I am just back from the SPMA meet where all the top finisher were wearing the latest generation tech suits,mostly B-70s(or were named Jeff Commings.)I have here to for been in favor of the suits,but now I am not so sure.First,they eliminate the old bench marks.I went my fastest 100m BR in 5 yr in my LZR,but it was only .3 sec faster than I did untapered 5 wk earlier in my first swim in the LZR.So was my swim good or not,I'm not sure.Also,instead of focusing on technique or pace I found myself ruminating over aspects of the suits,how many more swims did the suit have,is it the right size,was the reason I didn't get better results from my B-70 because it was too big?etc.The B-70 has somewhat mitigated the "too expensive,not durable" problem,but for how long.
Lets say a company comes up with a suit that is much faster,say 4 sec/100.Further that it is very expensive(say $1000) lasts 4 swims and is very hard to make so that quantities are always limited and the fastest way to get one is to bid up to $3000 on ebay. Now lets say your nemesis has one,or that getting one is your best chance to get TT or AA or a ZR or WR,or that your child is close to making JO cuts,or finally beating his/her nemesis etc. Is it worth it and where does it stop?
It' masters...leave it alone and Fort is correct...you can't put the genie back in the bottle.
You also always have the "John Smith Option"...he has challenged a group of backstrokers to an old school 50 back next year (location to be determined)...the basics are:
- $100 on the back of your block winner take all
- Vintage speedo briefs...preferably the baby blue/white vertical stripe version
- Toes over the lip start
- No SDK's
- John Naber style "bucket turns"
- Compy goggles (Britt wants to go "older" school and not allow goggles at all
Meet directors can have fun with this kind of stuff...although we didn't have much interest at ASU last month we offered a 4k event...I wasn't at Indy when Tim Garton won the 50m kick event but would enter one if offered again...the Aussie model of having 400's of back, *** and fly and an 800IM...why not an old school suit event?
I think it's a great idea. Having some old school or kicking races or other unconventional events would be fun. And masters meets should be fun, too, not just bearing down and gnashing your teeth over tenths of a second. Please, though, those among us that are blind need our goggles.
It' masters...leave it alone and Fort is correct...you can't put the genie back in the bottle.
You also always have the "John Smith Option"...he has challenged a group of backstrokers to an old school 50 back next year (location to be determined)...the basics are:
- $100 on the back of your block winner take all
- Vintage speedo briefs...preferably the baby blue/white vertical stripe version
- Toes over the lip start
- No SDK's
- John Naber style "bucket turns"
- Compy goggles (Britt wants to go "older" school and not allow goggles at all
Meet directors can have fun with this kind of stuff...although we didn't have much interest at ASU last month we offered a 4k event...I wasn't at Indy when Tim Garton won the 50m kick event but would enter one if offered again...the Aussie model of having 400's of back, *** and fly and an 800IM...why not an old school suit event?
I think it's a great idea. Having some old school or kicking races or other unconventional events would be fun. And masters meets should be fun, too, not just bearing down and gnashing your teeth over tenths of a second. Please, though, those among us that are blind need our goggles.
