Archive for Check it out!
Triathlete Magazine’s latest fi’zi:k ad
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The latest issue of Triathlete Magazine is out on the news stands and being the swimsuit issue it has the effect of dragging out all the conservatives and those who feel it is sexually objectifies the human form, which is considered inappropriate in these politically correct times.
One of the, many, complaints is that they use swimsuit models rather than actual athletes and this is where Fi’zi:k jumped to the rescue in their typical dark and edgy style. Unfortunately it seems to have had the opposite effect and has been accused of contributing to a poor body image. Some of the comments on Slowtwitch are particularly harsh, especially when you consider that their forum is largely made up of amateur triathletes.
To me the image just portrays a bunch of athletes at the top of their game and illustrates the realities of competing at that level. If I had a dime for every time someone told me I was too skinny, I would be a millionaire and while I don’t specifically set out to achieve single figure body-fat percentages, it is a by product of training and racing hard.
I am not saying that we should glorify the way they look but by the same token I do not find it unattractive or alarming. All I have is respect for what they have achieved and admiration for their dedication in what is not an easy sport.
I guess it’s the old adage of ‘you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time” that applies here and we are all unique so perhaps its time that we stop projecting our issues onto everyone else, and starting owning them for ourselves.
Ginch Gonch
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Live like a kid
Growing up we were all subjected to the dreaded tighty-whities that grandma bought us for xmas. You know the ones with the Y front, usually made from some creepy mesh and always three sizes bigger than you needed.
If that wasn’t bad enough, you were subjected to further humiliation during phys ed classes when your mates all had those cool superman undies that your mother always said were a waste of money.
Well, it might have been a long wait but it certainly was worth it cause now you can recreate your childhood with a range of funky designs from Ginch Gonch.
The guys underwear is now available through Collin’s Blog Shop where he is launching with the I LOVE campaign. If successful I am sure he will expand it to include many of the other favourites. Go on, give it a try, cause life’s too short for boring underwear.
WTC – Ironman Rules, Fizik and Ekoi
Posted by: | CommentsOver the last few days I have had a number of thoughts running around in my head but as is always the case, finding time to put them down in writing has been tough. Not that I am complaining, being busy is a nice problem to have but when you see something that you just have to share, it’s frustrating having to wait to do so. I could use twitter but sometimes I need more than 140 characters to express myself so I will bundle them all together into this one post and if you like, it might become a more regular feature.
Ekoi Corsa Lite
Unless you are a avid follower of cycling you probably have never heard of French accessory company Ekoi but they have been around for a while and make some awesome helmets, sunglasses and clothing. I have heard a rumour that Lucie Zelenkova will be using their Chrono helmet at Ironman South Africa so it may not be long before they explode onto the triathlon scene.
Their signature item has to be the Corsa Lite helmet that comes in at a ridiculous 180g without compromising safety in any way. It’s 26 vents, including a huge one in the front, will provide exceptional cooling on even the hottest of days and ‘mosquito net’ interior will prevent those pesky bugs from hitching an unwelcome ride. The single hand size adjuster ensures a snug fit for most sizes and the Coolmax inner padding should do a great job of keeping you dry.
The only problem you might have is getting your hands on one but they do have a website that offers online ordering. Problem is that its in French so unless tu parles français you might have to use Google Translate to make sense of it. Check them out at www.ekoi.fr for more information
Fi’zi:k Arione VS & Antares VS Saddles
Not a whole lot is known about Fi’zi:k’s new saddles other than they have gone the route of many other saddle manufacturers and introduced anatomic relief to their top of the range Arione and Antares models.
This will come as welcome news for those hardcore Fi’zi:k fans and also for many of those that might have loved the design but could never quite get comfortable on the current models.
I have used the Arione ever since it first came out, starting with the Wing Flex before moving to the Tri2 Carbon Braided version and while I have no need for anatomical relief (just yet?), I do know a few people that will definitely go back to Fi’zi:k when these are released.
World Triathlon Corporation rules – good or bad?
At the end of last year the WTC announced a set of new rules relating to Kona slots and prize money for the professionals. While the intentions were probably good, they may actually end up doing more harm to the sport but it is their latest ruling around wetsuits and swimskins that I find incredibly narrow minded.
Yes, from September 2010, the start of the Ironman 2011 season, you will no longer be able to use your swimskins at WTC (Ironman and 70.3) races in the USA, including the World Championships in Kona and Clearwater.
The WTC has followed the route of FINA in banning technology and giving the manufacturers that support their sport the middle finger.
Sure one can argue that the reason for a non-wetsuit swim is exactly that and certain athletes should not then be aided by a swimskin but when everyone is using one the playing field is level and I see no harm in it. Triathlon has after all being at the forefront of technology for a long time and we can lay claim to many technological advances made in other sports.
To now go back and say that we are banning certain items is absurd, even more so when it is only in the USA. This means that an athlete can head off to a European Ironman event and qualify with a swimskin that is illegal in Kona? How does that benefit everyone?
