Evolution of the Speedo "Tech Suit"

I am doing a project for somebody which I hope all of you will see in February 2010 and I needed to see a progression of of Olympic swimsuits from 1992 forward.

Leave it to Playboy to do a an entire progression of Speedo swimsuits from 1988-2008. I figured many of you would like to see the progression and how we will move "forward to the past" so I am linking to it.

Warning: the link below goes directly to the Playboy but I posted 4-shots from the gallery above and I put the dates in the bottom left-hand-corner. Click on the image to enlarge it or go directly to the gallery:

[Link]

Consequently, 2010 will be the new 1996 and I expect USA Swimming membership membership will retrograde too.

Oscar Pistorius is free to run with carbon blades for legs despite theoretical advantages!

Sent to me by Q-Swim who I take very seriously!

In the movie at the top, Oscar Pistorius, is featured in the last 6-seconds sprinting with his blades for legs prosthetics. It's awesome!

Still, though evidence finds he may or may not have an advantage, his Cheetah Blades, or "tech-legs" are allowed in Olympic competition!

Perhaps tech-suits should be treated the sane way?

From the New York Times:

It took a landmark decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international panel that has authority over legal disputes, to overturn it. The court said that should he have been able to qualify, Pistorius would have been allowed to compete at the Beijing Games. But his best time of 46.25 seconds in the 400 meters ultimately fell short of the 45.95 qualifying standard.

For Pistorius, the consequences of the new findings are unclear. The I.A.A.F. may not choose to bar him again since the Court of Arbitration’s decision remains in effect as long as Pistorius continues to use the Cheetahs.

[Link]

FINA Coaches Commission recommends tech-suit records set in 2008-2009 be summarily degraded!

The FINA Coaches association is recommending in January that all of Speedo's competitors who set world records in 2008 and 2009 have their WRs considered as "second tier WRs" thereby elevating textile WRs as more special. [Read as diminishing all the brands that knocked Speedo off the "brand pedestal" making the suit nothing short of being a has been brand!]

Of course Mark Schubert, the Honorary Secretary, along with Coach John Leonard are on the FINA Coaches Commission and I am sure they have no problems whatsoever with degrading European accomplishments over those of our Speedo-wearing, American swimmers.

To be fair there would be some Speedo casualties though when FINA rubber stamps this proposal such as Rebbecca Adlington 400-free and Michael Phelps 100-butterfly, but France, China, Russia, Hungry, Brazil, Sweeden, Germany, Japanese and even non-Speedo-wearing American swimmers will all get hosed.

Of course they will just have to accept it since the "FINAutotacy" has their best interests in mind and they are the only governing body in town.

Isn't it amazing that a WR that is set legally and with FINA's blessing can now be repealed based on a whim or consideration of a small cabal and none of the swimmers who set these records have a say?

My source is the Times Online written by a fellow I refuse to link to.

This is probably the first time in history that the average swimmer at large wishes FINA would just go away or be replaced!

Satire image of the 'Swim News' site

I know this smells like me and I wish it was for it is amazingly creative and it is filled with "awesomeness and truth" but it is not me for I am not that brilliant - click on the image to see the enlarged size.

This was sent to me, I swear it was, and it is great Satire

Woman can't wear pants in Paris, France! - I kid you not!

Maly, I guess I can't get you that pair of Black Orchid jeans for Christmas!

Same old school mentality that outlawed tech suits is keeping women on a potential leash to be either arrested or fined when or if a technicality is needed.

From the Telegraph:

The rule banning women from dressing like men – namely by wearing trousers - was first introduced in 1800 by Paris' police chief and has survived repeated attempts to repeal it. [...]

The latest attempt to remove the outmoded rule was in 2003, when a Right-wing MP from President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party wrote to the minister in charge of gender equality. The minister's response was: "Disuse is sometimes more efficient than (state) intervention in adapting the law to changing mores."

[Link]

In other words, the French police chief has FINAutocracy powers! (Fina-autocracy) He can grant or choose to enforce what a person can or should wear.

There, I have coined a new word: FINAutocracy!

Well, if I was the French police chief, I would allow woman the right to wear whatever they wanted: fabric or neoprene.

Alain Bernard's freestyle catch compared with Jason Lezak's catch!

Now let's look at Jason Lezak:



I am lovin' both but I think Jason Lezak has better technique.

