speedsuit, was surpassed as well.

From Swimming World:

Cielo scorched the pool with a 46.91 to break the official world record of 47.05 set by Eamon Sullivan at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cielo also bettered the 46.94 set by Alain Bernard in an unapproved suit back in April.

Bernard checked in with a silver-winning time of 47.12, while teammate Fred Bousquet took bronze in 47.25.

[Link]

As you know, I am currently quite cross with those commonwealth swimmers and USA coaches who, with their condescending rhetoric regarding speedsuits, have degraded the swim talent of those swimmers wearing what they perceived to be better suits.

Hence it is my belief that their sponsor, Speedo, "gamed" FINA to change the rules in 2010 in their particular favor. Consequently, I am loving this victory!

AP had this to say:

Bernard came in as the favorite, having become the first man to break 47 seconds with his time of 46.94 in Montpellier in April.

But that time was never ratified as a world record because he swam in an unapproved suit.

Cielo left no doubt, however, who was fastest as he was three-hundredths of a second under Bernard's best.

[Link]

Since this will be the "last supper" for speedsuits, I think the brand names that contributed to these victories are part of the story. :-P

Cielo was wearing Arena!

Is Federica Pellegrini the greatest Italian athlete ever? - I think so!

The only other athlete I know who exuded this much confidence and then went on to deliver is Muhammad Ali. From Universal Sports who licensed it from Reuters:

ROME (Reuters) -- Federica Pellegrini said she was the greatest Italian athlete ever after winning the 200-meter freestyle at the world swimming championships on Tuesday in a world-record time, her 10th overall.

Pellegrini, 20, clocked in at 1 minute, 52.98 seconds in winning the 200, breaking her own world record. She also was the first woman to break four minutes in the 400 when she won in 3:59.15 on Sunday.

[...] When asked if she was the greatest Italian athlete. ..."

"With today's world record, I've had 10 world records before I'm 21. I've won an Olympic gold medal, two world championship gold medals here. So, I think so," she told a news conference.

[Link]

Her dialog reminds me of an exchange between Lucky Liu and Uma Thurma in the movie Kill Bill. This dialog exchange is at 1:29.00 into the timeline for this Kill Bill Trailer: [Link]

And then this after qualifying for the 4x200 relay. From ANSA.it:

(ANSA) - Rome, July 30 - Italian double world gold medallist Federica Pellegrini is fired up for Thursday night's 4x200m freestyle relay but says her teammates must do a lot more after they scraped into the final.

''I did my bit to get us into the final,'' said Pellegrini, who anchored the relay heat in one minute 54.95 seconds as Italy came home in the eighth-fastest time.

''Of course I'm happy to be in the final but we're not going to get anywhere like this,'' Pellegrini fumed.

''I understand they may have tightened up...but we've been training like hell all year and we can't make such a sorry show''.

[Link]

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!

'blueseventy' CEO Steve Nicholls and Rowdy Gaines are upset with FINA and state the obvious!

After reading my post regarding the FINA materials specification for 2010, my friend and attorney, John Quinn, said it best: "Textiles have been around for a 1000-years and FINA can't even come up with a definition of what they are, Pathetic."

Steve Nicholls and Rowdy Gaines are just as mystified!

blueseventy committed to swimming

blueseventy has confirmed it is fully committed to a long term involvement to swimming, following the FINA announcement yesterday, Tuesday 28th July, that swimmers must return to more traditional suits from next year.

However, the date of the change over is yet to be defined, and manufactures remain in the dark about the exact definition of textile suits. Permeability will be a key issue as swimmers return to shorts (above the knee and up to the navel) for men and suits from the knee to the neck for women, with no zips.

Ceo, Steve Nicholls said: “We’ve been amazed at the way in which we've been supported by swimmers and the swimming fraternity, and are committed to returning that support through a long term swimming program. While we accept there is a need for change, we still have major concerns over the nature of the changes, in particular, we don’t understand why there is no parity between male and female swimmers, in terms of coverage, and we’re frustrated that definitive guidelines on fabrics will not be available until the end of September.”

