Tsunami Saipan wants LZR suits for swimmers

Realizing how LZR Racer Suit helped Olympic gold medal winners Michael Phelps and Kosuke Kitajima shave off their racing time, Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan is hoping to have the “fastest swimsuit in the world” available for its swimmers.

“The high tech suit can realistically shave off time in the water. In a sport where events may be won by hundredths of a second, any advantage is important,” Tsunami Saipan president Stan Good said.

The LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swim suits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane-Gore-tex.

Speedo developed the suit through the help of NASA, Ansys, Inc., which supplied fluid flow analysis software and support, and the Australian Institute of Sport.

As of Aug. 14, 2008, 62 world records have been broken by swimmers wearing a LZR Racer, and 33 of the first 36 Olympic medals have been won wearing it. Like other suits, LZR Racer allows better oxygen flow to the muscles, and holds the body in a more hydrodynamic position, while repelling water. The seams of the suit are ultrasonically welded to further reduce drag. The suit reportedly can lower racing times for a competitor by 1.9 to 2.2 percent.

But with its special features comes a price which is more expensive that the usual suit.

According to various websites, the suit costs more than $500.

Tsunami Saipan would want to have two suits each for male and female swimmers and would welcome donation to purchase these items.

The suit for men comes in different styles. This includes a full body suit, dubbed “Bodyskin”, a full-length “Legskin” pant, and a knee-length “Jammer” short pant. The female suit has a full-length zippered Bodyskin, similar to the male suit, as well as full length and knee-length versions of the suit with a strap-on back instead of a zipper, dubbed the “Recordbreaker” suit.

“We would welcome any donation from the community,” said Good, who added that donation can be given through Tsunami Saipan coach Hiro Kimura.

Meanwhile, Tsunami Saipan thanked its anonymous donor who helped the club purchase new suits for its female swimmers.

The new suits were from Australia and are made from chlorine-resistant polyester.

“Having proper equipment for both practice and competition is a priority of the Tsunami Saipan Swim Team. The swimsuits for the girls were generously donated by an anonymous sponsor, who specifically wanted to help the girls. Practice suits do not last long, as the chlorine in the water degrades the material quickly. The donation is graciously appreciated by the girls and the rest of Tsunami Saipan officials,” Good said.

For more information on Tsunami Saipan or if interested to give donations, contact Kimura via email at tsunamisaipan@yahoo.co.jp.