FINA suit rules or anything goes?

Since Ahelee posted the first part of the conversation on my blog out here... here's the rest of it between me and CL... (the orignal post and all the comments are here) Rob D. Said... Craig - thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I appreciate you taking the time to do so. I'm glad to hear you have an appreciation for masters swimming, but the tone of your article wasn't very friendly towards it. As a general rule I don't agree with a lot of your opinions on tech suits, but I try not to get too wrapped up in that. You're not going to change my mind and I'm not going to change your mind on the topic, that's ok. However I took issue with the light that you painted competitive masters swimmers in. Masters has everything from 50+ year old beginners to current and past Olympians. Those of us that compete put forth our best efforts and a lot of us take it pretty seriously, but the competition always stays friendly and I think that's what makes it special. If I misread the meaning of your writing I apologize, but I'm not the only person that took it that way. I guess my biggest question is what is the context of "the rules do not apply to Masters?" Obviously we have some rules that are different (no drug testing, the ability to "butterfrog" in a butterfly race, etc.), but in regards to swimsuits we have been using the same rules as everyone else affiliated with FINA up until just recently. For example, I was at a masters meet in Southern California this weekend where officials asked swimmers to remove drag suits to stay in accordance with the 1 suit rule even though a drag suit doesn't offer any speed advantage. The correspondence I've had with people in USMS basically points towards masters falling in line with FINA once they make a clear and concise ruling, and I assume we will. Whether that happens or not is yet to be seen and out of my control, but a scenario where masters is left open as a technological free for all is pretty unlikely. Craig Lord said... Rob, my question to FINA was worded in a way that it would be impossible to be understood in any other way: I was talking ONLY about suits. On the other matter, some seemed to have linked "SwimNews doesn't cover masters" with my take on a minority of masters. SwimNews doesn't cover masters because we only cover the elite race pool, and yes, there is a big gulf between those two worlds, as we all know. That is not to belittle any of the splendid things that go on in masters but nothing, in any sport, any activity, can compare with the highest plain in that world of activity. Like central government, FINA and a village committee, if you like: they're all politicians but they're not quite the same thing. I think in time, if masters gets to be the playground that it may become should the fast suit folk remain, you may come to understand better some of the issues I have given warning about over the past year. Kind regards, Craig

I have even raced as a master. I don't make it a habit. I swim regularly to maintain a heart beat that wakes at 36 to this day after many years of 14 to 18km of training a day that I enjoyed and that took me to about the speed of Petra Schneider on a 400m medley. Beyond that, I love masters for the kind of things I have seen from Shane Gould: the example, the role model, the lifelong learning about water and water skills. Gould has so many lessons from which we can all learn, and from which the sport itself can learn, lessons that could help avoid repetitive strain injuries, lessons that could help kids learn about water in an enlightening way that helps them to become better swimmers and have more fun. Okay, wait. Is Craig male or female? I assume female as (s)/he is comparing their times and performance to a woman, Petra Schneider. As for me I'm going back to the kiddie pool to relearn the doggie paddle.

Kristina, while you're doggie paddling in the kiddie pool, I'll play in the sandbox outside the kindergarten classroom. Despite our Ivy League educations, we obviously have no grasp or understanding of the issues only Mr. Lord-Savonarola can opine about. Perhaps, if we are very fortunate, we can one day be sufficiently re-educated and erudite so that we "may come to understand" his hyperbole. Beyond that, I love masters for the kind of things I have seen from Shane Gould: the example, the role model, the lifelong learning about water and water skills. Gould has so many lessons from which we can all learn, and from which the sport itself can learn, lessons that could help avoid repetitive strain injuries, lessons that could help kids learn about water in an enlightening way that helps them to become better swimmers and have more fun. Quiet! I'm still trying to learn about water! Maybe I'll get it after my 11.5 K OW this weekend.

learn about water in an enlightening way that helps them to become better swimmers and have more fun. Screw elite. I'm all about learning to have more fun via Mr. Lord's methodology which obviously involves a very low resting heart rate and clawing my eyes out (I mean sitting! :afraid:) through masters meets.

But for a suit like, say, the Jaked 01, which would seem to have no real use outside top-level swimming competition, the potential market for it might end up being so small that they stop making it anyway. There is a key point here to consider. Regardless of the adoption of the FINA ruling for USMS, without age group and federation swimming, USMS alone can not bring enough buyers to the table to justify a manufacturer supporting a non-FINA approved suit. There may be a short stream of B70 suits available as closeouts, but no manufacturer will spend development money on a USMS only suit. OR go along with open water and triathlons (USTA) and open the suit rules up completely. USTA does have restrictions, but they are more forgiving. I am not suggesting it, just throwing out the option. Regarding the "no drug testing" in USMS discussion, until there is a cash prize on the line (not counting suit sponsorships) the primary benefit of winning is pride. We hope that as adults, a drug fueled win does not really directly translate to pride in your accomplishment.

Quiet! I'm still trying to learn about water! Maybe I'll get it after my 11.5 K OW this weekend. Our club hosted a clinic with Shane Gould. Learning more about water is a good way to describe her approach. For someone of her accomplishments, she comes off incredibly humble. It was clear that she loved many water related activities and really strives to be an all around water person. She swims, surfs, lifeguard competitions, OW... That's awesome that you are doing an 11.5K OW event. :bow: A good person to read about is a Coach at Mission Viejo. Siga Rose. Another incredible coach and person. She has some amazing open water stories. She has probably forgotten more than I will ever know about swimming. She coached my youngest son last summer as well as guys I share a lane with in masters.

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?

when i wake up with a heart rate below 40, i head right for the espresso machine.