1. Swimsuit Technology
By Melissa Merryman

2. The turbulator: suit makers incorporate the turbulator into the fabric of the suit, which alters the water to flow over and around the swimmer.
This device reduces the amount of drag which can improve a swimmer’s time by 3%.
How it Works

3. 3 Types of Drag
Friction Drag: the force of water molecules as they pass over the body
Pressure Drag: the strongest force, results from pushing the water out of the way
Wave Drag: occurs at relatively high speeds and is the force exerted by waves created

4. Turbulator
a strategically placed fabric-encased flexible tube that introduces a raised ridge on the suit
Instead of water separating on the body it follows the body reducing drag, therefore creating the advantage.

5. World Records
There have been over 100 world records broken since the introduction of the drag-reducing suits, introduced in 2008.

6. Swim Suits
Speedo LZR
Arena X-Glide
Blue Seventy

7. 2008 Olympics
The 2008 Olympics were one of the most watched summer Olympics due in part the success of Michael Phelps and the USA Swimming team.
Phelps had an unbelievable performance, winning 8 gold medals and breaking Mark Spitz’s long time record of 7 gold medals.

8. Olympic Trends Olympic Games World Records Broken Beijing 2008 25
Athens 2004 18
Sydney 2000 15

9. The BIG question is are all of these world records legitimate?
Cheater Suits?

10. FINA Banned Swim Suits
FINA (governing body for international swimming) banned the high-tech swim suits January 1, 2010.
One of the loudest supporters of this ban was Michael Phelps.
Bob Bowman (Phelps’ coach) threatened to pull his star athlete from major international competitions.

11. Sponsor Obligations
When an athlete signed with a swimsuit manufacturer they are typically obligated to wear that company’s product.
Because of the rapidly changing technology of these suits sometimes an athlete was under contract obligations to wear an inferior suit.

12. Changing the Sport
Because of the development of these high-tech suits the sport of swimming no longer was solely based on training and talent but who had the best suit.
“Bringing mediocre Olympic athletes medal level” –Mark Synder (my coach)

13. Works Cited
Baker, Lois. “New Swimsuit Technology Developed at UB Introduced at World Cup Meet.” Buffalo News. University of Buffalo, 30 Jan Web. 17 Apr < Cantor, Matt. “Swimsuits Banned, Records Questioned.” Newser. N.p., 20 May Web. 19 Apr < Cooney, Michael. “NASA, Speedo build wind-tunnel-tested bathing suits.” Network World. N.p., 12 Feb Web. 20 Apr < “Facts and figures: World records set in Beijing Olympics.” English Sina. N.p., 25 Aug Web. 19 Apr < Gadbois, John. Personal interview. 12 July Lawrence, Marta. “Is Speedo’s new swimsuit technology doping?” NCAA Dopeazone. N.p., 3 July Web. 17 Apr < Palmer, Bill. Personal interview. 18 Aug Sataline, Suzanne. “Some Aging Competitors Call High-Tech Swimsuits Dirty Pool.” Wall Street Journal (Nov. 2009): n. pag. Web. 19 Apr < Whitten, Phil. “The Amazing Rise & Fall of Performance-Enhancing High-Tech Swimsuits.” Britannica. N.p., 10 Feb Web. 19 Apr <