Take a look at the press release posted on swiminfo.com: www.swiminfo.com/.../6949.asp
Here's a quote that bothers me:
By strategically increasing the surface area, TYR has increased his/her ability to pull without increasing any resistance through the recovery. Just think of it as ascending an aquatic ladder.
Should these be allowed? I would guess that they are o.k. as far as current rules read, but I don't like it. I think these sleeves amount to an aid, sort of like wearing paddles. I guess the question is: what constitutes a swimsuit? Obviously caps are o.k., so you can't argue that it must be one piece.
Parents
Former Member
Aquageek,
Without necessarily disagreeing with you, how do we distinguish the sleeves on a suit, or armbands, from paddles? How do we distinquish legs on a full body suit from fins? Yes, it is easy now because the former are form-fitting and the latter are rigid and expand the surface of the hands or feet. But, if we allow arm bands, you can bet the next step will be something between them and paddles. For example, webbed gloves. What is our criteria for distinguishing legal from illegal suits?
For the critics of the Aqua Shift suits,
Doesn't the logic of your argument compel you to advocate that only nude swimming is legitimate? If suits that mess with water flow over a body are not legitimate, how is a lycra suit versus a nylon or wool suit not a similar form of "cheating?" Is human skin the baseline for measuring water flow, and if so, can you allow any swimmer to wear any suit that changes that flow for the better. If not, who would wear any suit that has to be certified to INCREASE drag compared to naked skin, and does that force us to go back to the original Greek practice of competing in the nude?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but the technology is clearly compelling us to think about legitimate "equipment" for our sport. At least we have to think a little bit more than our own intuitive "gut check" on this issue.
Matt
Aquageek,
Without necessarily disagreeing with you, how do we distinguish the sleeves on a suit, or armbands, from paddles? How do we distinquish legs on a full body suit from fins? Yes, it is easy now because the former are form-fitting and the latter are rigid and expand the surface of the hands or feet. But, if we allow arm bands, you can bet the next step will be something between them and paddles. For example, webbed gloves. What is our criteria for distinguishing legal from illegal suits?
For the critics of the Aqua Shift suits,
Doesn't the logic of your argument compel you to advocate that only nude swimming is legitimate? If suits that mess with water flow over a body are not legitimate, how is a lycra suit versus a nylon or wool suit not a similar form of "cheating?" Is human skin the baseline for measuring water flow, and if so, can you allow any swimmer to wear any suit that changes that flow for the better. If not, who would wear any suit that has to be certified to INCREASE drag compared to naked skin, and does that force us to go back to the original Greek practice of competing in the nude?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but the technology is clearly compelling us to think about legitimate "equipment" for our sport. At least we have to think a little bit more than our own intuitive "gut check" on this issue.
Matt
