Is it the suit? We are about to find out.
The United States speedskaters will switch back to their old suits if, as expected, Olympic and skating officials approve a request made by the team to dump their new, high-tech Under Armour skinsuits, according to an ESPN report. The team will revert back to the uniforms they used to reel off wins at the World Championships and other international events. Those suits are also an Under Armour product.
The secretive Under Armour suit was developed with help from aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin. The Americans unveiled the “Mach 39″ just before arriving in Sochi, touting it as the “fastest speedskating suit in the world” and firmly convinced it would give them a big advantage over rival teams such as the Netherlands. Instead, the Dutch are dominating, the Americans look as if they’re skating in quicksand, and everyone is wondering if the suit is actually a drag on performance.
After a podium-filled season on the World Cup circuit, no U.S. skater has finished higher than seventh through six of 12 Olympic events. Among those who have failed to perform up to expectations: two-time Olympic champion Shani Davis and female stars Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe. Richardson attempted some on-site alterations.
“They did adjust one part on the back, but it was just putting rubber over the mesh there,” she said after a hugely disappointing performance in the 1,000, a race she dominated during the World Cup season.
“It had no effect, really.”
Team officials huddled in the stands after the women’s 1,000 meters, trying to figure out what they can do to turn things around. Friday was an off day at Adler Arena, giving the Americans some time to make adjustments.
“We’re not doing very good,” coach Kip Carpenter, a former skater and Olympic medalist, said bluntly. “Coming off one of our stronger fall seasons, we were expecting to take home a bunch of medals and lots of hardware. But we still have more opportunities. We’re doing our best to stay positive and stay focused.”
Davis was a two-time Olympic champion in the men’s 1,000 looking to become the first male speedskater to win the same event at three straight Games. His eighth-place showing Wednesday was the first indication that something might be seriously wrong with the U.S. team’s preparation.
Then, on Thursday, Richardson finished seventh and Bowe eighth over the same distance for the women, a stunning result given Richardson had won three World Cup events this season and Bowe took the other with a world-record time.
With AP