WTF?
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../21392.asp
I guess this means that "anything goes" in masters, unless your national federation places its own limitations on approved suits.
Former Member
I am curious about the relative sizes of the USAS and USMS markets. Everyone is assuming that the masters market is tiny in comparison...but I tell you, when I go to just run-of-the-mill meets, tech suits are MUCH more in evidence at masters meets than at age-group meets.
You can look at this as a basic business model. 30,000 USMS active members, generously 50% compete (15,000), 20% own a tech suit (3,000) you buy a tech suit every 18 months (1,200 annually) a suit costs $400 retail ($200 whsl) that's $240k revenue. Split that between Speedo, B70 and TYR (not to mention Jaked, Finis et.) Each player gets about $800k annually. Pays reps, sponsored athletes, promotions and advertising to the USMS audience.
There is no cash to be made here. Between USA, High School and College, not to include summer league (a debate on another thread) There your tech suit potential is about 15X the USMS number.
The manufacturer's will stick to the legal suits and keep all the markets supplied.
Unless they can see the writing on the wall?
And if anybody out there can make out the writing, please let us know!
I guess the writing must have said, "Sue FINA!"
Just found this blog entry by David Guthrie, which captures well how I feel about blurring the line between USS and USMS:
www.floswimming.org/.../5124-emerge
This is why I think the rules should be the same, as much as possible. I'm willing to accept, grudgingly, the existence of "butterfrog" as an isolated historic anamoly -- my aching knees would accept it better if they reciprocated and allowed dolphin kick during breatstroke ("breastdolphin?") :) -- but I think allowing "fast suits" at masters and not USS sends the wrong message that masters is not for serious swimming. Even Creampuff echoed such sentiments, unless I'm misreading her statements.
I swim in both types of meets, strictly as a matter of venue and scheduling. Sometimes I swim better in the USS meets and sometimes the USMS, but it isn't because one is inherently more conducive to fast swimming than the other. I should point out that at every single USS meet I have ever been to, at least one swimmer and one parent has approached me and told me how "inspired" they are to see fast swimming by someone who is middle-aged (I detest that phrase but have to face facts).
Don't we want to be getting this message out to our young swimmers? And their parents? Blurring the boundaries between the two worlds is a good way to do that.
FINA's analogy to drug testing is incorrect. Drug testing is expensive, would result in a lot of positives in the masters world due to legitimate medical treatments, and would be a logistical nightmare at big masters meets. But I think cheating by wearing an illegal suit would be more obvious. (We already forbid multiple suits, which isn't always so easy to determine.)
I am not faulting USMS for their current stance. This is a difficult transition period and FINA has not provided a lot of leadership. But I really hope that eventually (say, within a year), USS and USMS will have united suit rules.
Just found this blog entry by David Guthrie, which captures well how I feel about blurring the line between USS and USMS:
www.floswimming.org/.../5124-emerge
... I really hope that eventually (say, within a year), USS and USMS will have united suit rules.
Good post by Mr. Guthrie.
I second your hope for a unified suit policy, provided it is clearly articulated and objectively measurable.
Actually, the spoke yesterday. They announced they would release the retest list on June 22, after the paris open. They were going to do it the day before the meet but were asked by the french federation to wait until after the meet.
Excellent! I can definitely swim with a B70 and a clear conscience on the 21st then. I did swam sans B70 last weekend and did not even drown.
Will FINA officially address masters then I wonder?
Actually, the spoke yesterday. They announced they would release the retest list on June 22, after the paris open. They were going to do it the day before the meet but were asked by the french federation to wait until after the meet.
is there a link to this?