The transition of money from pro-swimming to triathletes is underway!

Every time I write a bold faced opinion, deep down I am never quite sure of it. I predicted that tech suit money would leave the sport in droves and the anxiety about my prediction dissipated when Rowdy Gaines agreed with my opinion in the comments section.

Now all this has happened over the last 6-months to further validate what I believe:

In January of 2010 TYR will be releasing a new wetsuit called the Hurricane primarily geared for the triathlete and open water swimmer.

Triathletes are showcased frequently on the TYR home page and the investment is obvious. Wait for "image three" to fade in.

The USAT is growing exponentially whereas USA Swimming and US Masters Swimming is simply up-trending.

Now, this article form The Water is Open with fact and figures. Here are just a few of them:

"... In fact, if we look at the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation data from the 2009 English Channel season, there were 62 successful crossings (including one two-way crossing) and 22 of those crossings were women (or 35% of the total which closely mirrors the overall percentage of women who participate in all forms of open water swimming). But, a number (to be confirmed) of these women are on the north side of 40.

While competitive pool swimming in the U.S. has consistently mirrored the general population growth in the U.S. for the last few decades, triathlons and open water swimming have both experienced explosive growth. The USAT data shows that triathlon participation in the U.S. is at an all-time high, following unprecedented growth over the past ten years. From membership numbers between 15,000 and 19,060 from 1993 to 1999, USAT membership surpassed 115,000 in 2009. Similarly, the anecdotal evidence in open water shows similar growth with the average number of participants in open water swims increasing from 156 in 1999 to over 280 in 2009.

Five open water swims are representative of this growth:

The Midmar Mile in South Africa has seen this growth:

1974 - 153 swimmers
1975 - 220 swimmers
1976 - 634 swimmers
1977 - 1,021 swimmers
1978 - 1,426 swimmers

[...]

1990 - 4,000 swimmers
1991 - 4,890 swimmers
1992 - 4,400 swimmers
1993 - 4,724 swimmers
1994 - 5,027 swimmers
1995 - 6,140 swimmers

[...]

2005 - 17,087 swimmers
2006 - 16,696 swimmers
2007 - 16,853 swimmers
2008 - 19,013 swimmers
2009 - 17,575 swimmers ..."

[Link]

Young Swimmers didn't get the memo that they will be swimming slower in textile suits!

This is just one swimmer, he mentions more. From Chris DeSantis at SwimmingWorld TV:

Dagny Knutson- New HS records in the 200 IM and 100 free

Dagny is guilty of a lot of things besides breaking high school records. Among the charges you could level against her:

1. Forgetting that North Dakota is not allowed to produce world class swimmers

2. Swimming high school and actually cheering for her teammates and caring about their state championship

3. Bouncing back from a disappointing summer and not burning out.

[Link]

The kids have inherited, or taken the sport back. It is all about age groupers now. These records may now be the "swan song" of any swimmer over the age of 24-years-old

Wendy walks the plank: She is now an oficial 'Pirate of the Caribbean!'

Arrr, Matey! Six wenches and one land-lubber forced to walk the plank for mutinous behavior! After swimming 3-nautical-miles, they landed in the Cayman islands and now they are official Pirates of the Caribbean. Captain Wendy was one of them!

From 10k swim:

The Pirates Week 5K Sea Swim, scheduled for this past Saturday in the Cayman Islands, was postponed due to the weather. Safety support, sponsor issues, volunteers and swimmer expectations are just a few of the serious concerns organizing committees always face when deciding whether to proceed or cancel under unpredictable conditions - and it is never an easy decision to make or announce.

Unofficially, however, seven swimmers showed up on race morning to do whatever the sea conditions would allow. Rough chop and large swells had calmed considerably overnight, so the locals and visitors enjoyed a combined 2.5K and 5K swim.

[Link]

Frederick Bousquet reveals how he trains in a interview with 'Gala.fr'

UPDATE: Maly has sent us a much nicer translation and it is posted in the comments section! Thank you Maly!

He also reveals a lot of personal details from his religion, what his tattoos represent, Laure Manadou, and he is well aware that he will need a career post swimming.

When asked if he has suffered a lot to be so "beautiful" - He answers yes, and blames it all on swimming. Nice!

