Watersports blog

A pair of Topeka based siblings have created a swimwear line for children. The entire idea started when Berry Wanless began complaining about how difficult it was to protect his young daughter from the harmful rays of the sun because she hated putting on her swimwear. It was when Wanless’ sibling, Betsy Johnson, thought that it was probably a good idea to start their own child-friendly swimwear line.

The result was SwimZip - a UV-protective children’s swimwear company that recently earned the Parent Tested Parent Approval Seal of Approval.

The mission of PTPA Media, which has 40,000 parent testing volunteers in North America, is to improve consumer access to quality products and services.

“They don’t pick at lot (of products), so this is a big deal,” said the 27 year old Johnson who now lives in Seattle and is in Topeka this week to visit her parents, Kirk and Marydorsey Wanless.

“This assures me SwimZip is a good product, and we’re making an impact in the parenting world.”

Johnson graduated from Topeka High School in 2003 and earned a business and economics degree in 2007 at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Johnson used to have a job at the Boeing Business Career Foundation Program.

Wanless, on the other hand, is 35 years old and a Topeka High graduate. He eventually earned a history degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, lives in Pittsburgh.

The siblings want to expand soon and try out new markets including Australia.

If there is a percentage of 80 to 85 per cent of women who are wearing the wrong type of bra, they’re almost certainly not wearing the correct bathing suit either.

The huge difference is, when one is wearing a suit that doesn’t fit properly, every person notices it. The manager of a swimwear shop in the vicinity of the World Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall sees a great deal of wrong suits on the wrong people on the beach.

More often than not, the incorrect types of suits are too big because the first thing people say when purchasing swimwear is they don’t want it too tight, or maybe because of the discomfort of showing off their love handles.

What they don’t understand is that swimwear stretches half a size when it’s wet, so when you purchase too big, you finish off with slack bum and straps that keep falling off the shoulders and those are not good for photographs, explains the manager of Swimco, formerly Swimwear Etc, Kelli Nykoluk.

The appropriate fitting of a swimsuit has to be - a fit snug on the skin. If it appears wrinkled somewhere, particularly around the bum, it’s too big, Nykoluk added.

An explanation for the women wearing the wrong suits has been given that it is because of the no-fun bathing suit shopping. Surveys have found that more women would choose to have dental work done than to shop for a swimsuit.

Knowledgeable swimwear store staff may tell you also tell you that the style you’re trying on is not the finest match for you, but if you like it and feel comfy in it, then take it, because you’re the one who is going to wear it.

Before, there were only a few bathing suit styles and colours to choose from unless you were a skinny. These days, women of all sizes have a broad choice of one-piece and two-piece suits, but the good ones don’t come cheap. Choose wisely.

Carmen Marc Valvo Swimwear has been included to its online series of offerings of Plush Swimwear’s luxury designer swimwear line, Plush Swimwear announced today. What’s on hand now that is available for purchase are swimsuits and cover ups from Carmen Marc Valvo’s 2012 Swimwear Cruise collection.

Carmen Marc Valvo is a well-known evening gown designer and a red carpet favourite. Being hailed as one red carpet favourite, Carmen Marc Valvo’s creations are use all across the world for their sharp couture aesthetic feature – and for making the glamorous leading ladies wearing his gowns, such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vanessa Williams, Kate Winslet, and Eva Longoria, even more breathtaking to know. Carmen Marc Valvo’s beachwear line follows very similar principles at the core of his eveningwear designs that is tailored fitted, meticulous craftsmanship, contoured shapes and striking patterns. Carmen’s insightful knowledge in producing silhouettes that improve the female form is seamlessly translated into stunningly beautiful swimsuits and chic, stylish cover-ups.

Liz Schmidt, Plush Swimwear’s Marketing Officer said that they are excited to make available Carmen Marc Valvo Swimwear as they believe his swimwear line epitomizes the luxury, elegance and glamour that are at the essence of his couture creations, and they believe this to be aligned with what the Plush Swimwear client ultimately looks for which is an exceptional, superior and distinctive swimwear wardrobe.