“The commercial implications of this decision should not be overlooked. Our technical direction and design plans hinge on the types of fabrics that will be permitted. We know suits can only be 0.8mm thick, but we'd prefer to have more details in order to design the best possible suit that swimmers will want to wear. However, the limited time period for development will suit a brand like us that is able to move quickly."

Three-time Olympic Champion Rowdy Gaines is concerned that yesterday’s announcement will be detrimental to the sport. “I think the bodysuit is great for the sport. It gets the average person to talk about our sport and it gets people involved who maybe would not have done so. People love to see fast swimming.”

He added: “Many other sports are greatly influenced by technology, everything from motor racing to golf and tennis. I fear that young age group swimmers will be lost to the sport because they can’t achieve the times they have done previously in a bodysuit. I also worry that casual fans will fade away when there’s no longer a frenzy of world records.”

As well as having a loyal following amongst pool swimmers, blueseventy was the first brand to design a suit specifically for open water racing. The Nero 10k suit was worn by Olympic Champion, Maarten vd Weijden in Beijing last year and by medal winners in World Championships events last week. All versions of the blueseventy swimskin were approved even before the Speedo LZR racer and have been in wide circulation ever since.

Steve Nicholls added: “There’s an argument that open water suits should fall under separate guidelines. Open water swimming is the sports newest Olympic discipline and swimmers and coaches need to have a voice in shaping its development, including the type of swimwear that is to be allowed. It is also undertaken in a variety of different conditions, and just from a safety perspective one could argue that different applications of these rules could apply.”

Mary DeScenza sets a WR in the 200-meter Fly! - Do you think she's stoked?

I swam a 200-meter 'fly last weekend at a meet and it was harder than running a 10k at a race pace.

The stroke is not the hardest part, it's those 'thingys' called oxygen-deprivation and searing pain that sort of get in the way.

I actually did pretty good, the paramedics were able to resuscitate me right there on the deck!

Mary DeScenza wearing a Jaked with a faded out logo sets a WR in the 200 'fly.

From Universal Sports:

Her time Wednesday in the 200 fly — about three seconds faster than she had ever gone before, 2:07.13, and that was just earlier this month.

Descenza remains one of the great college swimmers of all time. She graduated three years ago from the University of Georgia as one of only two women in history to win the 200 fly all four years at the NCAA championships. The other: Mary T. Meagher.

Descenza did not, however, make the Olympic team in either 2004 or 2008; she finished fourth in the 200 fly at the 2004 Trials, fourth again at the 2008 Trials in both the 200 fly and 200 backstroke.

“It’s hard to have that disappointment and obviously not making the Olympic team is one of the big disappointments of my career,” she said.

This season, Descenza won the $20,000 prize — it amounts to best swimmer over a series of meets — at the USA Swimming Grand Prize Series. “I work hard and I try to be a good person,” she said.

[Link]

Wearing a TYR cap and Velocity metalized goggles, Mary DeScenza switched to the polyurethane Jaked in self-defense. TYR had sued to get their polyurethane suit to market but was thwarted by FINA despite that the TYR suit is made of the same materials the Jaked is.

FINA will take as long as two months to define what the definition of a textile is for suit manufacturers!

FINA posted these suit guidelines some time ago and I am only getting to it now:

MATERIAL – The material of the swimsuits will definitively be constituted only by textile fabric(s). The definition of “textile” will be made by a group of scientific experts chosen by FINA and led by Prof. Jan-Anders Manson, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne (SUI). This definition will be available to manufacturers by no later than September 30, 2009. The first definition of “textile” to be further confirmed by this group is: “Material consisting of, natural and/or synthetic, individual and non consolidated yarns used to constitute a fabric by weaving, knitting, and/or braiding.”

SHAPE – For men, the swimsuit shall not extend above the navel nor below the knee, and for women, shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor extend below knee. Furthermore, no zippers or other fastening system is allowed.

