2009 National Championships (World Championship Trials)

Isn't the Jaked about $650?(I'm not sure of the Euro/$ conversion.) Euro 372, at $1.39 per Euro, is approximately $517. Plus shipping of course.

The Speedo guys are truly at a disadvantage at this meet. How does a guy (PVK) go from finishing 3rd at the Olympics to 5th at his national champs in just 10 months? I am going to predict that Berens and Walters both go sub 47.7 in the 100. Piersol will be the only one to go sub 52 in the 100 back and 100 fly for a long time if Phelps doesn't do it. PVK just got over the swine flu and is probably worn out from the 400 free. Walters was just one his game last night.

So far I've seen lots of different suits in use and haven't really noticed a pattern. Not to say there isn't one and I'm just missing it. It would be interesting to take a look at finals and see how many people are setting new personal records and what brand of suit they were wearing.

-2.99 Tarwater Jaked 1:49.35 1:46.36 -1.82 Houchin Jaked 1:50.38 1:48.56 -1.62 Walters Jaked 1:46.57 1:44.95 -0.41 Berens Jaked 1:46.14 1:45.73 +0.05 Lochte Speedo 1:45.61 1:45.66 +0.63 VDK Speedo 1:45.14 1:45.77 +1.27 Phelps Speedo 1:42.96 1:44.23 +2.10 Beal Speedo 1:46.89 1:48.99 These are the results from the men's 200 free A final. The first column is the time difference between last night's swim and that swimmer's best 2008 time, followed by name, suit worn, best 2008 time, finals time from last night. I wouldn't want to draw any conclusions solely on this limited data, but it certainly is interesting! p.s. Carlson's actually 17, by the way (bday in November).

Speaking only to Phelps' performance, I have to think he is not tapered. I believe his 200 free swim was roughly what he did at Trials? I seem to recall he had a pretty big drop at the Games. If this is true, his 200 fly swim was pretty impressive. I look forward to seeing a 1:51 or 1:50 later this summer. One note about the suits. There is a fast age-grouper at the pool where I swim, she is trying to make the National Junior team this summer in breatstroke. Last spring, most of the team going to Jr Nationals got LZRs, but she is so skinny that she basically couldn't wear one (nothing fit her properly) and has to wear an old-school suit. Makes it hard to have an even playing field..."availability" doesn't mean anything if none of the suits fit.

But, I mean come on, this is pretty convincing stuff. Sure it is. And if Piersol had been wearing a Jaked body suit, everyone would say that's the only reason he broke 52 in the 100 back. People tend to notice data that support their theories and ignore data that don't. Compiling data like this is a great thing, I would love to see someone do it for the entire meet, including morning swims for people who didn't advance (just to increase sample size). If everything is video-taped, it would be tedious but not that difficult. I'm certainly not expecting Kirk or anyone else here to do it. I just don't understand why TPTB -- the ones who are in a position to influence/make policy -- don't do this sort of thing as a matter of course (ie, hire someone to do it). Instead it is all a lot of hand-waving and supposition about this suit or that, and which (type of) suit is best.

People tend to notice data that support their theories and ignore data that don't. Absolutely. If I wanted to show the suit doesn't matter I could have used the same event. The actual finish order was LZR, Jaked, LZR, Jaked, LZR, Jaked, Jaked, LZR.

Walters was just one his game last night. So was Berens, so was Tarwater and so was Clary. What is the commonality here? Speedo guys = okay swims, Jaked guys = sick swims. Didn't know about the swin flu. that's what he gets for being so close to Holland Michigan.

So was Berens, so was Tarwater and so was Clary. What is the commonality here? Speedo guys = okay swims, Jaked guys = sick swims. Didn't know about the swin flu. that's what he gets for being so close to Holland Michigan. Carlson, in a b70, and Hehn, in a Jaked, both totally skip the 1:07's... gee, wonder if the suits had anything to do with it :agree::agree::agree::agree::agree:

Piersol hasn't worn the Jaked yet. But hasn't he been using the Arena X-Glide and Adidas Hydrofoil that are equivalent? Not sure if they're as shiny. ;)