long live tech suits!

We all remember "that Olympics" where the tech suits were thought to have been just a little too good to be true, and with the WTC banning them for Ironman races, many thought tech suits such as the pointzero3 and nero where lost to us.

Maarten van der Weijden rocking the PZ3

Oh ye of little faith! You can still use tech suits in a whole range of open water races around the world, and our competition to win a choice of pool or tri swimskin has people coming up with some pretty major events that have not banned these dreamy, super quick suits, such event is the Rottnest Channel Swim!

So this got us reminiscing on the milestones of these sleek and super speedy suits... enjoy.

• 2006: Normann Stadler (along with 16 other pros) wears the first ever pointzero3, winning the event, and setting a swim PB in the process.
• 2007: 600 athletes line the start of the Kona Ironman World Championships in the pointzero3 swimskin and pointzero3+ , including both eventual winners.
• 2008: The Nero comp swimskin (fully functional pool suit) is released in May. It is the dominant suit at the World Open Water Swimming Championships, worn by the winner of the 25km World Championship. Numerous world records are set in the pool using Nero comp swimskins.
• 2008: At the Beijing Olympics the first Olympic Gold medal in Open Water Swimming is awarded to Dutch athlete Maarten Van Der Weijden wearing the Nero 10K swimskin.
• 2009: The Nero comp range is rejected by FINA along with other companies’ suits due to the arbitrary ruling that they ‘may trap air’. This results in a huge worldwide media interest following blueseventy. The exposure of ‘non scientific’ reasons for banning suits by certain FINA officials sees a reversal of the decision on all rejected blueseventy suits.
• 2009: 800 competitors (over half the field) wear a blueseventy swimskin at Kona. The PZ3 (a welded version of the pointzero3 swimskin) is released.
• 2010: The neroTX textile race suit for the pool is released, and is worn to numerous National championship titles.
• 2010: WTC changes the rules for triathlon swimskins. blueseventy releases the new textile PZ3TX swimskin, and two new triathlon apparel lines. Feedback from professional athletes regarding the PZ3TX is outstanding.
• 2011: The Rottnest Channel swim allows swimskins for it's 2011 event, as they have clearly demonstrated safety and comfort benefits to the competitors.
• 2012: blueseventy tech suit day is celebrated internationally.  Oh wait.  That's not official yet.

Tech suits are not only quick, they also provide extra warmth and protection from the waters where a wetsuit isn't suitable.  Ask the event organiser if you can use your swimskin, or check out our guide to what's legal here.  Chances are you can!

Tech Suits Rule! Win a free swimskin!

And you thought tech suits were banished to the realms of history.  One of the worlds most prestigious open water races, the Rottnest Channel Swim has named our pointzero3 and nero 10km suits as legal for the challenging 19.7km open water race on 26 Feb 2011. 

To celebrate, we are doing a special on the nero 10km and pointzero3 suits through our friends at Aqua Shop Australia, and we’re also going to give away FIVE new textile suits through our facebook competition. 

Find out more on blueseventy swimskins or to buy now click Aqua Shop Australia.


You can also use our handy new guide to swimskin rules to figure out what suit is legal where!

BE IN TO WIN

Hey no one said you had to have one or the other, so we're going to give you the chance to win either a FINA legal neroTX or the WTC approved PZ3TX - there are five chances to win and all you have to do is name an open water swimming event that permits our tech suits!  To enter, just like our facebook page and post your entry on our wall!

Enter our facebook competition here!


Competition runs until 26 Feb 2011, winners announced Monday 27 Feb 2011 on our facebook page.

New VW pickup spy shots

Check out these new images of the new VW pickup truck. That is a very cool looking vehicle with lots of outdoorsy features including neoprene seats. We also approve that they used blueseventy pointzero 3 swimskins for the photo shoot.

Fun in Kona

It's Tuesday before race-day in Kona and everyone seems to be in good spirits. The blueseventy pointzero3's are out in force at the swim start area each morning. We snapped some pros as they wondered around this little town that's gearing up for a huge day on saturday.

Terenzo Bozzone, although not racing of course but over in Kona to support his sponsors, gets ready for his group ride with Specialized. Gina Fergusson stops by to say hi also.


Ain Alar Juhanson in his pointzero3+ going for a quick pre-race swim.


Ruther Beke explains the pointzero3 sizing to a friend of his.

Only a few more days

The 2008 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii are now just a few days away. We are partnering with K-Swiss, Fuel Belt, fi'zi:k, nuun and you can find us every morning from 9 -12 at Lava Java. We'll be there mingling with the athletes (a few pros are going to stop by too), running a few competitions, and giving out entries into the K-Swiss & Friends After Party. See you all there.



PS: it's not too late to get your pointzero3 still; we have plenty in Kona right now! Call our US office on +1.206.632.1994 to find out your closest dealer in Kona.

Some like it HOT!

During race day at Ironman Louisville, the temperature crept up to 36ºC (97ºF) so it's no surprise that some of the competitors made the most their swim taper leading up to race day. Here, Richard Bayly from New Zealand enjoys a quick dip the day before his race in his pointzero3.