Mark Spitz Mike Swallows....
I was listening to some NPR coverage on the dimensions of the Chinese Olympic pool. Their claim was that the new swim suits are receiving far too much credit for the smashing of records. Apparently the depth of the chinese pool was 10 feet, which is about 3 feet deeper than most olympic pools. The added depth means there are less interference waves to reverberate into the swimmers, slightly slowing them down with more resistance. Also, the chinese pool had one unmanned lane on each side of the pool so that lateral waves wouldn't be as much of an issue as well.
Anyways near the end of the session a caller asked if shaved heads actually give much of an advantage. The interviewee (who was a big wig ex coach, not a scientist) claimed that it's not so much of an aerodynamic advantage, instead that the new found tactile stimulation on the scalp and unbridled access of the cold water to the nerves of the swimmer was incredibly psychologically motivating. This kind of lines up with what Paul said earlier in the thread.