TESTS – Only measurable scientific tests will be performed within the frame of the swimwear approval procedure. For thickness, the 1mm limit will be adjusted to 0.8mm, for buoyancy the present value of 1 Newton will be reduced to 0.5 (FINA will even consider the limit of 0 Newton), and for permeability the material(s) used must have at any point a value of more than 80l/m2/second. Permeability values are measured on material with a standard multi directional stretch of 25%. These parameters will be further considered by the above mentioned scientific group.

The above test is conducted by blowing air through the speedsuit material that is stretched; Lycra allows 100s of liters of air to pass through; I am uncertain about other materials.

The suit shape favors the women more than the men. Any mens world records set today will last for at least a generation or more. Janet Evans WR in the 400 stood for 19 years. Laure Manaudou took it out wearing a speedsuit. It would have lasted another 10-years at least if Manaudou had to wear the same garment Evans wore.

I suspect FINA will simply throw out the current world records and pretend they never happened once interest in swimming degrades. I do suspect it will.

I don't mean to be cynical but here is how I arrived at my opinion: Do we really believe that more than 2 or 3 players will survive these change of events?

With fewer suit players selling $30 swimsuits with a profit margin of say $10, will any of these players have the money to pay 7-figure incomes to athletes?

Solutions: I am liking this talk of a pro-league. For instance: Who does the US Olympic Committee go to when they want to select a basketball team? They go to the NBA! I don't think USA Swimming would like that very much and I don't think FINA would like it when the IOC came to an international pro-league and asked them for new and innovative ways to conduct a race.

The suit manufacturers should consider putting up $200,000 each and run a pro event the same day FINA SCM Championships are going off.

Is FINA Sexist? - What if FINA said female swimmers have to wear bikinis and male swimmers can wear short-johns or briefs!

Why do women get the advantage of modesty and compression?

To be honest, I am dropping the "sexist bomb" just to be persnickety and illustrative on how poorly FINA thinks their decisions through.

From Voice of America:

Executive director Cornel Marculescu said Tuesday the FINA Bureau upheld last week's decision by the general congress to put new regulations in place by May of 2010. Male swimmers will be restricted to suits that go from the waist to the top of the knees, while women's suits cannot go past the shoulders or beyond the knees.

[Link]

FINA is the moral equivalent of the Red Queen in the Lewis Carrol book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. From Wikipedia:

Despite the frequency of death sentences, it would appear few people are actually beheaded. The King of Hearts quietly pardons many of his subjects when the Queen is not looking. ... and her soldiers humor her but do not carry out her orders. The Gryphon tells Alice that "It's all her fancy: they never executes nobody, you know." Nevertheless, all creatures in Wonderland fear the Queen. ..."

[Link]

In the illustration above, Alice represents the swimmers who truly run the show and both the Red and White Queen who are asleep and unaware of what is going on.

Ironically, speedsuits won't be abolished till Speedo starts winning in them. Trust me!

Bob Bowman makes a grand threat to FINA and greatly embarasses USA Swimming!

Amanda said...

OMG, this is getting even more dramatic.

Michael Phelps' coach has threatened to withhold the swimmer from international meets until FINA bans high-tech bodysuits.

Told of the possible delay, Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, said FINA better "do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."

Phelps: "My coach sets my schedule."

NO, Mr. Phelps, you are the CEO of your career - This nonsense confirmed by AP:

ROME — Michael Phelps' coach has threatened to withhold the swimmer from international meets until FINA bans high-tech bodysuits.

Swimming's governing body, FINA, upheld a decision Tuesday to outlaw the suits next year, although the ban might not take effect until April or May — three or four months later than expected.

Told of the possible delay, Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, said FINA better "do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these seats."

Boy, is my face red and I am so embarrassed by Bowman's arrogance.

He actually threatened FINA and the health of USA Swimming's international win-column!

Michael Phelps being so ill advised and now American swimming has a new "Ugly American" and his name is Bob Bowman.

Paging, Katie Hoff, white courtesy telephone please?