1. He trains 6-hours-a-day and he loves it and has been doing it since 14-years old.

2. In the water from 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM working on technique

4. 10:00 AM he is either running with 30-pounds worth of weight in his hands or biking

5. 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM lifting weights

6. 5:00 PM - 6:15 more swimming

7. Works on his abs for one hour

Link to Gala.fr: [Link]

Wells College makes waves in dominating win! - Who?

It was a small Catholic college meet with little significance but the photo really captures the team aspects of what a swim team is all about and I had to post it.

From the Auburn Pub:

AURORA - It was nearly a perfect day in the pool for the Wells College women's swimming team Saturday.

The Express took first in every event except diving as they defeated the College of St. Elizabeth 70-24.

Wells Kelsey Stafford finished first in two events, with a personal best in the 100 freestyle (1:08.30), shaving four seconds off her best time. Stafford also won the 100 breaststroke (1:28.17). Both events are new to Stafford who is usually a distance swimmer.

[Link]

Dagny Knutson in 'USA Today!'

Dagny Knutson's enthusiasm explains why every four years a kid comes out of nowhere and beats the unbeatable veteran or beaks the unbreakable record. For the kid, it's a quest; for the veteran it is a day job.

From USA Today:

When the Majettes had their streak of 15 straight West Region titles snapped by Williston last weekend, Knutson showed just how important by addressing her teammates.

"I told them we've got to make sure that we work together, whether it's swimming or just cheering each other on," Knutson said. "We have to make sure we do the little things, like cooling down after races, because it helps you recover better.

"We had people getting dressed and going in the stands before the meet was over," she said. "We need to be together as a team."

[...]

The Majettes have won the last six state championships, and Knutson would very much like to finish her high school career by extending that streak to seven.

"I really want to end my high school career on a good note, and I really want to perform well," Knutson said.

[Link]

Now try and remember what Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe were like at 17-years-old. They were not rich, they had not climbed their personal "Mount Everests" and they couldn't wait to get back into the pool.

Now contrast all of the above to Dara Torres. Dara already had the money, the fame and celebrity status. She is winning because she, like 17-year-old Dagny Knutson, is on a quest and not a grind. Swimming is not a day job for Dara or Dagny.

Torres has recently subjected herself to a severely painful surgery so she could still compete and any meet she swims in, she is there to win. For, Dagny, every meet is an opportunity and that includes a high school meet in a town we have never heard of against a competitor she can lap. Dagny made it an opportunity to set a record or two and made it a point to inspire her teammates.

In the twilight of their careers, Thorpe and perhaps Phelps have lost the enthusiasm that Dagny and Dara still have. When Phelps says he is not in the greatest shape coming into these FINA World Cup events, perhaps swimming is becoming more of a day job with a final curtain just meters away in 2012?

Tech Suits have allowed Jessica Hardy and Peter Marshall to earn a living wage during the 'FINA World Cup!'

I am rooting for Peter Marshall and Jessica Hardy - I am hoping each makes about $200k before the FINA World Cup is over. It's not much but it will support them till 2012.

Unfortunately, the idea of talented swimmers making a living wage "off the backs" of FINA and their sponsors really bothers a particular journalist in the UK whose name must never be mentioned and whose site should never be linked to.

He feels that swimmers setting world records in "shiny suits" are severely hurting the sport due to the numerous $10,000 payouts being awarded to swimmers by FINA and Arena for every WR that is set.

How dare the talent make money!

How dare these swimmers setting times never before seen actually MAKE MONEY as FINA syndicates the event on TV.

How dare the talent make FINA, an organization that makes 25-million dollars a year off the backs of suit manufacturers, parents, national governing bodies and donations be forced to payout 2-million-dollars-and-change over a 2-year period to support these swimmers.

To think that FINA has been forced to payout 5%-or-so of their gross income per year to the greatest achievers of our sport while they syndicate their races on TV and on the internet is summarily "immoral" isn't it? Thus, the suits and the income they are providing to full time swimmers MUST BE STOPPED.

Seriously now and without sarcasm, the scariest thing about this opinion is that FINA actually agrees with it.

Darian Townsend beat Michael in a 'blueseventy Nero'

I got a note from a PR person at blueseventy that Darian Townsend, The South African swimmer wore a b70 during one of the heats. The PR people are thrilled. Also, I believe Townsend wore the suit by choice and that he is not a sponsored athlete. Ultimately, that is the best endorsement you could ever ask for.

