You heard it from me first!

The suits were banned because of the advantages they provided to some swimmers and not others, causing an unfair situation. I don't think Masters should allowed this and FINA rules should apply. I don't have a tech suit, nor am I in a position to get one at this point - but I don't see that tech suits advantage or disadvantage one swimmer from another, unless one is wearing a suit and the other is not because the non wearer is not allowed to wear one. I think the suits should stay - maybe not the pure polyu suits, but really look at the technology as a whole and finding a balance. Prices will come down and they wioll be more affordable like everything else - still the swimmer is always going to be 98%-99% of the performance. At the master's level you have varous levels of skill and competitive nature. We all have access to the suits now (while they are "legal" if we choose to pay - and hopefully get the suit that maximizes our own performance. Will buying a LZR or a Jaked suit now make me a top ten swimmer - NO. If I get to the point of knocking on that door and if that acheivement means enough to me - then I'll weigh that cost. As for Masters not following FINA rules on suits - let the USMS and the swimmer's decide (I'd prefer not to shave - although I would imagine I'm not close to Wookie, I am a bit on the wooly side), with the caveat that we know any records set or top ten swims in those non-Fina approved suits will not count in FINA. Swims 2, 3 and 4 in relays don't count as records because of the flying start advantage. We are all old enough, and are not delusional enough that a simple item of plastic/fabric and chemicals will make us into superswimmers beyond comprehension.

The suits were banned because of the advantages they provided to some swimmers and not others, causing an unfair situation. I don't think Masters should allowed this and FINA rules should apply. I don't have a tech suit, nor am I in a position to get one at this point - but I don't see that tech suits advantage or disadvantage one swimmer from another, unless one is wearing a suit and the other is not because the non wearer is not allowed to wear one. I think the suits should stay - maybe not the pure polyu suits, but really look at the technology as a whole and finding a balance. Prices will come down and they wioll be more affordable like everything else - still the swimmer is always going to be 98%-99% of the performance. At the master's level you have varous levels of skill and competitive nature. We all have access to the suits now (while they are "legal" if we choose to pay - and hopefully get the suit that maximizes our own performance. Will buying a LZR or a Jaked suit now make me a top ten swimmer - NO. If I get to the point of knocking on that door and if that acheivement means enough to me - then I'll weigh that cost. As for Masters not following FINA rules on suits - let the USMS and the swimmer's decide (I'd prefer not to shave - although I would imagine I'm not close to Wookie, I am a bit on the wooly side), with the caveat that we know any records set or top ten swims in those non-Fina approved suits will not count in FINA. Swims 2, 3 and 4 in relays don't count as records because of the flying start advantage. We are all old enough, and are not delusional enough that a simple item of plastic/fabric and chemicals will make us into superswimmers beyond comprehension.