Just When The LZR Thought It Was Safe
Craig Lord
May 26, 2009
Just when the LZR-crew thought it was safe to get back in the water, blueseventy suits, the Jaked01, the arena X-Glide and other apparel that pumps performance past the natural state of the swimmer may yet be resurrected - unmodified.
After complaints from blueseventy that tests conducted by Prof Jan-Anders Manson and team in Lausanne were not sufficient to judge a suit under the terms of the Dubai Charter, new tests are being carried out and by Friday this week the world of swimming and the Rome 2009 form guide may have shifted once more. If uncertainty ruled the swimming world just two weeks ago, the relative certainty of a published list of approved suits for the rest of 2009 is set to be short-lived.
Blueseventy, omitted from the list of approved suits last week, has had a chat with FINA and has called for its suits be retested when stretched on a swimmer because the Dubai Charter mentions "when in use" in relation to the air-trapping properties of suits. When in use, suits are stretched.
A source confirmed to SwimNews that Prof Manson is now, somewhat tardily, restesting suits in a stretched position. Suit makers are confident that this time round, their surfboards will make it back into the race pool.
If they do, the credibility of the independent testing process - which between five and three months ago was made aware on several occasions from different experts of the need to test fabric in conditions that replicated those in play when a swimmer is racing - and the FINA executive will reach an all-time low.
While the retesting of unmodified suits that did not make it on to the approved list a week ago may be fair, the entire first round of the "independent testing regime" will have been a vast waste of time, money and energy. The whole point of the testing was to identify and eliminate performance enhancement. As things are, the testing process looks like a half-way house, with the LZR still in the water but the 100% and almost 100% non-textile suits gone.
If the latter make it back to the race pool, the world of swimming will know that FINA gave Prof Manson the wrong brief and charges of incompetence are likely to be legion, given the criticism already flowing from the decisions made a week ago and the lack of any decision that rids the sport of its fast-suits crisis.
A senior source said: "It looks like being a lively session at FINA on Friday. One way or another, this summer may be lost in terms of hoping that we will get back to fair sport that no-one can argue with. The good news for 2010 is that what's happened of late has made a lot of people in FINA quite angry and ready to say 'enough', suits must be textile and they must be permeable. That means that all current suits likely to be worn in Rome will have to go."
June 19 is the date by which a final list with the decisions on modified suits resubmitted for testing after having failed the first round will be complete. Only then, one month before the world championships opens in Rome, will swimmers, coaches and teams know which suit will be in fashion for the race pool for this season - and this season only (perhaps).
from www.swimnews.com/.../6885
Parents
Former Member
I would assume your competitors were likewise wearing B70s. If so, then your placing higher in the rankings is a reflection of training. You seriously don't think switching to training with an elite kids team made a difference in your times?!
I would LOVE to be convinced otherwise!
Why I would answer "no" to your question would be for these reasons:
1. My average yardage stayed pretty consistent whether I was swimming masters or USS.
2. Competition during practices is about equal as the masters swimmers with fins, paddles and wetsuits (which are worn my many for the majority of the practice) are about the speed of the kids if not faster.
3. SR I group is not the elite group on my team. Select team IS elite and I only occasionally train with them.
4. During a single meet in which I switched from a poly to a B70 I swam slow masters times in the poly and some of my lifetime best times in the B70 during the same meet. As I feel I'm a very consistent swimmer based on how I split all my races, I attribute these time differences to the suit and not any inconsistencies on my end.
If we look at SCY2008 season, no one was wearing a B70. I bought and wore a FSII for the first time (was swimming masters only during SCY2008 season). I lowered my times and moved up the rankings. Makes me feel like it was the suit purchase. During this season, I wasn't swimming USS.
I really liked pwbrundage's statement (and I have read a variation of this a lot on this board): "Regardless of which tech suit I'm wearing, though, I'm still going to swim faster next year than I did this year because I'm doing almost everything else in my training routine smarter, harder and better than before." I'm nowhere near being able to say this. If you look @ my videos from my 2008 LCM 200 fly and 2009 SCY 200 free, there are MANY issues going on during my swims. I feel the suits *covered* up my flaws to an extent and allowed me to hit fast(er) times. I think there are a couple of things to look at however. Are you just comparing yourself to your competition? Or, are you racing yourself and trying to be the best you can be? When you throw in a tech suit into the latter question, things get a bit blurry. Although the video does not lie!
I would assume your competitors were likewise wearing B70s. If so, then your placing higher in the rankings is a reflection of training. You seriously don't think switching to training with an elite kids team made a difference in your times?!
I would LOVE to be convinced otherwise!
Why I would answer "no" to your question would be for these reasons:
1. My average yardage stayed pretty consistent whether I was swimming masters or USS.
2. Competition during practices is about equal as the masters swimmers with fins, paddles and wetsuits (which are worn my many for the majority of the practice) are about the speed of the kids if not faster.
3. SR I group is not the elite group on my team. Select team IS elite and I only occasionally train with them.
4. During a single meet in which I switched from a poly to a B70 I swam slow masters times in the poly and some of my lifetime best times in the B70 during the same meet. As I feel I'm a very consistent swimmer based on how I split all my races, I attribute these time differences to the suit and not any inconsistencies on my end.
If we look at SCY2008 season, no one was wearing a B70. I bought and wore a FSII for the first time (was swimming masters only during SCY2008 season). I lowered my times and moved up the rankings. Makes me feel like it was the suit purchase. During this season, I wasn't swimming USS.
I really liked pwbrundage's statement (and I have read a variation of this a lot on this board): "Regardless of which tech suit I'm wearing, though, I'm still going to swim faster next year than I did this year because I'm doing almost everything else in my training routine smarter, harder and better than before." I'm nowhere near being able to say this. If you look @ my videos from my 2008 LCM 200 fly and 2009 SCY 200 free, there are MANY issues going on during my swims. I feel the suits *covered* up my flaws to an extent and allowed me to hit fast(er) times. I think there are a couple of things to look at however. Are you just comparing yourself to your competition? Or, are you racing yourself and trying to be the best you can be? When you throw in a tech suit into the latter question, things get a bit blurry. Although the video does not lie!