Michael Phelps keeps his word - Speedo now needs speedsuits more than ever!

Note to Michael Phelps: I respect you more now than I ever have for you are the greatest pro-swimmer ever. You the greatest not because you lost today, but that you kept your word despite the consequences. Both your moral and ethical integrity were more important than a win and that is commendable. You will own that record once again!

Mr. Paul Biedermann and Ms. Britta Steffen, thank you! You just saved the speedsuit.

From the Baltimore Sun:

Shockingly, it was Olympic swim star Michael Phelps who was left in Biedermann's powerful wake today at the World Championships at the Foro Italico sports complex. Biedermann, of Germany, not only beat Phelps in a convincing manner, but he took away Phelps' world record in the 200-meter freestyle.

Biedermann went 1 minute 42 seconds, and Phelps was second in 1:43.22. Last summer, Phelps won this race in a world-record 1:42.96 at the Olympics in Beijing and Biedermann was sixth in 1:46.

[Link]

Britta Steffen set her world in the 100 free wearing an Adidas Hydrofoil; Paul Biedermann beat our very best, Michael Phelps, wearing an Adidas as well. Dara Torres is now wearing an Adidas and now records are falling further.

Speedo will now be forced to lobby hard to get speedsuits legal again because if speedsuits are indeed outlawed, Speedo may never hold another world record for at least a generation. That's right, 30-years!

How ironic that Speedo will now be the ally of those that want the suits like myself.

Rowdy twitters new FINA compromise

Rowdy Gaines is credible: "..This just in...FINA has ruled that shoulders to knees for men and women will be allowed (vs original ruling of jammers)..textile only."

My take: FINA is so fickle that both the NCAA and the USMS should not do a thing suit wise till 2011 till this organization can gets in ducks in a row.

[Link]

Phelps reaction to Biedermann's 200 LCM record in the 'New York Times' does not match his quote in the 'Washington Post!'

My teammate, John Quinn, sent this article which actually states: "... But he is wearing Speedo’s LZR Racer, which some people say is the swimming equivalent of a jockey racing with extra weight. ..."

Bowman includes his own rants and subtly degrades Paul Biedermann's talent by alluding to his suit as a result of his new found talent. At least that is how I read it.

But what caught my attention was this Phelps quote:

“.. What’d he go?” Phelps asked.

A German reporter relayed Biedermann’s time.

“A 1:43?” Phelps asked.

His jaw tightened. In the 200 freestyle final at the Beijing Olympics last year, Phelps lowered his world record to 1:42.96; Biedermann finished fifth in 1:46.00. “He’s dropped a lot of time,” Phelps said edgily. “He’s having a good meet, a good year. Tomorrow’s going to be a good race. ...”

[Link]

In the Washington Post he was quoted as saying:

[...] "What did he go?" Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?"

"He just dropped a lot of time," Phelps volunteered, almost talking to himself. "You usually don't see a six-second drop in the 400 free in a year. In the 200 free, he dropped about three seconds in a year. . . . It will get me more excited, more ready for tomorrow. I'm going to have to, I guess, really prepare myself. ..."

[Link]

Why the disparity? We go from "His jaw tightened" to "Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?..."

The NY Times adds resentment, the Washington Post adds competitive spirit. Take your pick as to what Michael Phelps really thought.

2009 FINA World Championships: Germany's Paul Biedermann is "mad fast" in the 200 free during prelims!

I like German swimmer, Paul Biedermann's, catch and turnover. Are the suits encouraging a new technique where it is all about brute strength and technique rather than one's heart and lungs?

Photograph and caption for the image to the right comes from the Washington Post: "...Germany's Paul Biedermann, swimming in a 200-meter freestyle heat, breaks Michael Phelps's mark in the event, finishing in 1 minute 43.65 seconds. ..."

Phelps reaction:

"...Phelps was giving an interview when he heard the meet announcer bellow, "championships record!"

He spun toward a nearby television screen.

[...] "What did he go?" Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?"

