Tuesday, February 28, 2012

2012 Helix in Abu Dhabi


This weekend's race in Abu Dhabi is much anticipated with a high-firepower field of professionals chomping at the bit to charge into 2012. With water temperatures hovering a few degrees below the cut-off, it looks like a good change it will be a wetsuit swim and we have a number of athletes armed with the newly designed 2012 blueseventy Helix. Dirk Bockel, racing his first race as part of the Leopard Trek team, has been in Abu Dhabi for a few days and we were able to briefly chat with him about the new wetsuit.

Dirk, what did you think of your first swim in the new Helix? "I tested my Helix yesterday in the comfortable 19 degree water here in Abu Dhabi. I noticed free-feeling mobility in the arm and shoulder area, which is especially elastic, and of course I was happy to feel the buoyancy in the legs which helped me to maintain an ideal body position in the water."

What type of swim session did you perform yesterday? "I did a 3k session spiked with small intervals--which were completely comfortable and no problem in the Helix. I was a bit worried since I haven't been swimming in a wetsuit in a while, but it doesn't feel like a wetsuit--it is more like a second skin."

Dirk, this is a stacked field and arguably the toughest field outside of Kona - what is your perspective going into the event? "There is a reason I have been with blueseventy for a majority of my triathlon career -- it is the wetsuit that I feel the most comfortable in when I have to race against the world's toughest field. This weekend I will be doing just that in Abu Dhabi. I am excited to start my season in the UAE-- it is always an amazing experience to be out here and I know I am in great shape--so now I have to let the legs do the talking!"


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

What Was Your Longest Swim?

We are willing to bet not many have equaled Ben Campbell-Macdonald's endurance swim. He swam the length of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand. 81kms, 18+ hours in 15 deg C water. The distance is the equivalent of 3 x the Cook Strait crossing. Amazing endurance feat from Ben Campbell-Macdonald. Tools for Ben's success: Helix wetsuit, 7mm hood, neoprene boots, thermals and a kilo of petroleum jelly. Amazing Ben, just amazing. Ben's team provides us with the following pictures-


Careful prep pre-swim and all-smiles
That is a 7mm hood...
Lake Wakatipu is large even in a boat
Truly gorgeous scenery
Epic open water swim.



Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The First blueseventy Tattoo?

We just completed the "BE THE FIRST" 2012 Helix photo contest last week and this week something pretty remarkable came along that might be another "first". Steve White "The Swimming Gardener" from the UK has taken his love for blueseventy to a new level- a tattoo!
Steve told us his mother suggests therapy... but he prefers to only show his friends the tattoo when it isn't safely disguised under his jeans or his Helix wetsuit. Well, the secret is out now! Steve's love for swimming is remarkable. He has raised thousands of dollars (or British pounds) for an array of charities.
We honor you Steve, not only for your tattoo, but foremost for your charitable work that you tie into your passion for open water swimming. Steve's website is found here: www.swimminggardener.org.uk