I first heard about the Arena Powerskin Carbon Pro earlier this year (see Arena Powerskin Carbon Pro). From the launch in early 2012 there were claims and high expectations as to how this suit was going to perform, it had a lot to live up to. It seems that all the hype and attention drawn towards it was well justified, this suit has been nothing short of amazing! There have been some amazing times set in the Arena Carbon Pro at various Olympic Trials around the world.

The two articles below give more insight into this amazing swimming suit.

The first issued by Arena International provides detail of the amazing performances in the suit thus far.

For more background on the Arena Powerskin Carbon Pro, see the second article below issued shortly after the launch by SwimNews Online.

“Carbon-Pro Fast Lane

Powerskin Carbon Pro featuring the breakthrough technology of “intelligent compression” was launched in mid February, ready for the Olympic Trials. As the Arena Elite Team became familiar with their new suits the combination proved to be unstoppable…

Arena Powerskin Carbon Pro

Carbon-Pro made its debut at the British Trials on Monday, 5th March worn by European Champion Sarah Sjostrom. The combination was electric! Sarah achieved the second fastest time ever recorded (wearing a textile suit) in 200m freestyle, stopping the clock at an impressive 1:55.23. Britain’s Francesca Halsall swam her way to victory on the 8th March in a time of 53:57 (100m freestyle) in eye-catching Coral and then switched to grey on the 10th (March) to pick up the fastest time (24:13) ever recorded for a woman wearing a textile suit in 50m free. On March 16th Carbon-Pro arrived in the Netherlands for the Amsterdam Swim Cup and was worn by World Silver Medalist, Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Ranomi won the 50m freestyle (24:24) qualifiers and continued her success the following day to make the years fastest 100m freestyle time of 53:30. The atmosphere was exciting in Adelaide on Saturday 17th March as Emily Seebohm raced her way to the years quickest 100m backstroke time of 59:28. Across the Ocean to Brazil and the South American Championships, Cesar Cielo took first place in both the 50m freestyle (21:85) and 50m fly (23:86) events. He acquired the years fastest 50m fly time and the second fastest 50m freestyle time. As the Danish Open came to an end last Sunday (25th March), Lotte Friis swam a time of 16:16:74 in the 1500m freestyle giving her the fastest time this year. On the same day over in Stockholm, Sarah Sjostrom gained the third fastest time of the year (53:66) in 100m freestyle, just behind Francesca Halsall and Ranomi Kromowidjojo. During the semi-finals of the Swim Cup in Eindhoven (Thursday 12th April) Sarah smashes her Stockholm time, stopping the clock at 53:29, gaining the years quickest 100m freestyle time. Sarah’s title is short lived as Ranomi Kromowidjojo breaks the 100m freestyle (53 second) record the following day, hitting the wall at an impressive 52:75. This is the World’s fastest (female) time ever recorded in a textile suit! The Dutch swimmer is unstoppable again on Sunday (15th April) as she clocks 24:10 in the 50m free event, shooting her way to the top spot, just ahead of Britain’s Francesca Halsall.

Sarah Sjostrom, 200m free (1:55.23) and 100m free (53:66)
Francesca Halsall, 100m free (53:57) and 50m free (24:13)
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 50m free (24:24) and 100m free (53:30)
Emily Seebohm, 100m backstroke (59:28)
Cesar Cielo, 50m free (21:85) and 50m fly (23:86)
Lotte Friis, 1500m Free (16:16:74)
Sarah Sjostrom, 100m free (53:29)
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, 100m free (52:75) and 50m free (24:10).”

Excerpt below from SwimNews.

“No other element is more essential to life than carbon. In the human body it ranks second only to oxygen, making up nearly one-fifth by mass. It is also one of the most abundant in the universe, and is found in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets.

In its organic form, carbon is an essential element in the makeup of a huge range of compounds, from DNA to tree trunks, and from the lens of the eye to the venom of a spider.

Thanks to its ability to bond to itself and most other nonmetallic elements, it is the most diverse of all substances known to man. It is this capability that has earned carbon the claim to be the building block of life.

Carbon fibre is made up of very thin strands of carbon – even thinner than human hair – which can be twisted together like yarn, and then woven into cloth. It’s five times as strong as steel and twice as stiff, yet weighs about two-thirds less.

Now, for the first time, carbon fibre has been applied to the making of competition swimsuits. In collaboration with Kinetech Labs, Arena has developed a unique, top performing and powerful fabric by weaving elastomer yarns across a special carbon grid. The inherent strength and stiffness of the carbon threads serve as a protective web that regulates stretching by stiffening the fabric once a critical stress level is reached, thus preventing uneven stress damage.” Continue reading on SwimNews…