"He just dropped a lot of time," Phelps volunteered, almost talking to himself. "You usually don't see a six-second drop in the 400 free in a year. In the 200 free, he dropped about three seconds in a year. . . . It will get me more excited, more ready for tomorrow. I'm going to have to, I guess, really prepare myself. ..."

[Link]

Phelps' comment is really refreshing to me. If it were Eamon Sullivan or Rebecca Adlington you might have heard a suit rant!

It's official: Libby Trickett thinks the LZR SUCKS!

Libby Trickett did not wear the LZR despite promises to do so - She wore an X-Glide, From Swimming World:

The women's 400 free relay started with a preview to the women's 100 free final where Libby Trickett faced off against Britta Steffen. Trickett wore a high-tech suit (despite being vocal about her wanting to swim in a LZR) to not disappoint the team. 52.22 was the time clocked by Steffen, which was a lead off, new world record, and also now the fastest split in history (again, this is a lead off). Coupled with a 52.37 surprising split by Daniela Schrieber, Germany took silver ahead of the Australians and the Americans.

[Link]

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Trickett said her coach Grant Stoelwinder convinced her not to let teammates down and wear a new generation suit, but insists she will be loyal when it comes to her individual races even if it costs her a medal.

"I am very much a loyal Speedo supporter and I am still a contracted Speedo athlete," said Trickett.

"Sometimes you have to do things you may not necessarily want to, to try and do the best job for the team that you possibly can and I was greatly encouraged to do that.

... "It was a very, very difficult decision, and I hope Speedo understands because I'm just trying to do my bit in supporting the team as best I can. ..."

[Link]

And supporting the team meant not wearing an ineffectual swimsuit!

Libby, I think you did it for yourself and not the "team." I am impressed by your coach for 'falling on his sword" and taking the blame for your decision but let's see what you wear in the individual events.

Ultimately, you wore the best suit and the LZR was not it for it ranked well below the Hydrofoil, X-Glide, Jaked 01, blueseventy, The TYR A7 and many others.

I am going to have a measured response soon regarding the new FINA rule that Speedo surrogates "gamed" into our sport and I promise my response will have nothing to do with torches and pitch forks!

The photo above comes from an the Courier Mail and the author actually writes this with a straight face:

"... IT was Libby Trickett's loyalty to her country that broke her commitment to her long-term sponsor Speedo on the opening night of the world championships in Rome. ..."

[Link]

Nicole Jeffrey use to be my favorite swim coverage writer; however, that has changed. Both her articles and Craig Lord's hourly rants regarding the "suit crisis" were simply the fine art of manufacturing consent so as to ban them. Subsequently, they literally "stunk up the place."

So, they both get the SCAQ Blog Death Penalty: I will never link to Nicole Jeffrey nor reference Craig Lord ever again till they apologize for their editorials disguised as journalism so as to promote their "Amish values" in regards to swimsuit technology.

Link regarding the Amish points of views regarding technology and family here at About.com: [Link]

Federica Pellegrini is to swimming what Miles Davis was to jazz: The 'Birth of Cool' , baby!

Federica Pellegrini was wearing a different kind of "speedsuit at the 2009 FINA World Championships! "From Swimming World:

"... dressed in black, with sunglasses, [She was wearing Armani] and bodyguards, Pellegrini exited in front of a crowd of spectators in a Maserati in divaesque fashion. ..." [Armani is taking swimmers very seriously from Therese Alshammar to Federica Pellegrini.]

[Link] and this link from fashion and runway: [Link]

Ciao Ciao, baby!

Erik Hochstein featured in this week's SCAQ masthead!

Erik Hochstein sets two WRs for his age group this past weekend at the LCM Regional and Zone Championships in both the 400 free and the 100 free.

His time in the 400 long-course-meter (LCM) free was a blistering 4:06.74. His time in the 100 LCM was a scorching 52:10.

Scorching and blistering! How do you like those adjectives? Do I sound Swimming World! ;-)

Also Note, through inspiring leadership and working very hard with us, SCAQ dominated the meet!