From CNN International:

"...The 24-year-old American swam a short-course personal best in the 100 meters butterfly of 51.06 seconds in the morning but failed to make the final -- his third failure to progress this week -- while in the evening he was beaten into second place in the men's 200m individual medley by South Africa's Darian Townsend, who set a World Cup best of one minute 51.79 seconds. ..."

[Link]

From The Times Life:

"I went in with the mindset that I was going to race the second seed guy in the first 100 metres and then try pull away from him in the second 100 metres, but when I saw the gap I had on him after 50 metres already, I decided to go for it.

"I was still very shocked to see the time at the end. It goes to show it happens when you least expect.

"The individual medley was almost straight after the 200 freestyle, but I made the most of the time I had between the two events to eat a little and warm down. There was no one close to me in the actual race so I am pleased with the time considering I was alone at the front. It is also nice to dip under the 1:53 barrier again, something I haven't done since the World Cup in Berlin last year."

[Link]

I really think his effort should be talked about some more.

Phelps and Bowman render reasons for a very dissapointing meet!

Amy Shipley of the Washington Post offers fine analysis not just on Phelps but other American competitors who showed up and did well.

When Phelps and Bowman offered an explanation as to his unusually anemic performance, I love the part about "US Officials" - read that as USA Swimming Execs explaining that it was all about the suit choice. I suspect Amy Shipley was holding her nose the whole time when offered that as the reason for his bad showing.

From The Washington Post:

"... He blamed his performance on not being sufficiently fit and failing to adapt to the increased number of turns in short-course meters (25-meter pools instead of 50), events in which he has rarely competed. Bowman acknowledged that Phelps's choice of swimwear -- he wore a textile, waist-to-knee "jammer" rather than a long, high-tech model that will be banned as of Jan. 1 -- likely contributed. U.S. officials who declined to be identified because they did not wish to appear to be poor sports said it was the suit choice, period, that slowed Phelps. ..."

[Link]

Right now a "perfect storm" has hit Speedo. They did lousy at the 2009 FINA World Championships whereas Jaked, Arena and Adidas became the industry standard, they are being sued by TYR, they recently took a several-million-dollar hit with the abolition of their full body suits, and now their best and most expensive swimmer had a terrible showing in their brand new $260 jammer.

There is no swimsuit leader. They is no swimsuit you can point to on January 1st 2010 and say that is the best suit around.

Shark bite acts as emergency "caesarean" for pregnant shark!

They are going to let the babies go into the wild. Personally I think they should give them to another aquarium.

From the Telegraph:

A shark stunned aquarium visitors in New Zealand when it bit a female shark's stomach, causing four baby sharks to spill out of its womb.

[Link]

Originally spotted on Digg.com

Leaked photos of the new 'blueseventy' jammer! - I am told it uses the same fabric as the Speedo!

I was sent these images anonymously. The letters "FPO" placed on top of the suit stand for "For Position Only." In graphic art, artists will throw down images when they don't have the final art to illustrate where the photo goes or how it lays out on the page. Obviously these images were destined to represent what will be in a print catalog of some kind and I am very stoked I was sent these.

They are sort of grainy since they are "low rez" but note I "blew out the levels in Photoshop" so I can illustrate how the suit has no seams. The suit is more opaque than these images show. The artist that sent me these photos say that they use the same material that the new Speedo LZR Elite is using and the price is NOT GOING TO BE $260

'Speedo' presents: "The Golden Jammer!"

Kastaway blog with a huge scoop that took my breath away. Rob of RobAquatics sent it to me in an IM and I was completely floored. I was going to copy/paste the the conversation but I dropped to many "f-bombs" [expletives] trying to understand how Speedo; (and it is Speedo who set this price), can actually say with a straight face that their new LZR jammer will sell for $260!

From Kastaway:

The LZR Racer Elite Jammer will retail for $260.00, which is more than the FS-Pro Jammer ($180.00) but less than the original offering of the now-illegal LZR Racer Jammer ($290.00).

[Link]

Response from Rob of RobAquatics: "...If I'm a parent, I'm more pissed about a $260 jammer than I am a $300 B70..."

I think USA Swimming's argument that suits are too expensive for kids and their families just circled the toilet.

Is this not madness? No, this is Speeeeedo!"