Since there has been observation on this forum that most younger female (not male) swimmers at Nationals wore non-tech suits (the 18-24 and 25-29 groups), I'm curious as to why.
Anyone of that younger group look at this board and care to post reasons? Cost? Controversy over "authenticity" of times when fastest suits are banned? Desire to look hot for guys, as one poster suggests?
I would start out by insinuating that the younger age groups (both male and female) do not take USMS Nationals quite as seriously as some of the older age groups. Not to say that this is true in all instances, but I found that a lot of the younger swimmers tended to be recently returned to swimming (post college) or otherwise new to swimming masters. They might tend to feel that the situation does not warrant purchasing an expensive high tech suit - especially if they are coming from events like college championships, Senior Nationals or US Open.
There is also the fact that the 18-24 age group represents a very small fraction of the diverse age range at Nationals. I would assume that the median age at Nationals was somewhere in the early to mid 40's - with an average age around the same - just off observation in Clovis.
I would start out by insinuating that the younger age groups (both male and female) do not take USMS Nationals quite as seriously as some of the older age groups. Not to say that this is true in all instances, but I found that a lot of the younger swimmers tended to be recently returned to swimming (post college) or otherwise new to swimming masters. They might tend to feel that the situation does not warrant purchasing an expensive high tech suit - especially if they are coming from events like college championships, Senior Nationals or US Open.
There is also the fact that the 18-24 age group represents a very small fraction of the diverse age range at Nationals. I would assume that the median age at Nationals was somewhere in the early to mid 40's - with an average age around the same - just off observation in Clovis.
