In the past year, Speedo introduced the LZR Racer suit, a full-body, technologically constructed super swim suit. (pictured left)
Speedo has one of my favorite websites, because you just feel cooler after you look at it.
There now, don't you feel cooler?
This past week, the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) met with suit manufacturers to clarify the restrictions on competition suits. You can read all the intricate details here.
Speedo is not the only manufacturer of full-body, high-tech suits. Lara wore a Blue Seventy at Olympic Trials, and a TYR-- oops, no I meant this TYR -- at the international meet in Japan.
The team suits at 2008 NCAAs were Nike. Below, Annie Chandler, Hailey DeGolia, and Lara celebrate their 200 medley relay victory. Notice the Nike.
How we know there's a suit issue:
Over 100 world records were broken in the past year, and most of the record breakers were wearing one of these high-tech suits.
Studies determined that the suits help stocky swimmers more than tall swimmers.
At over 500 dollars, the suits are not accessible to every swimmer. Lara said her team and coaches had to jump through hoops to get suits for all the swimmers who qualified for Olympic Trials.
In Lara's words, "The suit thing turned out to be kind of a mess." She said the records have been broken, so what would happen to the records if the suits are declared to be "technological doping"?
Lara: "How do you undo letting go floodgates?"
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