The sport of competitive swimming had a remarkable year in 2008 - 70 records and 66 Olympic records in Beijing. This recent run of World Records and world best times has caused quite a stir and much of the conversation has focused on the new generation of swimsuits which take advantage of improvements in fabric and suit construction technology. The new suits, dubbed speedsuits, have created two opposing camps: those in favor of their use, and those who feel the new technology is literally destroying the sport.

The speedsuit debate which is currently raging in the swimming community is quite interesting. Many athletes, coaches, swimming officials and journalists are often quoted, giving their, often, highly-charged and emotional opinions on the ethical nature of wearing the suit, some going so far as to equate them to performance-enhancing drugs.

One of the voices that has remained largely unheard has been that of the manufacturers. One in particular that has come under heavy criticism from the "suit-burners," is blueseventy. Just before Christmas, I contacted blueseventy to see if I could speak to someone regarding the speedsuit argument and the upcoming FINA meeting. Dean Jackson, the director of sales and marketing, replied and said that blueseventy would love to have their voice be heard.

Dean responded to some questions via email and we also spoke on New Year's Eve as well. Interview below:

Swimmers have experienced some tremendous success in blueseventy suits in 2008. Describe the suit technology a bit and what has been the feedback from swimmers who have worn the suits in competition?

"The goal of the suit has been to maximize the potential of the swimmer. The approach we have taken is to create a suit similar to others on the market and that have existed for several years where the goal is to reduce the friction of the skin / Body in the water. We used a non-buoyant material (Tested for non buoyancy by worlds highest level laboratories) with a skin that has a drag co-efficient 70 times lower than skin. This has created a feeling of “I feel slippery”, “The suit makes me feel fast. Even if it is just in my head.” Some swimmers who tried the suit before the games simply did not like the fit or the shape, others loved it, and this again shows that there is no one suit to maximizing all athletes potential."

When did Blueseventy decide to make an entry in to competitive swimming? Did you have any idea that your product would have a potentially revolutionary impact when it was introduced?

"We decided to enter the “Open water” swimming world a year last, September 2007. We had a product that was used in triathlon where non-buoyancy is a rule when the water is too warm for wetsuits. This suit had been approved for Triathlon events and they work under similar and stricter rules than FINA. The suit was modified to have a pool /open water cross over and was approved in November 2007 for FINA event use both open water and pool. The product was called “Nero” as it was black, the stitching is black etc. I so wish we had a clever marketing story why it was called “Nero.” Sadly, not.

Blueseventy has existed in triathlon for over 19 years and we understand what it takes to bring the best out of a swimmer. We know our products, we know our materials, and we all swim across the ability levels, from master, triathlon swimming to Olympic representation (for the USA. Roque Santos), so I guess we knew that we make a great product. We knew that we made the product with the feedback of the athlete and not so much the “Lab.” Swimmers helped make our suit a great suit…not a scientist. After all it is the swimmer that matters and the swimmer who is putting in all the hard work and effort.

Where we did expect our suit to be revolutionary is in its durability. We have chosen a durable fabric (we know because the non buoyant triathlon version with mass swim starts uses this). We knew that if someone is paying over $300 then they expect and deserve durability. They should not be given a product that lasts 5 swims and then no longer fits and the panels fall off. So yes, we expected success, but not to this level. Again this is because we understood all aspects of the suit - performance, fit and durability."

The impact the speedsuits are having has become a pretty high-profile, and often heated debate these days and Blueseventy is one of the targets for those on the anti-speedsuit side of the argument. Certainly, you are proud of your product and the accomplishments of the swimmers who wear it. Is it difficult to focus on those positive things, while dealing with the debate?

"You are right. There is a lot of talk of what our suits and other suits are made of, what they are capable of and what they are doing to the sport. We have to sit back and let it ride as we know a majority of the performance related facts are unfounded, untrue and sensationalized to make a great story, so I guess you could say we are happy to let the debate rage as we will not join in an argument that contains so many untruths of suit performance. Of course you cannot deny the records and the times; it has been an incredibly successful year for swimming. For blueseventy, it is, and always has been about the athlete, and with a FINA legal garment that meets FINA requirements then it is a level playing field. The real difference is the swimmer, and the coach and of course the athletes ability."

An Italian coach commenting on the new generation of speedsuits coined the term "tech-doping" in an interview, conflating two completely different situations - comparing someone wearing legal, approved apparel with someone taking a banned substance. Do coaches need to be more responsible, restrained in this debate? Or are they attempting to influence the sport's governing bodies through the press?

"To even link our suits and other brands suits with the inexcusable act of doping is too far fetched to be given the column inches. Doping is cheating, taking drugs and masking agents and trying to cheat the system is lowest an athlete can go. To even imagine that an athlete wearing a suit that has been governing body approved and meets the standards set for all suits is equivalent amazes us and the other brands.

If I were a coach I would want to see new blood in the sport, in the shape of competitors and companies willing to invest in swimming. The world of swimming has been reliant on a few product brands investing. Now to have so many companies like us willing to invest in the sport and grow the participation has to be a good thing. I think any person wanting to have an impartial say should first look at themselves as a coach, who are they sponsored by? Who are there teams sponsored by? I am sure they have asked these questions to themselves. responsibility has to be key, along with factually correct information for the subject to which we are all talking of. Although I do feel the voice of the coach and the athlete has not really been heard through the very tight reporting channels of this issue, the opinion poll needs to reach a little broader audience than those simply against progression in the sport."

