Arena X-Glide
Encyclopedia
Arena X-Glide is a swimsuit
made of pure polyurethane
that causes a swimmer to slide through water faster when swimming. One notable example of the efficacy of this suit design is that of Paul Biedermann
of Germany
who wore the suit in the 2009 World Championships
, breaking two world records. The design of the suit covers basically the whole torso
and the legs
, thereby exposing less skin to the water. This significantly reduces the drag a swimmer experiences as he or she moves through the water.
Following the incredible results the new Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit produced in the Beijing Olympics (Twenty-three world records were broken by the swimmers who wore LZR Racer suits, compared with only two that were broken by the swimmers who didn't. Speedo said 89 percent of all the medals in swimming, including 94 percent of the gold medals were won by LZR Racer swimmers), Italian swimsuit makers Arena and Jaked responded by both developing suits that one-upped the Speedo by using pure polyurethane.
' trainer (until then, Phelps had held the world record for the 200m freestyle since 2007) suggested that Phelps boycott international swimming competitions until the suit is banned. Biedermann's breaking of both Ian Thorpe's 400m world record as well as Phelps's 200m record have been largely attributed to the superiority in the design of his swimsuit. Michael Phelps speculated that the new rules banning polyurethane will level the playing field once more, stating:
Ironically, Phelps was the target of similar controversy before the Beijing Olympics for wearing a then-revolutionary swim-suit technology (the Speedo LZR Racer
), created by his current sponsor, Speedo
, that was also reported to make the swimmer faster. The LZR Racer went on to be offered to all swimmers competing in the Beijing Olympics.
s in Croatia
, where 17 world records fell, it was felt there was a need to modify the rules surrounding swimsuits. The combined effects of the LZR both compressing the body and trapping air for buoyancy led to many competitors who used the LZR wearing two or more suits for an increased effect. This led to some claiming that the LZR was in effect "technological doping."
At their meeting in Dubai
on March 2009, FINA stipulated that swimsuits should not cover the neck, must not extend past the shoulders and ankles, and also limit the suits' thickness and buoyancy. In a statement FINA stated that:
The LZR Racer and all other Speedo Fast Skin Competition Suits were approved. However other suits like the BlueSeventy Nero Comp were banned first and afterwards released, too.
In an abrupt reversal of opinion, the FINA Congress voted almost unanimously to revert its previous policy and ban all body-length swimsuits. The decision was taken in Rome on July 24, 2009, during the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
. The new policy states that men's swimsuits may maximally cover the area from the waist to the knee, and women's counterparts from the shoulder to the knee. They also ruled that the fabric used must be a textile (i.e. woven rather than a foil). The new regulations took effect in January 2010.
USA Swimming, the United States governing body, made the date where all these suits will be illegal October 1, 2009.
FINA has already released an outline of the legal suits to wear. Among the suits on this list there is the nike Swift, the Speedo FS PRO, and the Speedo LZR.
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
made of pure polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
that causes a swimmer to slide through water faster when swimming. One notable example of the efficacy of this suit design is that of Paul Biedermann
Paul Biedermann
Paul Biedermann is a German swimmer from Halle and a former 200 and 400 metre freestyle long course world champion. He also holds the long course and short course world records in these events.-Career:...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
who wore the suit in the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships may refer to:* Alpine skiing: Alpine World Ski Championships 2009* Aquatics: 2009 World Aquatics Championships* Athletics: 2009 World Championships in Athletics**Cross-country running: 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
, breaking two world records. The design of the suit covers basically the whole torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
and the legs
Human leg
The human leg is the entire lower extremity or limb of the human body, including the foot, thigh and even the hip or gluteal region; however, the precise definition in human anatomy refers only to the section of the lower limb extending from the knee to the ankle.Legs are used for standing,...
, thereby exposing less skin to the water. This significantly reduces the drag a swimmer experiences as he or she moves through the water.