As homage to his achievements, he is the featured swimmer this week.

Photo was taken by Mark Savage and his work and prices are located: [Here] & [Here]

Erik Hochstein sets another WR in the 100 LCM Freestyle

Another Masters Swimming WR for Erik Hochstein: 100 free LCM: 52.10

[Link]

Eik Hochstein World Record at the Conejo Simi Aquatics LCM Regional and Zone Championships

This is the biggest swim meet I have ever been too. If you count the relay participants and there will be about 400 swimmers at this meet. The pool is fast and the weather is fantastic. More than half were wearing speedsuits yesterday.

Erik Hochstein set a world record in his age group for the 400-free LCM in a time of 4.06. .. I was the lap counter and I could not see the decimals places for his time.

I swam the 1500 for a few laughs and set a personal best and I "only" have 13 more events to go if you include the relays.

Here is a link to a live web cast: at LiveSwim.com: [Link]

Suit choices of the top 3 competitors in the 10k Open Water Race!

Suit choices of the top 3 competitors in the 10k Open Water Race!

Amanda Weir swims her sprints in a TYR A7 and Fran Crippen just earned himself a bronze in the 10k open water portion at the FINA World Championships wearing one as well.

(It was a pretty messy decision to determine third and so I should not be talking about the race specifics but Steve Munatones can: [Link] )

Andrew Gemmell claimed the silver in a blueseventy NERO which has been proven to be the de facto standard for masters in both distance, middle distance, and sprints.

I am presuming that Thomas Lurz was wearing an Adidas when he claimed the gold but so little is known about Adidas in America...

So what have we learned about this? Despite massive budgets from power-houses like Speedo and Nike, the cream is rising to the top and the Speedo LZR isn't floating very well. Sure it is doing pretty good in the pool but it is now demonstrable that we have speedsuit manufacturers who are making swimsuits you can wear in any event and be fast and not have to worry about suit failures.

That to me is extraordinarily compelling.

What a coincidence it is that FINA politicians are right now being lobbied to return swimmers to both briefs and onesies!

Innovation like this can't and won't be suppressed. If FINA closes the door on speedsuits, I predict a second governing body will arise in the form of a 'Pro-League' and the last thing FINA would want is a second governing body making even more money than they do. Example: Gambling on 'keirin' or cycling racing in Japan generates $15 billion annually.

If a pro league was able to generate only one-tenth of that amount who do you think the IOC is goiong to take more seriously when it comes to sending a "dream team"?

With proper planning, revenue streams through gambling, which I have been looking into, let Alan Thompson and Mark Schubert can have their "wear briefs or go to jail rules" and everybody else can have fun.

I think mixing open water racing and pool racing like horse racing mixes turf and track would make for a dynamic sport to watch.

The Thomas Lurz photo came from this AP article nicely detailing the race: [Link]

The photo f Fran Crippen and Andrew Gemmell come to us from the Miami Herald who covers it in detail as well: [Link]

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.

'Yellow Submarine' , Art Director and Illustrator, Heinz Edelmann, has passed away!

From AP:

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Graphic designer Heinz Edelmann, best known for his work as art director of the 1968 Beatles film "Yellow Submarine," has died, his former employer said. He was '75.

[Link]

When I was child I was electrified by the Yellow Submarine for four reasons. One: It was a cartoon that took place underwater. Two: It had really cool sea monsters in it, Three: The art was bold and experimental and I could copy it and contribute to it in my own way. Four: It was Beatles.

If there wasn't a Heinz Edelmann, the pop-art nouveau of the 1970's would have never of happened.

The Eleanor Rigby sequence was not my favorite sequence but what they accomplished with so little technology inspired many motion graphics artists today.

All the bumpers you see on Comedy Central where 2d art is placed in 3d space is an example. This trailer is an example:

USA Today Article: Dara hurt Speedo's feelings! - Schubert wants asteriks! - Swimming keeps growing!

