Starting February 4, all eyes will be on Beijing. Fourteen years after the Summer Olympics, the Olympic flame will burn again in the world-famous «bird’s nest» stadium. One day later, on Saturday, February 5, the skating tournament will start with Belgian athletes in both long track speed skating and short track speed skating. Bart Swings, Mathias Vosté and Sandrine Tas will defend our Belgian colours in the long track competitions. Stijn and Hanne Desmet, brother and sister, will represent our tricolour in the short track competitions.
Pure Belgian
Our national speed skaters will appear on the ice in Beijing in brand new suits from Bioracer. Corné Lepoeter, president of the KBSF: «The KBSF is very pleased with the collaboration with Bioracer. Together, we developed a unique suit in which our skaters can compete for the medals in Beijing. First and foremost, in Bioracer we find a premium partner who only wants the best for our speed skaters. As the Belgian federation, it is also extremely important that these high-tech suits are thoroughly Belgian.»
Windtunnel tested
Bioracer engineered these brand-new aerodynamic speed skating suits based on a whole series of wind tunnel tests. To carry out these tests perfectly, they developed a full-scale skating mannequin. Based on these wind tunnel tests, Bioracer decided to apply a thin film coating on top of the fabric. This coating performs better than the traditional rubber coating. Furthermore, the seams of the suit are welded. This technology offers an aerodynamic advantage and it’s a step forward in terms of comfort. Where traditional stitching often caused some skin irritation, this problem is a thing of the past thanks to the welded seams.
Protolab, where the magic happens
At the Protolab, the epicentre for product development at Bioracer, the pattern of the suit underwent a true metamorphosis. This new suit ‘forces’ the skater into the most aerodynamic position. Especially when fatigue strikes, it is difficult for the speed skater to maintain the perfect race position for an entire race. The hood also got a thorough screening at the Protolab. The result? A hood that offers the head more freedom of movement and provides the necessary cooling in the heat of the race.
The final conclusion
The various configurations were extensively tested over the past six months by Bart Swings and the other Olympic speed skaters. The conclusion: a faster suit with a better fit that provides the necessary cooling during the race.