World Championships -- Swim Suits

Triathlon Forum
1

I have stopped trying to keep on top of all of the recent developments regarding FINA and the swim suits within the last year or so. So, I have a few questions.

  1. Are the suits that are being worn today similar to the ones at Beijing, like the Speedo LZR? If not, what is the difference?

  2. I know these suits will be banned in 2010, but what exactly will be banned? What suits will be allowed? Remember when the Speedo Fastskins came out? They were considered too fast too; will they be allowed?

  3. At Kona in '08 I wore an Xterra Velocity. Technically, it is not a wetsuit, but it sure felt like one. Is this the type of suit that will be banned by FINA next year? Will it be banned at Kona too?

Thanks in advance,
David

2

This slipped to the 4th page very fast, so BUMP. Where is FLA Jill for my answers?

3

Previous tech suit discussions here:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2430642;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2427937;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

  1. Latest generation are polymer and not ‘textile’

  2. They’re still working on new tech standards for 2010, unlike the half-assed guidelines issued this spring for the remainder of competition in 2009

  3. No idea of what the rulebook will be for triathlon.

4

According to Swimming World, the new suit regulations will severely limit the size of the suits in addition to limiting them to “textile” material…whatever that means.

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/21778.asp

This means that:

  • men’s suits will be limited in size from waist to knees
  • women’s suits will be shoulder to knees with no arm covering
5

It is too bad that this controversy has developed. First, as a long-time swimmer and former All-American, the swim suit evolution has eliminated any reasonable comparisons of time. What I did in the 80s (as well as my contemporaries) seems like minor league today. Secondly, and equally important, these suits raise enough questions about the true quality of these swims. On Sunday, with all of those world records, it is easy to suggest that it is all the suit and not the swimmer. How else could Pelligrini go under 4:00 for the 400m free? Must be the suit, right? Well, we will never really know and it subtracts substantially from what otherwise would look like some amazing performances.

(As a side note, there have been all kinds of technological improvements, as well as rule changes, over the years, but they have been somewhat minor. As a backstroker, I was sadened to see the new no-touch-with-hand rule enacted in 1991, because it made every still swimming much faster. But it was a rule that made sense, and frankly, it was measurable. What we have seen in the last 12-18 months is completely different).

6

I was glad to see that rule- I was never coordinated enough to pull off a proper spin turn, and the revised turn rules let me dabble in backstroke instead of getting stuck in the distance lane all the time.

I can also remember the massive revisions to breaststroke in the mid-late 80s- you can put your head all the way under the water- fancy that!

OTOH, there have also been rules that slowed down times- the 15M underwater rule and the move to zerl false starts allowed come to mind.

7

Don’t forget about the SC backstroke rule where you used to be able to do a stand up start. Changed in '88 or so. Then you had to have most of your body in the water, not just your heels. Remember that change? Added up to about a half second slower per start.

8

I’m still bummed that they no longer have a true freestyle event. Banning underwater dolphin past 15m for “freestyle” effectively created the front crawl event. I’d like a freestyle event.