Dara Torres grew up in a 22-room mansion; like she needs Speedo's money. Trust me, whatever suit she wears, that is the one she believes in. Dara wants to win:

"... At the U.S. championships, Torres strained her relationship with sponsor Speedo by donning a Jaked for the 50 free final, which she won. Speedo's senior vice president of marketing, Craig Brommers, would not comment on the ramifications of Torres' decision, citing contractual privacy.

[Didn't they say it was okay? --Tony]

"It's just a very uncomfortable situation," says Torres, who was undecided on what she will wear for worlds when the team left for a training camp in Italy. "I just needed to try a different suit to see what everyone was wearing and how I felt in it." ..."

But then there is Schubert evangelizing his new position about speedsuits:

U.S. national team coach Mark Schubert calls world records set since the start of 2008, when Speedo introduced its LZR, "artificially aided." He would like them to include an asterisk or be kept on a separate list, then erased when they are broken by someone not wearing a controversial suit.

[Link]

Logically, how does a person like Schubert who hard sold athletes to wear a LZR or face losing out on a gold medal in Beijing suddenly find "religion" and state with a straight face or without frothing at the mouth that speedsuits are "...forces of evil in a Bozo nightmare?" -- (Beck from the song: Loser)

Bill Lee, the North American manager for Speedo : "...These suits are gross...!"

More hot rhetoric about speedsuits but this time from Sports Illustrated rather than the Commonwealth press:

"These suits are gross!"... His outrage is now academic. Gross or not, the skinsuit is available through Mrs. Rothhammer, and competing firms have moved fast to copy it

[One Olympian] "... clipped more than five seconds off the American record in the 500-yard freestyle. "I feel the suits are not indecent as long as everybody wears them,"

[Still more rhetoric] "...The suit sticks to me, and there's a lot less drag because water doesn't get down the front." Later she conceded, "This may be more psychological than physical; I always think I'm going to win when I wear it."

In both cases the skinsuits incorporated the first major changes in competitive swim-wear design in 13 years, and swimmers wearing them are setting records with regularity.

Arena has now comes up with a new fabric that is practically see-through:

"... Arena feared that a solid color might unsettle women wearers. Indeed, the tricolor pattern makes the suit seem opaque. Arena calls its mystery fabric Elastomere and claims it is different from the other stretchy materials. Elastomere feels like silky tissue paper because it is woven with a fine elastic thread rather than knitted as the other skinsuit fabrics are. Putting on the Arena suit has been likened to "slipping into a sheer silk stocking. ..."

There there is this classic comment:

"...The U.S. girls who have worn the skinsuits are enthusiastic about them. Their comments range from "All I could feel was my kick," to "When I took my first flip-turn, I wanted to reach down and see if I still had my suit on." "It's like sliding through the water," said another. "The body is completely compressed by the suit. I felt no resistance whatsoever." "I don't feel anything at all," said [an Olympian]. "It's just like wearing nothing." ..."

Sports Illustrated: [Link]

Oh, I forgot to mention that this article was forwarded to me by Anonymous within the comments section of: "A deal is a deal" - Libby Trickett will wear the Speedo LZR at Worlds!" post I made recently.

I also forgot to mention that this Sports Illustrated article was written in 1972, more than 1/3-of-a-century ago! - The Olympian with the comments full of "awesomeness and win" is Shirley Babashoff!

I don't know what happened to Bill Lee, the North American manager for Speedo, but I do know his comments were made after Speedo was getting beat in the pool.

It's all just a little bit of history repeating itself isn't it? This time let's shift to the "Bill Lee's of our day"

[Libby Lenton before the Jaked 01, TYR Titan, blueseventy NERO]

"...MULTIPLE Olympic gold medal winner Libby Trickett believes banning the use of hi-tech bodysuits would set the sport "back a decade".

"...I read that in 1972, I think, there were 53 world records broken, and there has been 54 [long course] this year," Trickett said. "What provided that difference that year?

"...I don't think it really makes sense to ban the suits across the board, because then we would be going back over a decade ago to when we were just wearing the togs - and that, to me, would be a reversal in the sport. I don't see why we would want to go back to that time.

