Indifferent swimmers break 8 world records while whining about Speedo's LZR Racer continues

If you hadn't heard by now, Speedo's new LZR Racer swimsuit has caused a respectable amount of controversy for itself in the run-up to the Olympics. The innovative, NASA-aided design cinches up on a swimmer and reduces drag by as much as 10 percent, and detractors claim Speedo has thrown a bit of buoyancy in there for good measure. FINA, who has the last word on such matters, has approved the suit, says that buoyancy claims are unproven, and has pointed out that all major manufacturers have suits available to all athletes free of charge, removing any concerns that the $500 suits -- which only last for 10 uses -- will pose an obstacle to poorer countries. Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest criticism of the suit has come from countries tied up in sponsorships with other suit manufacturers, while a good many countries and athletes have broken from lucrative deals to swim Speedo. So, what's the actual damage? 48 world records were set this year before the olympics, 44 of those wearing the suit. Since the olympics have started, 8 records have fallen, and that number is certain to grow. A large number, to be sure, but we'd say the time for crying over Speedo's awesmazingness is over, and the time to watch really muscular people with large feet break world records is upon us.

Read - DailyTech
Read - Sports Illustrated

[KyleC @ Aug 12th 2008 10:43AM]

It seems like everybody is wearing these things nowadays, go Phelps! :)

[anonymouspimp @ Aug 12th 2008 11:23AM]

Yeah, this picture is INFINITELY better than the one I just saw with Phelps in the same pose.

[NHAnimator @ Aug 12th 2008 11:34AM]

"It seems like everybody is wearing these things nowadays"

Hell, I'm wearing one right now at my computer. Little tight in the crotch, but hey, I'm up to 60 WPM.

[snowenloe @ Aug 12th 2008 11:48AM]

@ NHAnimator

That was some funny shit!

[Ethan @ Aug 12th 2008 12:42PM]

And while we're on that subject, how do you go to the toilet?

[Blackstar @ Aug 12th 2008 12:50PM]

Well when you do get there, you can pee 10% faster.

[Interpol @ Aug 12th 2008 12:53PM]

I'm waiting for the day when everyday fat people show up at the beach or the pool wearing these.

It's like the dorks on bikes wearing the yellow Tour de France jerseys.

[Flashpoint @ Aug 12th 2008 2:19PM]

They refused to let me wear the nanomuscle suit to the Olympics because I wanted to use MAXIMUM STRENGTH, and MAXIMUM SPEED.

go figure.

[thedesolate1 @ Aug 12th 2008 9:20PM]

I for one welcome our new Speedo aquamen overlords.

[agroupofletters @ Aug 13th 2008 2:16AM]

Another thing people don't seem to realize is that the pool is also the reason the records are being broken. The chinese built the pool 2 lanes wider and 4 ft deeper than the standard olympic swimming pool, and this allows the wakes to dissapate faster and in turn allow the athletes to swim faster.

the destruction of the records is really coming from a combination of these factors.

[neofolklore @ Aug 13th 2008 8:10AM]

I've killed so many koreans in this thing

[Dan @ Aug 12th 2008 10:50AM]

They do have big feet don't they?

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
no-one you see, is smarter than he,
and we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
flying there-under, under the sea!

Everyone loves the king of the sea,
ever so kind and gentle is he,
tricks he will do when children appear,
and how they laugh when he's near!

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
no-one you see, is smarter than he,
and we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
flying there-under, under the sea!

[futurebird @ Aug 12th 2008 10:55AM]

The have big feet and looooong waists.

[tbone @ Aug 12th 2008 10:52AM]

ya thats nice and all, but i still wish i could watch the olympics online, but i cant since i live in canada. dam nbc

[josh @ Aug 12th 2008 11:06AM]

Alright, if you are using firefox, try this: Go to about:config, type in general.useragent.locale, then right click on the string, select modify, and put in en-US.

[tonybullard @ Aug 12th 2008 11:29AM]

Why not complain that Canada isn't broadcasting Olympics on the net?

[Mark L @ Aug 12th 2008 11:36AM]

If that British dude with two springs for hamstrings was allowed to qualify for his team then these suits should be fine.

[carlratty @ Aug 12th 2008 12:12PM]

I have been watching the olympics on the net since it started on CBC.ca . . . and their television coverage is, once again, leaps and bounds ahead of NBC. Everything NBC shows is so cluttered with commercials as to make it unwatchable.

[K Nang @ Aug 12th 2008 11:59AM]

when you say british i'm sure you mean south african

you don't happen to be american do you?...
...just a guess

[Autumn Walker @ Aug 12th 2008 12:06PM]

www.cbc.ca/olympics

live, streaming video of Canadian coverage.

[lance @ Aug 12th 2008 12:49PM]

user.agent don't matter, they go buy IP address.

[Brad, The @ Aug 12th 2008 10:53AM]

Only $500 to look genderless? Does Marilyn Manson know of this miraculous breakthrough yet?

