Canada Goes Hooded While the Dutch Stay Cool

Wetzel and Williams model new suits
© Rowing Canada

Reminiscent of Cathy Freeman’s one piece running suit at the Sydney Olympics, Canada’s Olympic rowing team yesterday unveiled the rowing uniform that they hope will give them the edge at Athens. The red and white hooded unisuits have been constructed to reduce the amount of resistance from wind.

The designers estimate that the hood will help to eliminate drag from wind resistance by three percent. They have calculated this to be the equivalent of about 2 ½ metres in a 2,000-metre race. When races are sometimes won or lost by centimeters, this could be a huge advantage for the Canadians. The uniform also includes moisture-wicking fabric that helps draw sweat away from the skin.

The Canadian National team will be the only rowers in Athens wearing these hooded unisuits. However, this is not the first time hoods have been used. At the FISA Team Cup in Seville in February 2000, the Dutch men’s four, Twente Vier, had heads turning when they rowed in bright orange hooded ?space suits.? The suits disappeared before the Sydney Olympics.

This year the Dutch Olympic rowing team at Athens will be dressed in fabrics specifically designed for athletes to cope with the summer heat. The fabric works two ways by dispersing the body heat for the more efficient evaporation of sweat and it also reflects the sun’s rays. The developers claim that the uniform can improve performance by up to three percent.

The Dutch and the Canadians will get to demonstrate their respective three percent advantage when they go up against each other in the men’s and women’s eight, the lightweight women’s double and the lightweight men’s four at Athens.

Innovation in uniforms has been sporadic over the years, but Japan did give it a go in 1996. They turned up at the Atlanta Olympics with their attempt to reduce wind resistance ? turtle shell shapes attached to their backs. The innovation ended up not being worn during the races.

According to FISA’s Executive Director Matt Smith, Canada’s suits are within the rules. ?The Canadian team is welcome to wear it as long as the whole team does,? said Smith.

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