[Link]

[Now the change of opinion]

" I don't believe (swimsuit technology) should have gone to that level ever," Trickett said.

"I don't blame the manufacturers, they are there to make money, but FINA should have put their foot down, they shouldn't have sold out and I believe they did sell out.

"Now people are more concerned about what suit they wear than what training they have done. FINA shouldn't have put us in this position."

Speedo's poster-girl said she would willingly return to 2007 swimsuit technology, before the advent of the LZR, which opened the door to the new generation of fast suits, if it would rid the sport of the scourge of polyurethane next year.

"No-one wants to waste a year of training and get beaten by a swimsuit," she said.

[Link]

But the USA still has their very own versions of "Bill Lee" too:

[Mark Schubert before the Jaked 01, TYR Titan, blueseventy NERO]

“My advice to athletes is, ‘You have a black-and-white decision - the money or the gold medal.' And it's going to be a real test of character.

“There is no doubt the suit makes a difference and there is no doubt that there is one manufacturer that's put millions into research while the other manufacturers are more into fashion. Nobody at this level [world-class athletes] can afford to give up 2 per cent. It is not rocket science. ...” -- Mark Schubert

[Link]

[Now the change of opinion]

"It's totally out of control,'' Mark Schubert, USA swimming's national team director, told me by telephone Monday. ``Now we're into speedboat driving.''

"It would be pretty unfair if a record was set in a suit that becomes illegal and was determined to give a decisive competitive [advantage]," Schubert said. ``But the saddest thing is we no longer are able to [compare] generations. Swimming should be about the swimmer, not the suit."

[Link]

With all this said, the best part about it, and I am sure both sides of the argument can agree, swimming is being talked about and people want to see what these suits look like.

The photo above comes from the Geelong Advertiser. The article is entitled: Libby Trickett, Eamon Sullivan the fastest swimmers on earth!

New SCAQ Masthead!

Chris B. at the 'UCLA Masters Meet' diving in for the 50-Free. His time was a 21.47

Libby Tricket: "A deal is a deal" - Will wear the Speedo LZR at Worlds!

Libby Trickett tried on a "polyurethane" suit and suddenly had an anti-speedsuit epiphany; but why didn't this epiphany occur when she tried on the LZR?

Remember when the LZR came out how times dropped fantastically? Why then was it the swimmer and not the suit?

Why then was a suit not a weapon?

With Schubert, Thompson, and now Trickett who have seemingly seen a "burning bush" once their employer started getting spanked in the pool by lesser capitalized but more innovative companies, the same talking points are repeated over and over by those athletes in Speedo employ.

From Nicole Jeffrey in the Australian:

" I don't believe (swimsuit technology) should have gone to that level ever," Trickett said.

"I don't blame the manufacturers, they are there to make money, but FINA should have put their foot down, they shouldn't have sold out and I believe they did sell out.

"Now people are more concerned about what suit they wear than what training they have done. FINA shouldn't have put us in this position."

Speedo's poster-girl said she would willingly return to 2007 swimsuit technology, before the advent of the LZR, which opened the door to the new generation of fast suits, if it would rid the sport of the scourge of polyurethane next year.

"No-one wants to waste a year of training and get beaten by a swimsuit," she said.

[Link]

My take: Then wear the best suit - the suits are free for you and there are several manufacturers making polyurethane and Chloroprene suits: TYR, blueseventy, Arena, Jaked, FINIS, Rocket Science on ad infinitum.

Actually when you think about it, it's just Speedo that is not trying to make a better polyurethane suit for that is what the panels on the LZR are, they are polyurethane.

Look, this is 2009. Everything has evolved from clothes, to automobiles to sports. The polyurethane suits are as thin as Lycra, which was thinner than nylon, which was thinner than wool.

Lycra was once a weapon, poly-lycra folowed, then Teflon-coated poly-lycra, etc...etc... Would these swimmers utter the same content if they were employed by the suits they fear?