Light, Tight And Right For Racing

The U.S. girls who have worn the skinsuits are enthusiastic about them. Their comments range from "All I could feel was my kick," to "When I took my first flip-turn, I wanted to reach down and see if I still had my suit on." "It's like sliding through the water," said another. "The body is completely compressed by the suit. I felt no resistance whatsoever." "I don't feel anything at all," said Babashoff. "It's just like wearing nothing."

Many feel that Lycra is only the beginning. Bill Lee, for one, thinks even better fabrics will be produced in a few years. Indeed, the swimsuit of the future might well be a spray-on rubberized coating—in team colors—which can be peeled off after a meet.

Thus, presumably, the suits are now internationally equal again. It means only one thing: when the U.S. women meet the East Germans again in Concord at the end of the month, it will be just another contest to see who are the best athletes.