Wednesday, December 12, 2001
Canadians unfazed by Nike suits
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
Sportswear giant Nike, which could teach the CIA, Mossad and KGB a thing or two about security, is developing a new, high-tech, aerodynamic suit for the American and Dutch speed skating teams in Salt Lake.
And that has Canadian team officials shaking in their boots -- with laughter.
"Even if the suits turns out to be a little bit faster, it's going to be so minimal compared to our suit," said Robert Bolduc, Speed Skating Canada high performance director. "It's not a big deal -- unless they can find a suit that cuts five-tenths of a second off in the women's 500, because that's what Catriona Le May Doan is winning by right now."
Five-tenths of a second is a lot in sprint speedskating, unless of course, Le May Doan is skating. The defending Olympic champ won the women's 500-metre World Cup event in Calgary on Sunday in a time 37.22 seconds, over a half a second over Sabine Volker of Germany -- without the new Nike suit.
Canada wears a suit manufactured by Descente, one that Bolduc describes as the best in the world, right now anyway.
"In my mind, we have the fastest suit," Bolduc said. "So whatever Nike's doing, we're not worried about it."
Nike is expected to unveil the new suit sometime in early January. A Nike spokesman said the suits are a "100-fold" improvement on the suits they developed for track and swimming athletes at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Bolduc is confident the Canadian team will not get caught up in the hype of the new suits.
2002 Games Short Track Speed Skating Coverage
