Interview with Jim Patterson
Lancaster University Swimming Team Vice-Captain
OACAS: How aware are you of racing swim suits? Do you use any of them in competition? If so what brand?
JP: Very aware. In the past I would have been even more so, when swimming more competitively. I have used a variety of brands in the past, although the main one would always be speedo. I have also used Arena on a number of occasions, and possibly a few others. Paw power was popular amongst young swimmers when I was 10 or so. Nowadays I only wear Speedo swimsuits.
OACAS: Do you believe that racing swimwear gives an athlete an unfair advantage over others?
JP: I don’t believe it is an unfair advantage at all. Obviously swimmers wear swimsuits to gain an advantage, but in the same way golfers use the best clubs, athletes use spike shoes, footballers wear the best boots etc. I think swim suits are, on the whole, of an accessible price. As such, I don’t feel the advantage they give is ‘unfair.’
OACAS: In 2009/10 a FINA ban was imposed on swimwear, particularly targeting polyurethane suits. This followed on from the 2008 Beijing Olympics when numerous world records were broken. Do you agree with the ban on performance enhancing swimsuits?
JP:I think the swim suits were acceptable in Beijing, with the Speedo LZR the main suit. However, the following year, at the world championships the competition became much more about the suit people were wearing than the swimmer themselves. World records were also being broken by, in my opinion, sub-standard swimmers, simply due to the suit they were wearing. The best example of this is the 200fc where Paul Biederman broke Micheal Phelps world record. I think this is where I draw the line, where is seems the suit swimmers are wearing is as important as their ability (once you are at a world class level). This starts to become like Formula 1. With the level before this, and the level now, I think the suits are perfectly acceptable.
OACAS: Do you believe legal racing suits today are still fair, bearing in mind cost and the ability to purchase?
JP: Absolutely. With suits now only being allowed to the knee for both boys and girls, I think the advantage they give is reasonable. At a high level the price does not stop all world class swimmers having access to these suits, whereas at a lower level the suits do not provide such an extreme advantage that someone without the suit has no chance of competing.
OACAS: What is the maximum you would pay for a racing swim suit?
JP: Currently, not a huge amount, maybe £50. However, when I was swimming more seriously, I would have paid £200-£300, due to having sponsorship. I think this would be typical of most swimmers competing at a high level, that you are willing to make the investment for any slight edge. Nowadays I already have a few suits and do not compete so often that I need to buy a new one. Additionally, the advantage the suit gives is now not so significant to me, as I am competing at a lower level. As a result, the money I am willing to spend is much lower.
OACAS: If any, which brand would you choose? (e.g. Speedo, Arena, Adidas etc) and why?
JP: Speedo, without a doubt. This is the most respected brand and in my opinion has always produced the best and most consistent products. Other brands have produced great products too, Arena X-flite for example, or the Adidas suit that Ian Thorpe wore. That being said, Speedo has always produced world class suits, and these suits have been wore by the swimmers I look up to most, Michael Phelps, Rebecca Adlington, Ryan Lochte…the list goes on. This brand association is undoubtedly key in my initial affiliation with this brand.
JP: Very aware. In the past I would have been even more so, when swimming more competitively. I have used a variety of brands in the past, although the main one would always be speedo. I have also used Arena on a number of occasions, and possibly a few others. Paw power was popular amongst young swimmers when I was 10 or so. Nowadays I only wear Speedo swimsuits.
OACAS: Do you believe that racing swimwear gives an athlete an unfair advantage over others?
JP: I don’t believe it is an unfair advantage at all. Obviously swimmers wear swimsuits to gain an advantage, but in the same way golfers use the best clubs, athletes use spike shoes, footballers wear the best boots etc. I think swim suits are, on the whole, of an accessible price. As such, I don’t feel the advantage they give is ‘unfair.’
OACAS: In 2009/10 a FINA ban was imposed on swimwear, particularly targeting polyurethane suits. This followed on from the 2008 Beijing Olympics when numerous world records were broken. Do you agree with the ban on performance enhancing swimsuits?
JP:I think the swim suits were acceptable in Beijing, with the Speedo LZR the main suit. However, the following year, at the world championships the competition became much more about the suit people were wearing than the swimmer themselves. World records were also being broken by, in my opinion, sub-standard swimmers, simply due to the suit they were wearing. The best example of this is the 200fc where Paul Biederman broke Micheal Phelps world record. I think this is where I draw the line, where is seems the suit swimmers are wearing is as important as their ability (once you are at a world class level). This starts to become like Formula 1. With the level before this, and the level now, I think the suits are perfectly acceptable.
OACAS: Do you believe legal racing suits today are still fair, bearing in mind cost and the ability to purchase?
JP: Absolutely. With suits now only being allowed to the knee for both boys and girls, I think the advantage they give is reasonable. At a high level the price does not stop all world class swimmers having access to these suits, whereas at a lower level the suits do not provide such an extreme advantage that someone without the suit has no chance of competing.
OACAS: What is the maximum you would pay for a racing swim suit?
JP: Currently, not a huge amount, maybe £50. However, when I was swimming more seriously, I would have paid £200-£300, due to having sponsorship. I think this would be typical of most swimmers competing at a high level, that you are willing to make the investment for any slight edge. Nowadays I already have a few suits and do not compete so often that I need to buy a new one. Additionally, the advantage the suit gives is now not so significant to me, as I am competing at a lower level. As a result, the money I am willing to spend is much lower.
OACAS: If any, which brand would you choose? (e.g. Speedo, Arena, Adidas etc) and why?
JP: Speedo, without a doubt. This is the most respected brand and in my opinion has always produced the best and most consistent products. Other brands have produced great products too, Arena X-flite for example, or the Adidas suit that Ian Thorpe wore. That being said, Speedo has always produced world class suits, and these suits have been wore by the swimmers I look up to most, Michael Phelps, Rebecca Adlington, Ryan Lochte…the list goes on. This brand association is undoubtedly key in my initial affiliation with this brand.