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
I want to go a 24 in the 50M free and wearinging a LZR is part of my plan. I think it is the best choice for me and noone has the right to say otherwise.
Absolutely. With a fast goal as a Masters swimmer (24 is a smoking 50M free for Masters), you should be wearing a fast suit. When I decided last fall to start training more consistently as a Masters swimmer and set some fast goals, I got myself a tech suit.
I'm totally with you on freedom of choice, as well. I just wish my suit of choice (B70) wasn't being banned by some (sometimes) subjective FINA weenie bureaucrats.
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.
But if I (wearing a LZR) out touch someone wearing an FSPRo by a tenth it is perfectly reasonable for my competitor to surmize that the suit made the difference.
It's right for them to hypothesize that; it just might not be the right answer. Were all things really equal except the suit?
But if I (wearing a LZR) out touch someone wearing an FSPRo by a tenth it is perfectly reasonable for my competitor to surmize that the suit made the difference. That certainly doesn't change the result, and doesn't diminish what I accomplished, but is none-the-less true.
Just a couple of questions here before your hypothesis can even be considered:
- Were both suits brand new?
- did both suits fit each competitor correctly?
- without said suits are competitors the same speed?
But as in all things, one can surmize what one wishes, it only matters in the end what one can prove. Hey, FINA, you paying attention?
For us Masters, you should be using whatever technology (training, nutrition, competition, etc.) is appropriate to your goals. And, when you do get beat by someone, don't ask yourself what suit they were wearing, ask yourself what they're doing differently to beat you. I'm sure you'll make far more progress by adapting your training, technique, nutrition, etc. than by just buying the next great tech suit.
I think you nailed it in the first statement and completely whiffed in the second. I just got a LZR and I am darn excited about it. I want to go a 24 in the 50M free and wearing a LZR is part of my plan. I think it is the best choice for me and no one has the right to say otherwise.
But if I (wearing a LZR) out touch someone wearing an FSPRo by a tenth it is perfectly reasonable for my competitor to surmise that the suit made the difference. That certainly doesn't change the result, and doesn't diminish what I accomplished, but is none-the-less true.
And, when you do get beat by someone, don't ask yourself what suit they were wearing, QUOTE]
It seems that is the first question asked by most everyone. The reason being that the suit makes a significant difference.
If the suit decision is such an important part of your "training" why not question what suit your competitors bought?
And, when you do get beat by someone, don't ask yourself what suit they were wearing, QUOTE]
It seems that is the first question asked by most everyone. The reason being that the suit makes a significant difference.
If the suit decision is such an important part of your "training" why not question what suit your competitors bought?
the first question i ask: i wonder if that 8 ft tall gorillia that smoked me set any ncaa records twenty five years ago?
It's right for them to hypothesize that; it just might not be the right answer. Were all things really equal except the suit?
I don't get too excited about this suit frenzy, as you can probably tell by my lack of posts in these threads. However, I do happen to think that Lefty's hypothetical race argument is logical. I would never assume that all other things were equal between these hypothetical swimmers, that would be ridiculous. But if you compare the two suits, the LZR and the PRO, would you argue that the LZR is worth an exta tenth of a second per 50 Meters when compared to the PRO? I think many people would, otherwise, what would be the point of spending the extra money? So even if the swimmer who lost by 1/10 of a second had substandard training, one could very reasonably assume that given a different suit, the results could have been different in this hypothetical race.
I think you were mostly joking, but if you weren't, you don't. I don't know what it would be like, but I'll pick breaking a minute in the 100 free: considering how few can do it, that is like making a million dollars per year. That is chump change compared to some, but if you make a million dollars a year you are rich!
Mostly joking. Though I never feel like a racehorse before a meet. I keep thinking one day it will magically happen, but it never does.
Where will these very exciting 50 and 100 frees take place this summer? How did you decide that the LZR was the suit for you?
I just got a LZR and I am darn excited about it. I want to go a 24 in the 50M free and wearing a LZR is part of my plan. I think it is the best choice for me and no one has the right to say otherwise.
But if I (wearing a LZR) out touch someone wearing an FSPRo by a tenth it is perfectly reasonable for my competitor to surmise that the suit made the difference. That certainly doesn't change the result, and doesn't diminish what I accomplished, but is none-the-less true.
I think there are two distinct elements to this post: a time-based goal (regardless of what others are doing) and a competition-based goal.
If a person wants to upgrade a suit to meet time goals that is completely his/her business (assuming the suit is legal, of course).
But IMO, I think it is a cop-out to use the suit as an excuse if I lose a race. I don't think about the suit, I think about what I could have done differently (in both preparation and execution) to win the race, regardless of the suit.
It isn't about being "better than" the person next to me on a given day, with the suit taken out of the equation. First of all, I don't take competition all that personally: that person next to me is just a foil to drive me to do better. Secondly, there are way too many other factors -- illness/injury, work & family situation, coaching, pool availability, etc -- that are far more important than any stupid suit. Heck, what I had for dinner or how much sleep I got the night before is probably just as important as what suit I wore.
If someone made me choose between a LZR and a cup of coffee the morning of the race, I'd pick the coffee any time... :)
I also never think I'm Michael Phelps. I always think I'm old and I suck.
I think you were mostly joking, but if you weren't, you don't. I don't know what it would be like, but I'll pick breaking a minute in the 100 free: considering how few can do it, that is like making a million dollars per year. That is chump change compared to some, but if you make a million dollars a year you are rich!