[Rage @ Aug 12th 2008 10:54AM]

Phelps broke his own world record without wearing the suit top

[futurebird @ Aug 12th 2008 10:54AM]

I still think all sports should be nude-- like in the olden days.

[NHAnimator @ Aug 12th 2008 11:36AM]

Nude fencing? En garde, indeed!

[snowenloe @ Aug 12th 2008 11:48AM]

Except for womens basketball, cause then you would see their balls.

[Interpol @ Aug 12th 2008 12:55PM]

Admit it, you just wanna see nude weightlifting. Ew.

[HeeHaw @ Aug 12th 2008 1:35PM]

You mean the sports that only involve women, right. Just think about the ratings.

[Askies @ Aug 14th 2008 9:59AM]

Nude horseback riding... 0.o

[Jeff @ Aug 12th 2008 10:55AM]

In every single sport, there are equipment restrictions. I don't see why swimming should be any different.

Baseball only allows certain types of bats - whether aluminum or wood, you can't just use anything. Corking is not allowed, pine tar is not allowed above a certain level on the bat. Pitchers are not allowed any foreign substances.

In cycling, you're not allowed to use an electric or gas-powered bicycle.

In weightlifting, you have to use standard weights. You can't bring a big anvil onto the floor and try to lift that.

In badminton, you have to use a shuttle of a certain weight. You can't bring a shuttle with you that you've packed with lead so it flies faster.

In most sports, you also have to use an approved uniform, which in all cases are designed to stay out of the way but not actually *enhance* athletic performance. Swimming is the only event where a manufacturer has designed the suit to alter an athlete's body shape and help them go faster.

So I don't consider it "whining" when people complain about these suits. This is the equivalent to filling a shot-put with helium.

And I don't know why these suits were even approved in the first place.

[Rich @ Aug 12th 2008 11:05AM]

Obviously you don't remember the controversy over a certain British bicycle a couple of Olympics back...

This isn't a unique problem to swimming. People can use all sorts of equipment to give themselves an advantage.

[avester @ Aug 12th 2008 11:08AM]

About weightlifting, if you can lift an anvil, it if something should bring extra points...

[Goat Law @ Aug 12th 2008 11:11AM]

Please. The swimsuit is not equipment. Flippers, if allowed, might be equipment. These swimsuits are no different than trackshoes w/ spikes or cleats for soccer/baseball. Under your theory, we should all be playing in our socks.

As for your examples

Weightlifters wear suits that compress their muscles and arms together, as well as wearing shoes that provide better stability and grip and belts that strengthen their backs.

Badminton players wear shoes that provide enhanced stability and grip and are allowed to wear sweat wicking devices to keep it from getting in their eyes and getting on their hands.

Cyclists doing time trials wear helmets that extend far beyond their heads in order to create an aerodynamic advantage.

Shotputters use braces to stabilize their wrists and, oh, there are those pesky shoes again providing enhanced stability and traction


If the swiming dieties want to regulate the swimsuit, it is certainly their prerogative, but comparing it to an electric bike, a corked bat or a helium filled shotput is ridiculous.

[ChrisH @ Aug 12th 2008 11:23AM]

Many of those comparisons are ridiculous, or wrong. In cycling you can wear skinsuits, aero helmets, use deep rim carbon wheels, and many other things that can help enhance the ability that you already have. Track athletes (we'll choose sprinters for right now) have better uniforms that help keep muscles tight and newer shoe and spike designs that help with grip and cornering in races.

No one is going to take this gear and suddenly be world class. If you're already good, it's going to help you, but it's not instantly making you a star (that aero helmet and deep carbon wheels don't even help you unless you can keep that bike at 20+ MPH anyway). The swimsuit is just helping to enhance the abilities that the athletes already have. Phelps, Piersol, Coughlin, Hoff, Lezak and more all made the Olympics and Worlds the past few years, winning and setting World Records without the LZR suit, so obviously it hasn't turned them into something they weren't before.

If the suit is legal, and everyone has access to it, then there shouldn't be any room for complaints about it. Unless we want to try to keep things how they were at the start of the Olympics (cinder tracks, no goggles, no starting blocks), as long as the playing field is level for everyone now, just worry about the races and forget about the suit.

[jsifert @ Aug 12th 2008 12:39PM]

Innovation is part of sports. I too wish we could watch athletes compete "unenhanced", but I recall the advent of clap-skates in speedskating in the 1988 Olympics. Not everyone was using them yet (they were new and demanded a different technique) and those who were tore up the field. Now everyone uses them and the controversy is over. Watch bobsledding, rowing or sailing for cutting edge technology . . . recall the secret 3M hull during the 198- America's Cup.

I have bigger concerns about the Olympic Games than swimsuits (such as tax dollars supporting athletes).

[Jason @ Aug 12th 2008 1:36PM]

Swimming isn't the only sport. Have you seen speed skiing lately? They stuff foam blocks behind their calves for a tear drop shape and less wind resistance.

[avester @ Aug 12th 2008 10:56AM]

If your country can ship you abroad, pay for all housing and food, they can probably throw in 500$ for a damn suit that makes the difference between win and lose.

