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 !
Parents
Former Member
One has to wonder if the new suits, like many other pieces of equipment, require some experience to gain full benefit from. Perhaps putting on a new type of suit for the first time for your big race is not the way to get the best advantage. There were some articles in the Australian press indicating that Eamon Sullivan for example had a learning process and made adjustments and improved with each race in the suit.
Chris is the stats expert and perhaps he'll chip in on this but I don't think it is valid to say that because some people have bad swims in an LZR that the LZR cannot be partially responsible for other people having good swims.
One has to wonder if the new suits, like many other pieces of equipment, require some experience to gain full benefit from. Perhaps putting on a new type of suit for the first time for your big race is not the way to get the best advantage. There were some articles in the Australian press indicating that Eamon Sullivan for example had a learning process and made adjustments and improved with each race in the suit.
Chris is the stats expert and perhaps he'll chip in on this but I don't think it is valid to say that because some people have bad swims in an LZR that the LZR cannot be partially responsible for other people having good swims.