Carmen Marc Valvo, for his upcoming 2012 collection, plays with the charm of South Florida, with swimsuit names such as Deco Zig Zag, Luxury Key West, Sunny Isles and Palm Harbor. The collection features ultra feminine styles such as bandeau silhouettes, retro swimdresses and eye-catching one-shoulder maillots. The palette is chic in earthy tones with occasional pops of colour and includes off-white, brown, black, hot pink, cherry red, orange and chic golden foil applications. These select pieces from Carmen Marc Valvo’s 2012 Swimwear collection are available without delay at the Plush Swimwear online boutique.

A research by Northwestern Higher education has discovered that the 43 community information set at the event in The capital were attained mainly as a result of the participants’ swimsuits.

The research, released this month in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, discovered the slippery suits reduced drag, improved buoyancy and pressurized muscles to create what many regarded a mockery of the game.

The scientists considered Speedo’s full-body LZR Speed fit, a weaved elastane-nylon and memory element released by the swimsuits large in March 2008, to be a primary root cause of the improved move periods.

Lanty O’Connor of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine said that their information clearly indicate that it was more than just effort that allowed sports athletes to set the unrivaled 43 community information during this year’s community tournament. The swimsuit performed a significant function.

Men set community information in 15 of the 20 long-course swimming activities recognized by the Federation Internationale de Natation, the sport’s sanctioning body. Women set information in 17 activities.

O’Connor mentioned in the research that just two, community information in the male 1,500-meter freestyle and male 200-meter individual medley has been set since FINA suspended full-body, memory technical bathing matches truly. (Each record was set at this year’s World Championships in Shanghai.)

The research did crunched freely available swim race data from 1990 to 2010 and compared changes in that game with the results in monitor and area during the same period. The scientists select track and field because they evaluated it similar to swimming.

They also regarded various exterior aspects like training science, sex variations, adjustments in rules, anaerobic compared to cardiovascular activities, member information and unique ability. O’Connor determined those aspects performed a minor function in the hasty of community information set in Rome. It was the swimsuits that made the difference, he authored.

O’Connor said that now, nearly two years later, we have the information to show a strong connection between the use of these suits and improved competition periods.

As disclosing as the research is, folks have extensive alleged Speedo’s LZR suits affected the reliability of swimming. Salon.com reported how the fit worked in a complete post released in May. 2008, quickly after LZR’s launch. The post reported the genitals and belly as the parts of your body with the fit.

Olympian Mark Foster has joined in the call of Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington and world record titlist Liam Tancock in the implementation of new swimsuit regulations, which involves getting rid of advanced swimsuits and going back to traditional ones during competitions.

The wearing of Speedo LZR since February 2008 resulted to more than 200 world records being set which included the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. There have been complaints that these swimsuits are performance enhancers.

FINA, the international governing body on aquatic sports, have decided that starting January 1, 2010 all swimsuits used in competitions should be made out of textile only.

Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman threatened to withdraw the 14-time Olympic champion from competitions if changes were not established.

This forced FINA to act ruling that from January1, 2010 all suits will be textile only with far less coverage of the body.

Foster said that this is a great welcome for everyone since it no longer about the swimsuits anymore but the swimmers, which should be the point of the competitions in the first place.

Canada’s swimming governing body has decided to implement its own guidelines in terms of men’s swimwear that should be used by athletes during competitions.

Swimming Canada stated that effective September 1, 2009, the men’s swimwear to be worn by swimmers should conform to the approval guidelines by FINA, the world’s governing body on aquatic sports. These guidelines were supposed to start by January 1, 2010 but the Canadian governing body decided to jumpstart and began implementing the rules in order to let their athletes easily adjust.

National coach and Swimming Canada Chief Executive Officer Pierre Lafontaine said that they want the athletes to start adjusting to the new swimsuit guidelines this season. This way, the swimmers can easily adjust with having to compete without wearing the advanced swimwear which they used to wear in meets. However, Lafontaine added that the rule will not be implemented on Canadian swimmers competing abroad since this will take place on January 1 next year.

