LZR - It's Faster, but by how much ?

Ian, My favorite suit is the old Arena Power Skin, but alas it is no longer available and I gave my well used one away. I bought a FS Pro for nationals last May, but hated it (probably because it was way too big - a medium long). After a dismal first race in the pro I switched to an old Arena Power Skin Extreme for the rest of my races. I'm thinking of going to the Long Beach meet in Dec. and if I do I'll buy a B70 (size 26 - I'm 6' 1" / 170lb). I like that it is supposed to be more durable than the LZR (and $150 less). Plus, Mark Foster (my hero) swam a pr in one at age 38. I got to try on and swim in the LZR in Omaha but I wasn't sold on its superiority, probably because it was too big for me and I just couldn't relax while swimming with all those Olympic team alums in the competition pool. Also, John S.'s son, Clark, kept bugging me to race him which was very distracting. Hope this helps, Rich

Rich, Thx for the comments; they're helpful. I think I'll go for a 26 also. Ian.

...and so it came to pass that Fina passed a rule stating that "the swimmer shall weareth but one swim costume and one swim costume only" and then Speedo introduced the "LZQ Extra Special Double Layer" suit made of two separate proprietary fabrics manufactured by the Yamamoto company, and then TYR answered with the "Pacer Heavy" triple layer suit using a similar, also proprietary fabrics manufactured by the Yamamoto company, Blue 70 refused to play and so competitors secretly sewed and glued 2 suits together to make them appear as one, Nike released its athletes from having to wear its suits (or anything at all, if appearing in an ad for PETA), forum chatterers, as is their wont, chattered on endlessly and rather foolishly about asterisks and technical doping, and Dolphin2 exploded in a fit of apoplexy, leaving behind only a trace of a vintage Aquablade brief ca. 1972.

rich, better race clark and beat him while you can he's on quite the improvement track I have a feeling he got more of his momma's genes and is likely to wind up being an excellent swimmer despite his paternal genes Ian, John S.'s son, Clark, kept bugging me to race him which was very distracting.

...and so it came to pass that Fina passed a rule stating that "the swimmer shall weareth but one swim costume and one swim costume only" and then Speedo introduced the "LZQ Extra Special Double Layer" suit made of two separate proprietary fabrics manufactured by the Yamamoto company, and then TYR answered with the "Pacer Heavy" triple layer suit using a similar, also proprietary fabrics manufactured by the Yamamoto company, Blue 70 refused to play and so competitors secretly sewed and glued 2 suits together to make them appear as one, Nike released its athletes from having to wear its suits (or anything at all, if appearing in an ad for PETA), forum chatterers, as is their wont, chattered on endlessly and rather foolishly about asterisks and technical doping, and Dolphin2 exploded in a fit of apoplexy, leaving behind only a trace of a vintage Aquablade brief ca. 1972. Thanks for the laugh Bill. That made my day better.

another suit article Swimmers still debating which suit to wear By The Associated Press Posted Thursday, August 7, 2008 2:04 AM ET BEIJING (AP) - The start of the Olympic swimming competition is two days away and many athletes still don't know which swimsuits they are going to wear. Such pool powers as Italy, Japan and host China have each set aside ties with suppliers to give their swimmers the opportunity to wear Speedo's revolutionary LZR Racer or other comparable high-tech suits. Of the 48 world records set this year, including both long- and short-course, 44 of them were accomplished by swimmers wearing the LZR. Italy recently broke its long-standing contract with Arena and switched to a new Italian supplier, Jaked. Nike-sponsored China has followed suit, while Japan dropped its exclusive arrangement with domestic suppliers. So who will wear which suit? "You'll find out on the day we compete," Japan coach Koji Ueno said Thursday. Defending 100- and 200-meter breaststroke champion Kosuke Kitajima announced in June that he had broken his contract with Mizuno and will use a Speedo during the games. Italy's top swimmer, Filippo Magnini, the two-time 100m freestyle world champion, cut off a lucrative deal with Arena and will also wear Speedo. Massimiliano Rosolino, who has won 57 medals in Olympics, world and European championships, is still debating whether to wear Jaked or Arena. The rest of Italy's team will use Jaked. "The federation provides the suit but athletes are free to choose," said Italian team spokesman Francesco Passariello. Laure Manaudou of France, who won three medals at the 2004 Athens Games, is one of the few top swimmers still using Arena. While competitors criticized the LZR as being exceedingly buoyant and composed of too much plastic, swimming governing body FINA has consistently upheld the legality of Speedo's space-age design, which was developed with the help of NASA. "FINA approved the suits in agreement with the manufacturers and that's the situation," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told The Associated Press. "The only thing we can say is that we have followed the rules and done everything we can do. Sometimes controversy helps get more publicity for a sport. But it's still the athletes that have to do the swimming." Marculescu said all athletes at the games will have access to any suit they want. "All the major manufacturers will have special rooms set up at the pool where they can keep their equipment," Marculescu said. "They will be available to all of the athletes free of charge." Magnini has proposed a return to wearing only the skimpy suits that cover swimmers' midsections. "I'd be ready to race tomorrow with the little suits, if everyone else is," Magnini said. "We can't continue going down this road." But FINA doesn't appear about to reverse itself. "Whenever new swimsuits come out there are always various opinions," Marculescu said. "We've already made our decision." Copyright 2008 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

But all they need to do is go down to the department store and get a pair of simple briefs.

I am trying to figure if 2 bodysuits are legal.Any of you rules gurus have an opinion?

Here's the situation: I am competing against Swimmer X in a race. Whereas I am wearing a standard, inexpensive pair of jammers, Swimmer X is wearing the new LZR. Assume that Swimmer X beats me by 0.01 second. Psychologically, what is going on? If Swimmer X believes his suit gave him an advantage, then Swimmer X also knows I am the better swimmer, despite the fact that his time was better. Afterall, the suit provided Swimmer X with at least 0.01 seconds in advantage. This is why I will never wear an LZR. When I win, I want to know that I won because of my ability, training, and determination, not technology. Assume that Swimmer X loses to me by 0.01 seconds. Psychologically what is going on? I know that I am the better swimmer because all the technology in the world could not help Swimmer X. This is why I will never wear an LZR. When I win, I want to know that I won because of my ability, training, and determination, not technology. Anyone who wants to wear an LZR or other technical suit may do so, but at least I know who the superior athlete is when I win in a standard, inexpensive pair of jammers. That's my theory.

Continuing my idea: Do the swimmers who recently broke world records with the LZR actually believe they are better athletes than the swimmers whose records were broken? If an LZR really does provide an advantage, then are we not comparing apples to oranges. This is why I will never wear an LZR. When I break a record, I want to know that I broke the record because of my ability, training, and determination, not technology.