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?
would those who support a complete separate division for wetsuit wearers in open water also support a complete separate division for old school speedo wearers in pool competition?
thats the question i would like to know the answer to.
(guess how i voted)
Possibly, though there are differences. In OW competition people wear wetsuits also as protection from cold and because they lack confidence in their swimming ability.
IMO the main argument to allow a wetsuit division in national championships (remember that they are already allowed in all other competitions) is to broaden the appeal to triathletes and OW-novices; that argument doesn't apply here since I very much doubt that allowing tech suits increases participation.
But maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone know someone who would stop competing if tech suits were banned? This is all very abstract since I don't think it will happen, but who knows? There definitely seems to be a little backlash...but I suspect that the rules will just be refined to regulate it better, not resulting in an outright ban for all competitors.
would those who support a complete separate division for wetsuit wearers in open water also support a complete separate division for old school speedo wearers in pool competition?
thats the question i would like to know the answer to.
(guess how i voted)
Possibly, though there are differences. In OW competition people wear wetsuits also as protection from cold and because they lack confidence in their swimming ability.
IMO the main argument to allow a wetsuit division in national championships (remember that they are already allowed in all other competitions) is to broaden the appeal to triathletes and OW-novices; that argument doesn't apply here since I very much doubt that allowing tech suits increases participation.
But maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone know someone who would stop competing if tech suits were banned? This is all very abstract since I don't think it will happen, but who knows? There definitely seems to be a little backlash...but I suspect that the rules will just be refined to regulate it better, not resulting in an outright ban for all competitors.
