In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the new LZR racer suits made a splash, breaking 25 world records. Now it is banned from the Olympics.
For the first time, the Cal men will have a first crack at these high-tech suits at the Georgia Invite on Nov. 30.
Even though they are not full- body like the banned suits, they provide an undeniable advantage for the Bears. These special suits will compress the body and transforms different physiques into ideal form for swimming. They do not impede movement or the ability to take deep breaths.
With the special suits on and in an indoor environment, the Bears will likely put on one of their best performances of the year to wrap up the fall season. At the Gabrielsen Natatorium in the Athens, Ga., the Bears will face their steepest competition that includes a field of No.4 Texas, No. 9 Virginia, No. 11 Georgia and No. 16 Auburn.
The Bears will also look forward to usher in a more competitive and race-filled spring season. With the invite having NCAA qualifications, Cal swimmers will be looking to place their bids even this early into the season.
“This meet will be more competitive, and the suits will make a difference,” coach David Durden said. “The buoyancy and streamlined shape of the suits will provide substantial time drops.”
The end of the fall season signals the gradual switch for the team to go lighter on practices and put more emphasis on their performance.
So far, the team is training with consistency and perfecting its technique in practice, looking to maximize their yardage during practice. The team placed greater importance on strength training and endurance.
“In the fall, we want better training to translate us into better racers in the spring,” Jacob Pebley says.
But in the spring, the team will ease up in its training schedule and make sure the swimmers are fine-tuned for the meets. Come NCAA time, the swimmers will cut down on their weight training and yardage during practice.
Cal has predictably better times in the upcoming meets with the swimmers settling into its designated strokes.
However knowing coach Durden and past history, the swimmers will not peak at their highest level until the NCAA championships.
This invite will emulate the NCAA championships’ format and give the swimmers a feel for the three-day stretch meet style. In the indoor stadium, the meetwill last from early in the day to late at night.
It is a great opportunity for the freshmen to get used to the fast-paced racing and the dragged-out meets.
The invite brings a fitting end to the fall season and will give a glimpse of what is to come in the spring.
“This invite will provide a conclusion to the fall,” said coach Durden. “In the spring, there will be more opportunities to race in the Pac-12 season and NCAA. We will come a bit more together as a team.”
Hunter He covers men’s swim. Contact him at [email protected]
Comment Policy
Comments should remain on topic, concerning the article or blog post to which they are connected. Brevity is encouraged. Posting under a pseudonym is discouraged, but permitted. The Daily Cal encourages readers to voice their opinions respectfully in regard to the readers, writers and contributors of The Daily Californian. Comments are not pre-moderated, but may be removed if deemed to be in violation of this policy. Click here to read the full comment policy.