Hint = Win > Lose in terms of money from sponsors and ect.

[Demo @ Aug 12th 2008 1:25PM]

It doesn't work like that in every country. In mine, the government doesn't pay shit. Athletes have to pay for their own flights and accommodation. Also, they don't get paid to practice their sport, most have to work and only practice in their spare time.
Only soccer, basketball, volleyball, and some other sports are "professional" here and get paid. Runners, swimmers, etc. are just people who really like what they do and have lots of dedication.

[willyboy @ Aug 12th 2008 8:53PM]

@Demo
I am going to take a guess here and say that you are probably not from China.

[Hung @ Aug 13th 2008 2:15AM]

Hey, you know, I think there's an article about this.

>>"FINA, who has the last word on such matters, has approved the suit, says that buoyancy claims are unproven, and has pointed out that all major manufacturers have suits available to all athletes free of charge, removing any concerns that the $500 suits -- which only last for 10 uses -- will pose an obstacle to poorer countries."

>>"FINA ... has pointed out that all major manufacturers have suits available to all athletes free of charge, removing any concerns that the $500 suits -- which only last for 10 uses -- will pose an obstacle to poorer countries."

>>"...all major manufacturers have suits available to all athletes free of charge..."

>>"...free of charge..."



Top notch reading, you guys. Olympic level, even.

[Cirian75 @ Aug 12th 2008 10:56AM]

Well if Speedo are offering them for free.


And in the lead up to game swimmers have broken the "other" swim suit makers deals.


I cant see why they should complain, they are being offered equal equipment, and moanining when they lose to Speedo LZR user

[Iridium @ Aug 12th 2008 11:07AM]

Phelps set a record without wearing the suit but demolished the new world record by almost a full second wearing the suit.

There is no denying that the suit gives any swimmer an advantage. It doesn't mean that a swimmer wearing the suit will be faster than another swimmer not wearing the LZR, but the LZR will make any swimmer faster than they would be without it.

SO far I think almost all medal winners have been wearing the LZR. That kind of speaks for itself. In the Men's 200M the silver medalist wasn't wearing one. If he wore a LZR and Phelps didn't would the result of the race been different? If you can clearly say that the LZR gave Phelps an advantage over the silver medalist then you have to look very hard at the legality of the LZR in competition.

In olympic competition it should be one or the other. Either all swimmers wear LZR suits or none of them do.

[Jason @ Aug 12th 2008 11:31AM]

Unless that silver medalist didn't like having his jollies in a pinch. In which case, I'm sure it's fair enough that he could have used it if he wanted to.

[Headfirst @ Aug 12th 2008 11:37AM]

people forget this happens in swimming every olympic year. Speedo waits till olympic year when swimmers are gearing up and in peak condition for the games (there was this very same debate 4 years ago with the speedo fast skin 2). Phelps wears only the jammer suit for his 400 IM, where he smashed his world record. The jammer only goes from hips to knees. Tell me, how much can that be helping him swim?
Trust me as a swimmer, there are very few swimmers actually complaining about the suits making people faster. everyone knows its the swimmers ability that matters, not the suit.

[Don @ Aug 12th 2008 12:24PM]

No, *not* everyone should wear the suits, any more than anyone should wear the same brand of shoe, or ride the same board, or sport the same tracksuit.

It is whining to complain about the suits, and it is getting annoying. The suit clearly helps, and it does so in the same manner as hundreds of pieces of equipment have in the past. Few if any tennis players still use a wooden racket. Ditto for Lacrosse, badminton, and many similar sports. Race cars have a variety of technological improvements that have improved track times. Tennis shoes have gone from canvas lace ups to sophisticated composite affairs. Skateboards, which first used clay races and loose bearings, now use sealed cartridge bearings. On and on and on...

Perhaps if people viewed all sports as a team effort, between athletes, supporters, and equipment manufacturers, then they would stop whining. These items are not "technological doping", as they've been called, because unlike doping the effects begin and end with the activity in question. They are just improvements, and I am sick of Luddites who want to have everyone wrestling nude in the dirt with olive oil and running in their bare feet.

[kjb434 @ Aug 12th 2008 11:15AM]

The one thing noticed, is that in a race with ten swimmers only two weren't wearing the suit. Which means 80% of field didn't have the advantage of the suit.

One of the guys without the suit had a fellow teammate from his own country with the suit.

I don't see this suit as a problem since so many are wearing them. It's not like Phelps or one team is the only one using them....

[dave @ Aug 12th 2008 11:18AM]

All of the athletes should have to compete in the nude... especially Phelps.

[polvadis @ Aug 12th 2008 11:22AM]

I'm starting to notice a reoccurring theme of man-crush on Phelps here... not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Ethan @ Aug 12th 2008 12:44PM]

Phelps does not exist for your sexual gratification.

[Miker @ Aug 12th 2008 4:58PM]

Awww - spoil sport. It's not the same since the men stopped wearing their small tight trunks...ermmm...because of the unfair advantage obviously...no other reason...none at all...ooooo, men's gynmastics is just starting...