The Swimming World magazine have posted this article, www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../20390.asp
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, February 19. IN an attempt to have a united front on what possible changes they are willing to have enacted with regard to speedsuits, suit manufacturers got together for a meeting today in Switzerland, according to Tony Austin of the SCAQ Blog.
Without working together, there was a definite possibility that the powers working against speedsuits continuing in the sport altogether could have capitalized on a split agenda by the various competing manufacturers.
According to Austin's reporting, the manufacturers have agreed to a game plan heading into tomorrow's meeting. The restrictions they are willing to agree to immediately without any fight are "a de facto buoyancy test, suit thickness guidelines, a rule to ban multiple suits and/or duct tape ‘mods' and most importantly clear cut rules so that suit innovation can take place without the fear of a nebulous interpretation wiping out bundles of money in R&D expenses at the last minute."
Tomorrow, the official recommendation that will be put in front of the FINA congress will be hammered out.
Full text of the blog posting.
Look like a compromise will be the probable outcome from this mess about Tech-suits.
The Manufactures are in too strong positions to accept a complete ban at top level, too much money is on the stake, so they're showing all together to force the hand to FINA with a common position, with minor changes.
All the swimming's world needed money from major sponsors, and The tech suits are a great source of profit.
The overall performance are improved too much in a blink at every level to even think that the suit don't affect the performance in pool, and if they affect the performance by rule they'd be banned period.
But for me it's too late and too much to loose for nearly everybody to return to speedoo.
It's ironic that multiple suits are accepted to be banned because help the swimmers, but if multiple suits helps then every single suit must help at little bit, even one alone only, otherwise it's a nosense in first place. So why banned multiple suite if the suit don't help buoyance ?
One of my students swims summer rec and I also swim Masters with his dad. I was showing him the article. He asked me about the thickness of the B70. I didn't know the answer. Is it more than 1mm? Clemmons, you there?
BTW, it just struck me, a LZR and a B70 together- that's some cha-ching!
One more thing: I read that article, that I think Ande posted, about the Aussie girl 200 flyer and how she didn't wear a new tech suit at their Oly Trials, and didn't make it in her "sure thing" event. What were her coaches thinking?! She got some horrible advice. And I don't know how old she is, but didn't it occur to her, at all, that if all of these other swimmers are wearing them there must be a reason?!
OK, two more things: It says the suit can't go past the ankle. When I wore a B70 it was below my calf, but above my ankle. Are they talking about banning leg suits? I'm a little confused I guess.
OK, two more things: It says the suit can't go past the ankle. When I wore a B70 it was below my calf, but above my ankle. Are they talking about banning leg suits? I'm a little confused I guess.
Nah, they just want to make it clear that a suit can't cover the foot.
I was talking to a very elite swimmer (multiple WR holder) last night at practice and she concurred that the suit makes a dramatic difference, no matter what your level.
Well, it depends on your definition of "dramatic." The numbers posted in another thread about the predicted vs actual results at Olympic Trials suggested a 1% improvement across all women's events. That's roughly 0.6 sec per 100. Certainly pretty significant at the elite level.
even though Suit Stacking is likely to soon be illegal in meets.
I suggest it might be helpful for swimmers to occasionally stack suits in practice. It may help athletes rehearse racing their events and sprints at race pace or faster.
One of my students swims summer rec and I also swim Masters with his dad. I was showing him the article. He asked me about the thickness of the B70. I didn't know the answer. Is it more than 1mm? Clemmons, you there?
Yes, I'm here, but contrary to what some believe, I don't carry my suit around with me all day like Linus and his blankee. The suit's at home, but I can measure it tonight if Ande doesn't readily have the spec available. 1mm = ~.040" Seems like it'll be close to that in thickness if you include both the neoprene (I believe it's neoprene if I remember correctly) and fabric combined and not just one or the other.
BTW, it just struck me, a LZR and a B70 together- that's some cha-ching!
Just remember :angel: , you can't take it with you so you might as well spend it while you're here on Earth.
What's a "duct tape mod"?
It would be interesting to hear what FINA's leanings/goals for the meeting are ... You wouldn't think they'd want to ban suits they'd already approved. I'm sure FINA will issue some guidelines/restrictions on suit approval processes, suit thickness, multiple suits etc. But will they actually ban existing suits or chop them off at the knees?
What position is USA Swimming taking? I'm wondering if it's supporting a total roll back ...
I'm rooting for Roque!
Leslie,
He's referring to this article
Device Testing is Next Big Controversy in Competitive Swimming
-- February 19, 2009
Swimmers are using duct tape as a device on their skin to bind muscle groups together.
PHOENIX, Arizona, February 19.
WITH the major swimsuit players and manufacturers assembling in Lausanne, Switzerland today and tomorrow to discuss standards for swimsuit technology, a new controversy is looming over the waters.
In the March issue of Swimming World Magazine, publisher Brent Rutemiller reveals what some athletes are doing under their suits to enhance their performances. Here is an excerpt of what Rutemiller reports:
Early reports indicate a growing trend in which swimmers are using duct tape as a device on their skin to bind muscle groups together. They are trying to get the same effect as a $500 high-performance suit that promotes core body stability. Since swimmers will be limited to only one racing suit during a competition, they are already coming up with their own devices to keep that competitive edge.
Some female athletes are using tape as a first-level form of compression to streamline their chests before getting into a racing suit. Both males and females are experimenting by tightly wrapping tape around their core body.
During the 2008 Olympic Games, the benefits of athletic taping made volleyball headlines when a new type of tape, Kinesio Tape, showed up on the shoulders, arms, legs and backs of many high-profile athletes.
In Lance Armstrong's book, "Every Second Counts," he praised the athletic tape that came from Japan as having "magical powers."
Athletes are learning that the tape can be applied in a specific pattern—either stretched or not stretched—depending on the needed outcome. Many claim that the tape method helps relieve pain by lifting the skin to allow the blood to flow more freely to the muscles.
The fact that athletes are now applying those lessons in innovative ways indicates device testing may be the next fight within the governing communities.
What's a "duct tape mod"?
It would be interesting to hear what FINA's leanings/goals for the meeting are ... You wouldn't think they'd want to ban suits they'd already approved. I'm sure FINA will issue some guidelines/restrictions on suit approval processes, suit thickness, multiple suits etc. But will they actually ban existing suits or chop them off at the knees?
What position is USA Swimming taking? I'm wondering if it's supporting a total roll back ...
I'm rooting for Roque!
I know "not below the knees" has figured into several local and regional suit standards for kids' competition, but I sure hope FINA doesn't do that overall. I don't know how ankle-length and knee-length compare on hydrodynamics, but I really hate how the bottom hem of a tight-enough knee-length suit digs into my thigh.
