santino314 wrote:
Congrats on a great race! I had a good time watching you guys on the live stream while on the trainer. The footage was surprisingly good.
I have a few questions about what you wore on the day. Functionality questions, not fashion. You raced in Kiwami's LD suit but opted to toss a Huub swimskin over it for the swim. I know the Kiwami has a few pockets but they seem well shielded/tight so they wouldn't catch too much water. What do you think the rough time savings is between swimming in the Kiwami LD versus a dedicated swimskin? I realize saving just 1s/100m is valuable for a pro but for an AG on a budget, I can afford to lose 30 seconds to save $200.
Additionally, why not wear a sleeved top for the bike? Was heat a deciding factor?
Yes, I raced in Kiwami's Spider WS1 1 pc tri suit. It is extremely comfortable, and does have a few pockets on the sides and one on the back. I did swim in the Huub Swimskin as well. I honestly don't know how much faster per 100 the swimskin is than the Kiwami suit, but it is faster. The Kiwami suit is great and would be fine to swim with. But as you said, even 1 second per 100 can make a huge difference in a race. I don't think of it necessarily in terms of saving time though. I think of it in terms of saving energy. On Saturday, I missed the front pack, but was sitting comfortably in the second pack. I could have swam harder, but if I did I would have been swimming alone or pulling the entire group. Either is inefficient. When swimming in the pack, efficiency becomes the key. Wearing the Huub swimskin, I am able to work just a little less at the same speed so I can save just a bit more for the bike/run.
Clothing fit is really individual. When I tested the Spider verses the Kona Wings (long sleeve) in the Velodrome, the spider was a hair faster. So that is what I will use. My years as a wrestler left me with forward shoulders, so there were a lot of wrinkles in the Kona wings while in aero. The wrinkles mean more drag. The long sleeve and quarter sleeve are much faster on many (most) individuals, the Kona wings just weren't on me.