I do not have strong feelings either way about the tech suit phenomenon. I enjoy racing, and as long I am as "well-equipped" as my competitors, I don't mind if we race in Weismuller wool suits, 1980s paper suits, or BlueSeventies.
When the FINA announcement came down in mid May with a list of approved suits, I thought it would made sense to quickly pick up an "approved" suit in time for LCM nationals in August. I thought there would be some sort of appeals process for the makers of unapproved suits, but I expected the FINA bureaucracy to drag it out for weeks and months - with the possible outcome being "nothing's changed" - and the existing supply of approved suits disappearing into the clutches of masters floaters across the country. So the "approved" suit purchase was my back-up plan, and maybe more.
Since I despise Speedo, I began to look at some of the alternatives to the L(o)Z(e)R. Well, the TYR Tracer Rise is apparently not available to mortals like me; the approved Jaked likewise. The Arena Powerskin Revolution? Nope. So I ended up ordering the Rocket Science suit - apparently just like a banned B70, but different enough (WTF?) to be approved... According to the RS rep, the reason is that the fabric that underlies the neoprene coating is "different". The suit arrives today - we shall see.
Now, FINA are stating that some or all of the unapproved suits may yet still be permitted for this summer season (i.e. WC's in Rome). But, they say, beginning in 2010 all this tech suit advancement will come to an end, and we will go back to the good old days, when it was about the swimmer and not the suit. While I call BS on that premise to begin with, what does it mean for a swimmer who is considering where to spend his hard-earned suit dollars? On an approved suit that may well be banned in 5 months? Or wait until late 2009 for a new list of approved suits, and then hope that the manufacturer (who thinks any company other than Speedo will have a suit ready?) can produce a few hundred thousand before March?
I am pissed. :bitching: I have always had an intense dislike for the IOC/FINA/FIFA bureaucrats, but I think that the swimming federation now has lost all credibility with its athletes, its coaches (maybe with the exception of Schubert), and with its fans. Time to have a revolt.
YMMV.
I do not have strong feelings either way about the tech suit phenomenon. I enjoy racing, and as long I am as "well-equipped" as my competitors, I don't mind if we race in Weismuller wool suits, 1980s paper suits, or BlueSeventies.
When the FINA announcement came down in mid May with a list of approved suits, I thought it would made sense to quickly pick up an "approved" suit in time for LCM nationals in August. I thought there would be some sort of appeals process for the makers of unapproved suits, but I expected the FINA bureaucracy to drag it out for weeks and months - with the possible outcome being "nothing's changed" - and the existing supply of approved suits disappearing into the clutches of masters floaters across the country. So the "approved" suit purchase was my back-up plan, and maybe more.
Since I despise Speedo, I began to look at some of the alternatives to the L(o)Z(e)R. Well, the TYR Tracer Rise is apparently not available to mortals like me; the approved Jaked likewise. The Arena Powerskin Revolution? Nope. So I ended up ordering the Rocket Science suit - apparently just like a banned B70, but different enough (WTF?) to be approved... According to the RS rep, the reason is that the fabric that underlies the neoprene coating is "different". The suit arrives today - we shall see.
Now, FINA are stating that some or all of the unapproved suits may yet still be permitted for this summer season (i.e. WC's in Rome). But, they say, beginning in 2010 all this tech suit advancement will come to an end, and we will go back to the good old days, when it was about the swimmer and not the suit. While I call BS on that premise to begin with, what does it mean for a swimmer who is considering where to spend his hard-earned suit dollars? On an approved suit that may well be banned in 5 months? Or wait until late 2009 for a new list of approved suits, and then hope that the manufacturer (who thinks any company other than Speedo will have a suit ready?) can produce a few hundred thousand before March?
I am pissed. :bitching: I have always had an intense dislike for the IOC/FINA/FIFA bureaucrats, but I think that the swimming federation now has lost all credibility with its athletes, its coaches (maybe with the exception of Schubert), and with its fans. Time to have a revolt.
YMMV.
I've had the same frustration. :bitching: I would have been happy as a clam finishing out the year in my B70 and then switching over to whatever tech suit was legal (with adequate time to identify and purchase such suit).
But the uncertainty over what (and for how long) X suit is legal, the lack of clarity wrt B70, and the mad dash to purchase a currently legal tech suit (most aren't available) is highly annoying. As you note, we may buy a legal tech suit only to have it thrown out or disallowed next month or at the end of the year or find out that the B70 is now legal and we don't need the new suit. Very frustrating for non-LZR users.
And I still have no real idea what I will be able to wear at upcoming meets. I have a USS meet on June 14 -- wasn't USA Swimming supposed to issue a formal ruling about FINA compliance today in fact? And I have a meet on June 21, 2 days after the next FINA approval list. Obviously, I have to have a legal suit in advance.
(And, Dolphin 2, don't bother telling me to wear a poly tank. I'm a competitive swimmer, and I prefer to compete in a legal tech suit to swim my fastest. I'm not against technological advancement or swimming fast.)
I think the best thing to do for most swimmers right now is to do nothing. Continue to wear whatever you wore before unless you specifically hear that you cannot. At some point here the dust is going to settle. That may not be until the end of the year, however.
Yes, this is a smelly can of worms. Two divisions are needed.
I shall make the distinction for wafflers.
Pre-compression, vs. what ever you can to buy to make you swim faster.
Take your pick.
I'm with you. Perhaps, this what changed my delinquent and inadequate torpedo into a distance OWS so such arguements became irrelevant. Best of luck in your swims.