The athletes seem to becoming divided as well. Former German World Record holder, Michael Gross recently commented,” It has become a technology battle which even overshadows the doping debate." Australian Libby Trickett believes that the "suit-burners are Luddites" and that banning the speedsuits "would set the sport back a decade." From your perspective, how did lines get drawn so quickly in this debate?

"Well it is funny, I do not see the athletes breaking records saying anything negative, and I do not see the national governing bodies with an open suit to wear policy for their athletes complaining too much either.

I do see those of a past era and those who’s teams that may not have a product of latest performance, (be that down to the focus and development of the sponsoring brand or not!) Shouting foul play, interestingly

We have to remember that with the tightness and control of the sport not being with the athlete, you will hear strong voice and opinion from those who are no longer competing and from those who may be influenced by another agenda. It is not for me to say either way, but I do agree and applaud Libby for speaking her mind and wanting to see the sport evolve like every other Olympic event. What next? Put the cyclists all on the same bike made of steel? Bad for all!"

Blueseventy started off providing products primarily to the triathlon community. Triathletes as a whole demand and expect technology innovation in their quest to go faster. The swimming community does not seem to be wired the same way. Do you think that the swimming community mindset is resistant to technological change in the competitive arena or is it the pace of the change that has created some dissonance?

"I believe it has been down to the fact that triathlon is a “New” sport, it has a differing mindset, and the pursuit of maximizing ones potential always has been the triathlete’s goal. You can draft on the bike in triathlon and “Cheat” but the athletes themselves police this and show hatred to those who try and steal a few seconds here and there, they would rather see development through maximizing their own training and effort and see it manifest itself on race day with the very best equipment and very best performance from their endless hours of training and analysis.

I believe swimmers do want this, but sadly innovation in the sport has been left to a few brands, and it is only really since Ian Thorpe’s leap from the swim brief that you have seen investment in technology and understanding the way the athlete moves through the water that has led to new suit development, and being realistic, this is really extremely new to the swimming world when you look how old the sport is. There will be laggards in swimming as there are in any sport or community for technology some will grasp ideas, others will need proof or remain unconvinced, and this is human nature. Having been approached by many athletes wanting to try our suit (And not all liking it) we have seen an excitement from them that is most rewarding. To have athletes and coaches thanking us for entering the sport and for breathing new life and enthusiasm into swimming is for us greater than any financial reward.

I guess I have not answered the question too well. I actually believe there are far more swimmers for innovation than the cynics would ever allow you to know. A recent USMS survey shows this." (ed. blueseventy has recently been named the official swimskin of United States Masters Swimming. More here.)

For the upcoming February FINA meeting, are the suit manufacturers being given a seat at the table to have their voices heard? Do you think the process will be transparent enough to satisfy the swimming community?

"Well you may or may not be aware that the swimming manufacturers met last year in Manchester with FINA, and then again in July where we proposed to FINA some new guidelines for thickness and enhanced testing procedures. These were submitted to FINA mid October and will no doubt form part of the proposals discussed at the manufacturers meeting in February. I feel confident our voice will be heard, although I must thank you and congratulate you for actually contacting us and asking the questions as so many other writing on this debate seem to have neglected to actual ask the brands their opinions, and ask them the true facts of the suits in the pool. For this blueseventy is appreciative of your contact to us."

Finally, what's next for Blueseventy? What is the new hot product you will putting in to the market?

"Wow, I had better not give too much way here…smiles. Well we are launching new products in our goggles line; we have new ladies goggles under “Femme Fit” made for women. New open water goggles and a new pool legskin (tight) and Jammer. We will not rush product development as their are so many considerations: ruling, athletes feedback - it has taken us 10 months to bring our legskins to market as we went around the world getting athlete feedback to get them “perfect” in the fit. We will continue to develop product for the triathlon market and of course continue our work with United States Masters Swimming in developing specific product for their marketplace. With open water swimming debuting so well in the Olympic Games, we do see the open water as a category where growth will be found, and this does excite us."

Thanks for your time Dean and best wishes to you and blueseventy in 2009.

Swimming is not immune to changes and advances in technology. As Dean said above, we have only recently "seen investment in technology and understanding the way the athlete moves through the water." These investments and new understanding create the climate for innovators, like the folks at blueseventy, who approach the sport with "new" eyes and different assumptions regarding the possible. They will create solutions that challenge the existing order.

Thomas Kuhn, in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions , discussed the nature of evolution in science and expressed that change in terms of what he called "paradigms" and "paradigm shifts." Kuhn believed there was no paradigm change without crisis. Additionally, Kuhn says, "The competition between paradigms is not the sort of battle that can be resolved by proof." I believe that is what we are in the midst of with this debate. The speedsuit is a revolutionary step in in the sport. The speedsuit proponents (athletes, coaches and manufacturers) through effective research, use, and results obtained have ushered in a new paradigm that threatens the established one.

In February, FINA will convene to make a ruling on speedsuits. If Kuhn is correct in his assessment of the nature of scientific revolutions, the speedsuit revolution will not be resolved by proof either, but through politics and influence.