Yes - one more time it's about the suit:
Here is a comparison to 2004 and what it took to make top 16 (top 8 for the 400) over the first 7 events:
2004 listed first then 2008 then the approx. % drop
400 IM - 4:24.8 to 4:21.0 1.5%
100 Fly - 1:01.29 to 59.97 2%
400 Free - 3:55.0 to 3:51.4 1.6%
400 IM - 4:49.57 to 4:43.2 2.3%
100 Br - 1:04.0 to 1:02.36 2.5%
100 Bk - 1:04.12 to 1:02.31 2.6%
200 Free - 1:51.1 to 1:48.76 2.2%
Ok - to be fair, people are getting faster, but I would guess at least a 1.5% drop across the board for the suit -- that is net time !
As an aside: if I'm hearing her correctly, in her interview on Floswimming (another great one), SVDL did not seem to think the B70 was any better for her than the FSPro she wore to make OT cuts.
She thinks about that hard, ignoring the interviewer's question, and ultimately speculates that she might have swum even slower without it. She (and we) will never know.
As an aside to your aside, what a great interview--she has such great personality and enthusiasm, not to mention candor and genuineness. It was a pleasure listening to her speak. My respect for her has grown.
As an aside: if I'm hearing her correctly, in her interview on Floswimming (another great one), SVDL did not seem to think the B70 was any better for her than the FSPro she wore to make OT cuts.
She thinks about that hard, ignoring the interviewer's question, and ultimately speculates that she might have swum even slower without it. She (and we) will never know.
As an aside to your aside, what a great interview--she has such great personality and enthusiasm, not to mention candor and genuineness. It was a pleasure listening to her speak. My respect for her has grown.