Technology
According to Rick Sharp, an exercise physiologist at Iowa State University, "The Speedo team came up with a design that put panels of polyurethane over parts of the body that produce the highest drag. Another part is the suit design: You don't want a suit that traps water as it flows around the swimmer. Yet another innovation is to use material that squeezes and slims down swimmers "so the skin doesn't wobble around as they go through the water." Pieces of fabric were put through wind-tunnel tests to check for drag. Programmers used computational fluid dynamics to model the suits' aerodynamic qualities, as if they were trying to figure out how a brand-new jet will fly. Then, swimmers put the designs to real-world tests in tanks and pools.Following the incredible results the new Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit produced in the Beijing Olympics (Twenty-three world records were broken by the swimmers who wore LZR Racer suits, compared with only two that were broken by the swimmers who didn't. Speedo said 89 percent of all the medals in swimming, including 94 percent of the gold medals were won by LZR Racer swimmers), Italian swimsuit makers Arena and Jaked responded by both developing suits that one-upped the Speedo by using pure polyurethane.
Controversy
Currently, there is a great deal of controversy in the swimming world surrounding polyurethane swimsuits, and strict rules banning these types of swimsuits in professional swimming have already been put in place, but have not yet gone into effect. After Biedermann's wins in the 2009 World Championships, Michael PhelpsMichael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
' trainer (until then, Phelps had held the world record for the 200m freestyle since 2007) suggested that Phelps boycott international swimming competitions until the suit is banned. Biedermann's breaking of both Ian Thorpe's 400m world record as well as Phelps's 200m record have been largely attributed to the superiority in the design of his swimsuit. Michael Phelps speculated that the new rules banning polyurethane will level the playing field once more, stating:
Ironically, Phelps was the target of similar controversy before the Beijing Olympics for wearing a then-revolutionary swim-suit technology (the Speedo LZR Racer
LZR Racer
The LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swimsuits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane. The line was launched on 13 February 2008...
), created by his current sponsor, Speedo
Speedo
Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
, that was also reported to make the swimmer faster. The LZR Racer went on to be offered to all swimmers competing in the Beijing Olympics.
FINA rule changes
Following the December 2008 European Short Course ChampionshipEuropean Short Course Swimming Championships 2008
The European Short Course Swimming Championships 2008 took place in Rijeka, Croatia from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 December 2008.-Medal table:-Medal summary:Legend:* WR = World record* ER = European record* CR = Championships record...
s in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, where 17 world records fell, it was felt there was a need to modify the rules surrounding swimsuits. The combined effects of the LZR both compressing the body and trapping air for buoyancy led to many competitors who used the LZR wearing two or more suits for an increased effect. This led to some claiming that the LZR was in effect "technological doping."
At their meeting in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
on March 2009, FINA stipulated that swimsuits should not cover the neck, must not extend past the shoulders and ankles, and also limit the suits' thickness and buoyancy. In a statement FINA stated that:
The LZR Racer and all other Speedo Fast Skin Competition Suits were approved. However other suits like the BlueSeventy Nero Comp were banned first and afterwards released, too.
In an abrupt reversal of opinion, the FINA Congress voted almost unanimously to revert its previous policy and ban all body-length swimsuits. The decision was taken in Rome on July 24, 2009, during the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
. The new policy states that men's swimsuits may maximally cover the area from the waist to the knee, and women's counterparts from the shoulder to the knee. They also ruled that the fabric used must be a textile (i.e. woven rather than a foil). The new regulations took effect in January 2010.
USA Swimming, the United States governing body, made the date where all these suits will be illegal October 1, 2009.
FINA has already released an outline of the legal suits to wear. Among the suits on this list there is the nike Swift, the Speedo FS PRO, and the Speedo LZR.
See also
- LZR RacerLZR RacerThe LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swimsuits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane. The line was launched on 13 February 2008...
- 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
- FINAFinaFina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
- 2009 World Aquatics Championships2009 World Aquatics ChampionshipsThe 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...