TYR Introduces FINA-Approved Tracer™ Rise

Dunkirk, France – TYR Sport Inc., a leader in high performance swimwear for over 20-years presented its latest generation technical swimsuit Tracer Rise at a press conference held during today’s French Olympic Trials. Tracer Rise features the first woven high performance urethane fabric ever used in competition. Wearing the Tracer Rise, Doug Van Wie set the World Record in the 4x100m Freestyle S.C. Relay. Featuring Rapid Boundary Technology™, the new patent-pending technical swimsuit was unequivocally approved for competition by FINA on April 12. TYR is the second-largest performance swimwear company in North America and has a brand presence in more than 80 countries. Over the last decade, TYR has pioneered technical swimsuit developments through research at International Center for Aquatic Research (ICAR, U.S. Olympic Training Center), the University of Buffalo’s Center for Research and Development in Special Environments (CRESE) and conducted fabric validation testing by Bureau Veritas, an independent product performance agency. TYR was the first company to decompose the components of overall total drag in racing swimsuits into three elements: form drag, pressure drag and wave drag. Tracer Rise utilizes Rapid Boundary Technology, the fusion of a non-permeable, polyurethane micro-coating to a proprietary lightweight water repellent woven fabric assisting the swimmer in a higher body position in the water and drag reduction. This latest TYR technical swimsuit offers muscle contour seaming, designed to limit muscle undulation and maximize oxygen efficiency to the swimmer’s core muscles. Hydrophobic properties provide maximum water repellency to eliminate absorption and restrict air trapping during high velocity strokes. Constructed from the strongest micro-fiber available for performance swimsuits, Tracer Rise offers athletic performance benefits to the competitor by providing high tensile strength flat seams that aid compression and muscle contouring essential for streamlining the swimmer’s body through the water. “This technology hasn’t been seen before in the sport of swimming. Tracer Rise propels the sport into an entirely new direction by pushing the innovation envelope. Our athletes believe in the Tracer Rise and their swimming results prove it. Fast, just got faster,” says Steve Furniss, TYR co-founder and 1972 Olympic swimming medalist. Tracer Rise was initially approved by the Federacion Internationale de Natacion (FINA) in January 2008 and was first tested in competition at the Southern California Grand Prix. Following an inquiry, Tracer Rise was later unequivocally approved on April 12 for a second time by FINA during the Short Course World Championships in Manchester, England. As the governing body, FINA upheld its previous certification of Tracer Rise deeming it legal for all international sanctioned swimming competitions, enabling TYR to formally launch this technical swimsuit at the French Olympic Trials. On the first days of competition at the French Olympic Trials, athletes have proven successful results in Tracer Rise. Amaury Leveaux set a new French National Record and swam the World’s 2nd Fastest Time for 2008 in the 200m Freestyle. Aurore Mongel won the 200m Freestyle and Benjamin Stasiulis won the 100m Backstroke. During its development, TYR swimmers participated in refining the overall design and demonstrated up to a 4% performance improvement when swimming in Tracer Technology. “With our heritage and dedication to the swimmer, we are confident that Tracer Rise places us on the leading edge of competitive swimsuit technology. We look forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games where TYR athletes will be on the starting blocks with the most advanced technology on the market.” Furniss concluded.