Swimnews is reporting that FINA will be meeting with Speedo officials to discuss the suit properties and material thicknesses. Why, since the suit has already been approved by FINA? Because there have been 14 world records set since 16 February (maybe more today in Eindhoven or Sydney). Thirteen of the records were set in Speedo's Fastskin LZR Racer. The downside is the suit is so expensive some cannot afford it; some national teams have suit contracts with other suppliers and their swimmers not allowed to wear it.
What makes the suit fast? According to the Speedo USA Website:
Speedo used NASA to help design the suit. Yup - rocket scientists.
Lots of tests in water flumes to test passive drag (10% better than the Fastskin FSII - 2004's fast Speedo swimsuit - and 5% better than then the FS-PRO, the fastest Speedo suit from 2007.
Tests to show where the most drag occurs on a swimmer's body led to a suit designed to minimize drag in those areas.
Body scanning of 400 elite athletes to help develop an efficient suit pattern for construction.
Bonded seams, so no stitches to cause drag.
A hidden zipper - again, less drag.
LZR panels reduce drag in some areas of the swimsuit by as much as 24% compared to other Speedo suits.
And a bigee - 5% less effort to go the same speed - a swimmer can use less energy to go a given speed, so they ought ot have more energy to go faster or hold that speed longer.
