Discuss the below
How long until this is banned? Surely its not designed for cooling and actually to increase pace?
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This was launched on 1st April, I believe.
A fool and their money are easily partied.
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It was launched yesterday?
Do you work for EZ Gains Ltd?
Why would it be banned, anyway?
We’ve seen how overheating even in the swim affects outcomes. Look at the feedback Knibb gave us all last October.
What evidence is there that it has a beneficial hydrodynamic effect?
No I don’t work for EZ Gains. If I did, would I really ask if the product is likely to be banned. I’m just asking whether other people see it as a faring badged up as a cooling device and was interested on other peoples thoughts.
In a race you are required to wear the swim cap provided. It wouldn’t fit over this.
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I think being non buoyant it might not get banned.
@Bryancd you sure? Decent quality rubber caps are quite flexible - it’s not that big.
I’m glad you posted this. I hope that this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. To try and pass this off as a “safety” device is a joke. I’m not saying it doesn’t do what is claimed (I haven’t looked that deep) but cmon man
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To be fair this is not allowed under World Aquatics rules for sure. You can’t have anything in swim caps creating artificial shaping, enhancing performance, providing external stimulation…
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Even if it doesn’t fit the IM caps, I’m sure that there are smaller versions of this which could accomplish the same thing. And again, there’s a spectrum of valid applications of this shape (style your hair to fill a similar shape) all the way to the clearly just for the gains (whatever this is, less the prescribed cooling effect).
So the better question then is - does it make you swim faster? If it doesn’t make you swim faster, then this is all for naught. But if there’s a material benefit, then now pandora’s box is opened (similar to the bottle down the jersey) and the rules need to be clarified.
With Kona being hot and Knibb saying she was close to overheating already on the swim, and with ice in the helmet now a thing for hot races, its not hard to imagine a few pros picking up on the cooling effect - even if there’s no swim benefit.
I’m not sure but the IM swim caps are cheap and super thin. I think your World Aquatics Rule would definitely come into play here.
Why the worry about IM caps and not triathlon caps in general?
Yes, in general all race caps which are required to be worn are thin, I just often marvel how crappy the IM ones are.
not in every race tbh - I have a couple that are quite thick. The ones at WT races are really good usually (my go to for pool swimming currently).
Also - device, then thicker cap to stretch and hold it, then IM cap? It’s not like they can penalize you if it breaks…
Let’s say it’s allowable, would any of the features like warming, cooling work? Would it be 'faster" die to thar crazy shape? They don’t seem to be advertising it as “faster” which is probably intentional.
I have a race in less than 2 weeks with water currently at 24 degrees - most likely no wetsuit. I’d like some ice on the head to keep me cool when I push…
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For €224 I don’t mind going a little slower. I can afford 5-10 more minutes
A swim cap is clearly designed to offer the athlete a fluid dynamic advantage - so unfair unless all have to wear one - why are they even allowed?
But then if the water is hot, athletes (not all men) lose them in the water, thus gaining a different advantage, maybe. If that happens maybe a statutory 15 seconds stationary in T1 would deter.
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Someone needs to make an buoyant cod piece like this to protect your junk in those violent swims.
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