Speedo LZR Racer

11 Stories

Phelps Flops in Old-Style Suit

He fails to qualify in two events, barely makes a third

(Newser) - Wearing an old-style swimsuit, Michael Phelps missed out on two finals and barely qualified for a third today at a World Cup short-course meet. Phelps failed to qualify for the finals of the 100-meter freestyle and 100 backstroke. He qualified in the 100 medley, finishing seventh in 53.13 seconds....

What's So Wrong With Cheating?
 What's So Wrong 
 With Cheating? 
COMMENTARY
Aug 7, 2009 9:00 AM CDT

What's So Wrong With Cheating?

(Newser) - America is shocked—shocked!—that David Ortiz took steroids, and disgusted that swimmers use full-body polyurethane suits, but “these steroided, polyurethaned cheating men should be our heroes,” writes Joel Stein in Time. “Americans are a performance-enhanced people,” a medication and surgery-enhanced super-race, using technology to...

German Hands Phelps Rare Loss; Breaks Record, Too

Stunning reversal raises questions about role of high-performance bodysuits

(Newser) - Germany's Paul Biedermann handed Michael Phelps his first major individual loss in 4 years—and snatched away his world record, too—with a stunning win in the 200-meter freestyle at the world swimming championships today in Rome. Virtually unknown outside his country before this meet, Biedermann has now erased Ian...

Barcodes Will ID Illegal Suits at Championships

Swimming aims to weed out banned attire

(Newser) - Swimmers at this year’s world championships will be subjected to a barcode test to ensure their suits are legal, the Times of London reports. Suits’ buoyancy will be checked before the event, with each outfit assigned a code. At race time, the suits will be scanned; if they don’...

Swimsuits Banned, Records Questioned

Cutting-edge swimwear adds array of advantages

(Newser) - After more than 100 records were broken in the past year and a half, the international swimming federation has put 348 high-tech swimsuits under the microscope—banning 10 of them and requiring modifications to another 136, the New York Times reports. The suits can increase buoyancy, squeeze the body into...

World Rules Sink New Tech Tricks for Swimming Suits

Regulations limit suits' bouyancy, coverage

(Newser) - World competitive swimming organization Fina has outlawed certain high-tech swimming suits to keep the playing field even, reports the BBC. Suits cannot cover the neck, nor extend past the ankles and shoulders, and are limited to a certain thickness and buoyancy under the new rules. An astonishing 108 swimming records...

Are Swimmers or Technology Swamping Speed Records?

Cascade of new world records sparks debate

(Newser) - Swimming world records are going under so fast at this Olympics that some officials are questioning what's going on, the New York Times writes. Ten records have fallen in Beijing so far—four in the space of 80 minutes yesterday—causing controversy over concerns that advances in swimsuit and pool...

New Swimsuits Unfair; Stick to Birthday Suits

Time to bring back Olympic tradition of competing naked, says columnist

(Newser) - No sporting record lasts forever, but these days, writes Bloomberg columnist Scott Soshnick, athletes are demolishing them with almost ridiculous frequency. At the US Olympic swimming trials this year, no fewer than nine records were broken or equaled—a function less of talent than of technology. Perhaps it's time to...

Suit Circus Threatens to Drown Trials
 Suit Circus Threatens 
 to Drown Trials 
OPINION
Jun 26, 2008 4:05 PM CDT

Suit Circus Threatens to Drown Trials

Would-be Olympians' heads spin as tech sparks arms race in swimming pool

(Newser) - “The last honest Olympic sport” is about to kick the can, Scott Ostler writes in the San Francisco Chronicle, and the culprit is a familiar one: technology. The sport is swimming, and Olympic trials (beginning Sunday) coincide with a brutal competition among swimsuit makers for athletes’ affection. "Swimmers...

Swimsuit Battle Heads to Court
 Swimsuit Battle Heads to Court 
May 16, 2008 12:24 PM CDT

Swimsuit Battle Heads to Court

Rival company claims Speedo too chummy with sport's leaders

(Newser) - Swimwear maker TYR Sport has filed suit against rival Speedo, alleging that the maker of the much-touted LZR Racer has an inappropriately close relationship with the sport's governing body. "There's a big issue with a lot of the comments out there coming through USA Swimming and (coach) Mark Schubert...

New Suit Shakes Up Swim World
 New Suit Shakes Up Swim World 
Mar 28, 2008 12:08 PM CDT

New Suit Shakes Up Swim World

Some complain that high-tech Speedo gives unfair edge

(Newser) - Swimmers in the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit have been smashing records since it made its debut six weeks ago, and some athletes are beginning to grumble that the high-tech swimming gear gives wearers an unfair advantage, the Los Angeles Times reports. Of the 14 world records to have fallen in...

11 Stories