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
Oh Sparx, it's so nice to see someone who can be politically incorrect without being personally insulting. Please keep up the good work.
Seltzer and Aquageek, I admire your spirit and your attitude, and I agree that those of us with modest swimming ability would probably do ourselves a favor by just saving our money, shutting up, and swimming.
However, I think someone may come along some day and create a forearm band that does allow a better grip on the water, similar to the effect of a rigid hand paddle. That is not to say that TYR has created that design for their current cutting edge suit. But, it's possible.
Why do I think that? (Granted you may not care...) Well, I was a skeptic about the Fastskin/AquaBlade suits, and others of the same design, and their ability to reduce drag, until 2001 LC Nationals when I tried one. During warm-ups, I counted strokes per 50 meters, and I consistently used 2-3 less strokes per 50 with the Aquablade than without. And, I shaved for that meet. I believe those suits work, for someone at my level, because they have in fact worked for me.
Maybe this TYR things works, maybe it doesn't. But, I will not dismiss out of hand the possibility there could be something new under the sun.
I think this may be an issue for FINA because at the top of World Class swimming a couple of hundreths of a second matter. At our level, I agree with Seltzer's and Aquageek's ultimate conclusions, even if I don't follow the same chain of logic to get there.
Matt
Oh Sparx, it's so nice to see someone who can be politically incorrect without being personally insulting. Please keep up the good work.
Seltzer and Aquageek, I admire your spirit and your attitude, and I agree that those of us with modest swimming ability would probably do ourselves a favor by just saving our money, shutting up, and swimming.
However, I think someone may come along some day and create a forearm band that does allow a better grip on the water, similar to the effect of a rigid hand paddle. That is not to say that TYR has created that design for their current cutting edge suit. But, it's possible.
Why do I think that? (Granted you may not care...) Well, I was a skeptic about the Fastskin/AquaBlade suits, and others of the same design, and their ability to reduce drag, until 2001 LC Nationals when I tried one. During warm-ups, I counted strokes per 50 meters, and I consistently used 2-3 less strokes per 50 with the Aquablade than without. And, I shaved for that meet. I believe those suits work, for someone at my level, because they have in fact worked for me.
Maybe this TYR things works, maybe it doesn't. But, I will not dismiss out of hand the possibility there could be something new under the sun.
I think this may be an issue for FINA because at the top of World Class swimming a couple of hundreths of a second matter. At our level, I agree with Seltzer's and Aquageek's ultimate conclusions, even if I don't follow the same chain of logic to get there.
Matt
