I am curious to see if the banning of tech suits will affect the motivation to compete in masters swimmers who are currently used to wearing these suits.
Obviously, much is in flux right now, but let us stipulate, for the sake of argument, that men are allowed briefs or jammers, and women are allowed leg-less tank suits of the yesteryear variety. Moreover, these must be made out of "normal" textiles--nothing all that fancy. Think spandex, nylon, or polyester. Think Speedo catalogs from the 1970s.
I have gotten used to my tech-suit aided times and am pretty sure that going 2 seconds slower per 100 is going to be psychologically, well, obnoxious. I am not yet sure if it will affect my meet participation, but I gotta say that it might. It's one thing to pay a ton of money to go to a national or even regional meet in the hopes of doing somewhere close to a lifetime best. It's another thing to attend such meets when you will be most likely swimming times more in keeping with your perceived sense of decrepitude and senescence! I know it was always psychological, a small white lie I was telling myself that I was still almost as fast at 56 as I was at 19.
But once the white lie is irrevocably gone, will I want to demonstrate its absence to myself over and over again?
For the truly top elite swimmers, who are racing against each other for bragging rights at the mountaintop of their respective age group, it may make less of a difference. But for some, like me, who were competing more against our own memories of our younger selves, the change might be harder to accept.
By the way, I am one of those who freely admit that tech suits have helped my times significantly.
Former Member
I am equally likely to compete. I really don't see the allowance or not of techsuits being any reason for me to change my mind about competing.
Although, I'm not exactly looking forward to shaving down for the first time, which now that tech suits are banned, I am even far more likely to end up doing. *looks at self and sighs* I am one hairy sonuva'gun.
Former Member
Racing is racing, and that's what the meets are about. The times will be slower, but it's all relative. I would never have approached my LT bests in the new suits anyway.
But the hypocrisy of Speedo, and Schubert in particular, really piss me off.:bitching:
Former Member
Something about a RAT'S ASS comes to mind. If you are in it for the suits go pose somewhere else.
Former Member
I am curious to see if the banning of tech suits will affect the motivation to compete in masters swimmers who are currently used to wearing these suits.
Oops. Sorry, I answered the poll before reading the sentence above.
Never even felt the desire to wear one. The only change I made in these last seven years was to go from two-months-and-you-could-be-arrested-for-indecent-exposure Lycra (et al.) suits to Polyester (briefs, which, BTW, can trap air.)
the highest tech suit i own is a fs pro and tracer lite, which will make the cut as let's face it, are the old paper suits. think early 90's. it is just the rubberized suits,- lzr, jaked, blue 70. i was just getting used to longer suits. i hate tanks on the starting block. if they ride up, there's not a lot you can do:)
Former Member
i voted more likely.... i have all but lost interest in pool meets where the big discussion is "what are you wearing?"
You forgot this poll question.
I will wear a tech suit if I could afford it so I will have to compete without one
Former Member
Numerous people have mentioned how long it takes to put one of these suits on - so where is there room for air to be trapped? I should think it gets squeezed out as one wriggles into the thing.
As for modesty, wasn't there a female swimmer from some conservative Muslim country who got to compete in Bejing precisely because of the extra coverage of the tech suits? In that sense, the suits did level the playing field.
Former Member
Numerous people have mentioned how long it takes to put one of these suits on - so where is there room for air to be trapped? I should think it gets squeezed out as one wriggles into the thing.
As for modesty, wasn't there a female swimmer from some conservative Muslim country who got to compete in Bejing precisely because of the extra coverage of the tech suits? In that sense, the suits did level the playing field.
The air is trapped in the fabric between the skin and the rubber coating. It is very apparent to me in the B70. If the suits were entirely rubber - I think they would not trap much air - just in odd body pockets (which might also end up filled with water).
