Craig Lord's rather inflammatory article www.swimnews.com/.../6918 on the possibility that USMS will depart from FINA vis a vis allowed swim suits raises a fundamental issue:
If masters swimming allows a more lenient policy regarding suit technology than FINA swimming, will this help or hurt our status in the swimming world?
I love the high tech suits, and I think FINA has been boneheaded in many ways, but I personally think that the creation of a two-tier system--regular swimming and masters "handicapped" swimming--would be bad for our sport and only marginalize us in the world of athletics.
If the choice comes down to two options--abide by FINA's suit rulings OR permit suits like the B70 for masters (if it is outlawed by FINA for "real" swimmers), which side would you support?
It doesn't make sense to change rules in the middle of the year and in the middle of LCM season.
If Blue70 is illegal shouldn't the LZR also be illegal? It has a solid neoprene pad that is probably non-permeable and I have been told is relatively thick.
A suit should not provide flotation, period. I think if FINA bans suits that provide flotation, either through trapping air, or, using neoprene and making the tech suit a very thin wetsuit, it will level the playing field.
If that occurs, they should re-think the WR and Top 10 times swum in those suits.
Should WR times in those suits have asterisks after them?
It doesn't make sense to change rules in the middle of the year and in the middle of LCM season.
If Blue70 is illegal shouldn't the LZR also be illegal? It has a solid neoprene pad that is probably non-permeable and I have been told is relatively thick.
A suit should not provide flotation, period. I think if FINA bans suits that provide flotation, either through trapping air, or, using neoprene and making the tech suit a very thin wetsuit, it will level the playing field.
If that occurs, they should re-think the WR and Top 10 times swum in those suits.
Should WR times in those suits have asterisks after them?
