Ok - I admit, I am little over the top about the entire swim suit issue. LZR / Blue Seventy / Rise and what have you not -- but this entire story is getting out of hand.
Here are the facts right now:
- The LZR (and some of the other suits are catching up) is faster than any other suit out there. I think that is pretty much proven.
- The suit is not available to all swimmers -- actually it is only available to very few swimmers (see more on that below)
- This is straight from FINA and US swimming "We underline that at FINA competitions, the rule GR 5.6 - 'the manufacturers must ensure that the approved new swimsuit will be available for all competitors' - will apply."
Availability
I just came back from swimming the JEI - Janet Evans Invite in Los Angeles. This is a FINA Olympic Qualifying Event.
- I talked to 2 coaches (and I only knew 3 at the meet) and they both had swimmers very close to Trials cuts and they are not able to get any of the Speedo LZR or TYR Rise suits.
- There are about 20 or so swimmers with the LZR, maybe 5 with the TYR suits and the rest is left with what is currently available
- There is no TYR or Speedo stand where you can even borrow the suit for a race.
For Masters swimming it's not really that important - but a kid training for years to go to Olympic Trials and nothing is being done - I would go ballistic as a coach. Could somebody sue them over this ?
Parents
Former Member
Probably not focus on what suits are out there but how well you child swims, good hard work never hurt any swimmer. If you buy the suit and your kid gets beat are you going to sue because your child lost the race? If you bought a Fast Skin for your child and they beat some one with a fast skin does it make it a better suit? it puts a lot of pressure on kids that want to swim faster but can't afford these high end suits. What they probably need to do is go back to basics, this is the standard no frills swim suit issued to everyone, and may the best swimmer win. It seems like year after year that they come out with some new suit that will make you. To me and just my opinion is that all sport should have a standard, I was watching cycling video clip where there is a million dollar bicycle that going to be on the track that's supposed to gaurantee a gold medal ( well at least that's what the company is going for), but I hear you though, good discussion.
Probably not focus on what suits are out there but how well you child swims, good hard work never hurt any swimmer. If you buy the suit and your kid gets beat are you going to sue because your child lost the race? If you bought a Fast Skin for your child and they beat some one with a fast skin does it make it a better suit? it puts a lot of pressure on kids that want to swim faster but can't afford these high end suits. What they probably need to do is go back to basics, this is the standard no frills swim suit issued to everyone, and may the best swimmer win. It seems like year after year that they come out with some new suit that will make you. To me and just my opinion is that all sport should have a standard, I was watching cycling video clip where there is a million dollar bicycle that going to be on the track that's supposed to gaurantee a gold medal ( well at least that's what the company is going for), but I hear you though, good discussion.
