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 ?
