Speed Skating Under Armour controversy

[Swerd]

The US Olympic speed skaters have nearly all struck out at Sochi. It's not like they were mediocre skaters, there are previous champions and world record holders among them, and they were having a successful World Cup season so far before Sochi.

Then they put on the new secret high-tech speed suits made by Under Armour and they have skated like they were wearing parachutes…

Winter Olympics 2014: Are high-tech suits to blame for As U.S. speed skaters' struggles? - CBS News

I wonder what went wrong? Sochi is at sea level, and the USA Speed Skating training center is in Salt Lake City, at 4200 feet. Does altitude have any effect? Or did Under Armour fail to fully test the suits under racing conditions?

It makes me remember very well, when I was in high school running track. My senior year, I bought a new pair of Adidas spikes. I spent $20 for them which was a lot for shoes back in 1966. They looked like these, but were red.

I realized even when I was 17 that the shoes were more mental than anything else. If I ran slow with them, I'd have to throw them out ! Fortunately, the next three races I ran (half mile and mile) were my personal best times, so I kept them. I probably would have done as well without those red Adidas, but the mental part is so big it can't be ignored.

Those US speed skaters probably want to burn those Under Armour suits.

 

[lsiberian]

It's not even a second between 1st and 20th in those things. That's pretty insane if you really think about it.

 

[Chu Gai]

My understanding is they were tested in a wind tunnel by Lockheed Martin I believe and found superior. I've heard they're going back to the World Cup suits though and this may help to dispel the some of the doubts that seems to have pervaded their mindset. Could be that the winners are just peaking at the right time.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

It also looks like a peak issue to me too. I bet there is a different conditioning coach or dietitian involved or maybe they went clean for some unknown reason....

My understanding is they were tested in a wind tunnel by Lockheed Martin I believe and found superior. I've heard they're going back to the World Cup suits though and this may help to dispel the some of the doubts that seems to have pervaded their mindset. Could be that the winners are just peaking at the right time.

 

[Midwesthonky]

It also looks like a peak issue to me too. I bet there is a different conditioning coach or dietitian involved or maybe they went clean for some unknown reason....

There is something to be said for rythim (Sp?) and any major change to equipment can really throw that off. The Dutch have been using the same suits all season so they are doing exactly what they have been doing all season. That really helps.

I suspect there is a mental aspect to the US skaters and I wouldn't be surprised if there is an elevation component as well. The ones that trained at Pettit in Milwaukee should be better since it's not at high elevation like Salt Lake.

 

[mtrycrafts]

My understanding is they were tested in a wind tunnel by Lockheed Martin I believe and found superior. I've heard they're going back to the World Cup suits though and this may help to dispel the some of the doubts that seems to have pervaded their mindset. Could be that the winners are just peaking at the right time.

I wonder if they tested it on the athletes on the ice racing. Perhaps the new suits flex differently than the old that may affect the person slightly while the surface friction may be less. Wonder what speeds in the wind tunnel? Supersonic?

 

[Tomorrow]

I have no doubt that the suits are slicker in the wind...too much testing to doubt that. But, I wonder what kind of rigorous testing they did with them under race conditions and on real people. Elasticity and fit could be responsible for muscle cramping or lactic acid build up in the legs are just two possibilities. Shani said that he felt "good" during the 1km race and gave it everything he had. He said he had "no idea why he ran so slowly". Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[Alex2507]

I briefly caught something (probably on Fox News) about the vents in the back catching air and creating drag.

 

[fuzz092888]

I tend to agree with one if the commentators. The sits are only responsible for so much, maybe a couple tenths of a second at most. However they're losing by half a second or more. Switching to the old suits and still getting their butts kicked indicates that there's a little bit more going on. The suits may have played a part but longer they stay off the podium after the switch the less it looks like the sits were the problem.