I'm having a hard time with the Blue 70.
I love it. I swam faster than I deserved to in it (I bought it until it ripped, then returned), and I had fun swimming faster again!
My question/statement is this:
It is more than obvious from my own experience, and MANY swimmers I've talked to, that you drop at least 3 seconds per 50 in any event wearing this suit. I know that last year I swam a morning race and went 38 without the suit, put one on and swam the same event and went 35. I sure as heck didn't taper in an hour! And I can't remember dropping 3 seconds in a 50 in recent decades.
Highly respected "people" in USMS that I have had conversations with say it is undoubtedly "legalized cheating". I agree. I'm not quite sure how or why FINA approved it. (And I'm not saying it should be banned. It is what it is.) But when a SUIT improves performance it is no longer necessarily the swimmer achieving those times.
My hubby brought up the cost as well. (I have a suit fund going, so we don't have to shell out $400 all at once, if I even buy one.) It definitely separates the haves from the have nots. There are many more Masters Swimmers who cannot afford this suit than those who can. Several of my teammates would love one but can't afford it. And while this may be more a "social" question, it is still a factor in our swimming races.
My thought, as I was looking at recent results was this: Because the B70 is such a factor in racing performance, I would love to see some kind of a notation (notice I didn't say the dreaded Barry Bonds asterisk!) next to results of swimmers who wear a B70 in a race. Or have a B70 division for all results? We already have a wetsuit division for OW, why not have a B70 division for pool races? (It is almost a wetsuit anyway!)
This past weekend I watched an already elite swimmer wear a B70 and annhilate their already super fast times. If I were a swimmer from another part of the country, I'd be thinking, "Good God, how much faster can they get?" When if fact they aren't necessarily much faster, they are now wearing a B70.
When is technology too much?
2cents
Karen
fastback: It was not my intention to discredit Laura in any way. I have a huge amount of respect for her swimming. (I'd love to have a tenth of her talent.)
I know her well enough to know that all you say is true.
As far as the thread being amusing, amusement was not my intent.
My supposition, in starting this thread, is that most all serious competitive masters swimmers do already put in the training, etc. necessary to achieve whatever goals they have set out to attain. The suit is just another component of racing. By me mentioning that she dropped 5 seconds wearing a B70 takes nothing away from her preparation, just brings up an interesting point.
ourswimmer: I guess it would help if I PM you because I have no idea who you are : ]
When I race I have very specific goals. Sometimes it's time, sometimes it's to work on a mechanic, sometimes it's to beat a friendly rival. When I made my comment, what I meant was that it is not OK for people to compete when they're cheating. You may be OK being beaten by someone wearing a B70, or some other advantage, but I'm not. I wore that suit once back in Oct and I can't bring myself to wear it again. Not to say I won't wear one in a championship meet, but as I said, I'm really struggling with the advantage that it has provided for me. On the other hand I'm not OK being beaten by people wearing it either.
I just think it needs it's own category is all I'm really trying to say.
fastback: It was not my intention to discredit Laura in any way. I have a huge amount of respect for her swimming. (I'd love to have a tenth of her talent.)
I know her well enough to know that all you say is true.
As far as the thread being amusing, amusement was not my intent.
My supposition, in starting this thread, is that most all serious competitive masters swimmers do already put in the training, etc. necessary to achieve whatever goals they have set out to attain. The suit is just another component of racing. By me mentioning that she dropped 5 seconds wearing a B70 takes nothing away from her preparation, just brings up an interesting point.
ourswimmer: I guess it would help if I PM you because I have no idea who you are : ]
When I race I have very specific goals. Sometimes it's time, sometimes it's to work on a mechanic, sometimes it's to beat a friendly rival. When I made my comment, what I meant was that it is not OK for people to compete when they're cheating. You may be OK being beaten by someone wearing a B70, or some other advantage, but I'm not. I wore that suit once back in Oct and I can't bring myself to wear it again. Not to say I won't wear one in a championship meet, but as I said, I'm really struggling with the advantage that it has provided for me. On the other hand I'm not OK being beaten by people wearing it either.
I just think it needs it's own category is all I'm really trying to say.
