MORE ON THE LZR RACER OLYMPIC CONTROVERSY

The Beijing Olympics don't start for more than three months, but the swimsuit competition already is underway. This weekend in the French Olympic trials in Dunkirk, the U.S. based TYR Sports will officially unveil it's new Tracer Rise Suit, their challenge to the much-hyped Speedo LZR Racer. Speedo swimmers wearing the LZR Racer have now set 35 world records in recent weeks.

Speedo claims the LZR Racer can improve performance by up to 2%. TYR claims double the benefit up to 4%. "The time drops are well-documented," says TYR founder Steve Furniss. Only select swimmers have been competing in Tracer suits since January, but that gives TYR bragging rights over Speedo for being first off the starting blocks. However, Speedo has been worn more widely since its February introduction, thus their standard of 35 world records, not counting this weekend.

This SUPER SUIT is made of polyurethane woven fabric which is water-repellant and lightweight. The LZR Racer has ultrasonically bonded seams that help reduce drag. The Tracer Rise has compression panels that contour certain muscle groups to control movement.

The Super Showdown is this weekend. Three months and one week remain before the 2008 Olympics. Is there still time for Speedo and TYR to work even more magic? And don't forget Arena has not yet unveiled
their new suit.

The dilemma facing top-level swimmers contracted to rival brands is risk wearing a swimsuit that might be slower than your competitors or break with your sponsor to join the LZR Racer - TYR Tracer playing field.

"Swimmers not wearing the new space-age swim-suits should either stop crying about it or move heaven and earth to get their hands on them." That's the message from former Australian head coach Don Talbot, who also says, "The choice of swimmers between Olympic success or lucrative rival sponsorships is a no-brainier."

(The above BLOG includes even more information from John Naber, four golds and one silver in Montreal Games in 1976. He'll be back with us after the French Championships for the first show-down between LZR and TYR.)