Men’s swimwears are becoming a rage these days following the world-record breaking performances made by top swimmers since the Beijing Olympics last year. Multiple Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, who wore a bodysuit swimwear, gained worldwide attention following his eight gold-medal haul at that time, making him the athlete with the most number of Olympic gold medals.

At this point, Phelps said that the controversy caused by the men’s swimwear calls for a much needed change in swimwear rules. According to reports, these new men’s swimwear suits have polyurethane content which boosts the swimmers’ speeds.

Several new world records have been set in this week’s World Swimming Championships in Rome, Italy which left the spectators and players stunned in disbelief.

Phelps, a 14-time Olympic gold medalist, said that it may be time to revert back to usual men’s swimwear or “banana hammocks” (tight fitting men’s swimwear).

FINA, a global policymaker on swimming competitions, is now back on the discussion tables as officials debate on what should be done next to resolve the controversy involving high-tech swimwear.

Critics from all over said that these swimwear trap air which adds buoyancy to the swimmer.

Popular swimwear designer Monica Wise got in the prestigious “Mercedes-Benz Presents” designers list following her great achievements in the field of fashion, specifically on designer swimwear that flatter a woman’s curves via sexy silhouettes.

Wise is the owner of swimwear line L*Space and she will unveil her 2010 collection at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim event in Miami, Florida this coming July 17, Friday at The Raleigh Hotel. The new swimwear line will be in competition with Speedo, Billabong and Panache.

The creator and owner of the fashion line is now in the league of in demand designers such as Yigal Azrouel, Red Carter, Badgley Mischka and Monique Lhuillier who also made it to the prestigious list. The Mercedes-Benz program recognizes designers that have flair for innovative and quality design.

In a press release, Wise revealed that aside from the swimwear line, she will also present a collection that was borne out of a lucrative partnership with humanitarian fashion brand OmniPeace. Part of the proceeds from the sales of the collection will go to a good cause.

The talented designer said that she’s honored to be part of the designer list, adding that being an active supporter of the philanthropic activities of OmniPeace only made it even more thrilling.

A report from Jacksonville Business Journal revealed that a swimwear company based in Jacksonville and Dexter, Florida may soon start retrenching its workers due to the ongoing global financial crisis.

Venus Swimwear, with manufacturing centers in the aforementioned cities, has reportedly filed a notice in the Florida State late last week that it needs to let go of up to 240 people. This is due to American Capital Bank’s decision to pull out its financing in the company.

The workers in Dexter revealed that the company officials have already informed them that their jobs are already on the line because of this development. However, Venus officials stressed that the manufacturing plant remains open for the time being. The question remains as to how long this will continue without the swimwear company getting the much needed financing.

Venus is known for selling high quality swimwear, lingerie, bridal lingerie and women’s wear via retail stores, catalog sales and online.

The global financial crisis has affected major and minor business all over the world. The clothing industry is one of those who were hit heavily with this occurrence since consumers nowadays are tightening their belts when it comes to buying commodities.

The Israel Tax Authority has reportedly filed a case against Gottex Models, Ltd., makers of mens and womens swimwear, at the Rishon LeZion Magistrates Court. Included in the complaint are two of the company’s top ranking officers.

According to media reports, officers Meir Goer and Eti Levy have evaded about 6 million sheqels or $1.47 million on import duties. Goer, who was the company’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive officer, currently serves as a Director while Levy is the Export Procurement Manager.

Court documents revealed that from the period 2003 to 2006, the company imported mens and womens swimwear from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. The clothes were reportedly bought in several countries and then sent to their factories.

Based on the country’s trade agreements with the aforementioned countries, swimwear items are exempted from customs duties provided that these were manufactured from clothes produced from an exporting country. The falsifications were allegedly discovered from the statements submitted by the factories.

Gottex was founded in 1949 by Leah and Ermine Gottleib in Hungary. In 1997, Africa-Israel group acquired the company and expanded the business from producing raincoats to manufacturing mens and womens swimwear line.