Brrrr..with the water that cold I’d never make it as a triathlon athlete….lol

Starting about 20 years ago, the sport of triathlon allowed the use of wet suits, or partial-length suits. They were thicker than these Lazers et.al., but the primary purpose was for temperature control. Some of these lake swims were early in the year, and swimming a mile in 65 degree water would make you one fast swimmer, if you didn’t freeze first. When the water temps got above a certain temp, the various rule books disallowed them, and that’s pretty much the practice now. I eventually bought a half-suit, and I timed the difference in the pool — at least 5 seconds faster every 100 meters, which is quite an immediate improvement, especially if you’re swimming 1/2 mile or further. I bought it because I got tired of being behind people for reasons other than they were naturally faster than me.

I would have preferred that no wet suits were allowed.
In general, I think these kind of athletic events (swimming, track) should be who’s the fastest, and not who is the fastest with extra speed-enhancing equipment.

The only reason supersuits were allowed for in-pool competition was to “make swimming more exciting” by creating faster times. Someone in some governing body decided swimming needed a boost – I guess to increase revenue by increasing the number of spectators? Why else? Without the new suits the swimmers would still improve and make new records, or at least get new personal bests, until their age caught up with them. I don’t think the swimmers were behind this. What “real” glory is there in beating someone who is normally close to being your equal in time, when all you did was wear a different suit? And so what if a record hasn’t been broken in 2 years ?

I think the same rational was used to change the rules for backstroke turns and breaststroke several years ago — to lower times. At least that didn’t involve non-natural equipment. I’ve really loved swimming competitively since 1969, but if people don’t have a yearning to watch swimming, then speeding everyone up a notch isn’t the solution, because as soon as everyone starts wearing the same suit, the playing field will be level again. You want more spectators (= more income!!) ? Make the traditional suits transparent. Or release a gator at the appropriate moment. Other than that, I’ll admit it’s hard to get excited about swimming unless you’re competing, or used to. What I like about it is it’s a team sport, but totally up to the individual – and who is fastest – period. No judging to speak of.

The only suits allowed, especially in pool competition, should be the traditional racing suit – the thing the size of fruit-o-the-loom underwear. Of course, women also have to wear something above the waist, so they’ve been wearing some kind of a full suit forever — just not ones made of super-material.

There was also the point that at last years’ Olympics the pool had an influence, it made the swimming speeds faster to a certain degree. Something to do with how the water baffle thingies that separated the lanes making the water more calmer, and how the water was recycled back into the pool, too.

Naked swimming…it’d depend on who was doing it. Some danglies I don’t think we’d want to see…LOL

On the records being allowed to stand: Considering that medal standings from the Cold War era have been allowed to stand, despite athletes and coaches admitting they doped (hello, Eastern Bloc), is anyone really surprised that these results are being let alone? I actually believe that Paul Biedermann could have beaten Phelps, but some of the record-breaking swimmers are less credible, especially when one looks at their times without the suits and in the recent past.