Jim Lubinski was the only male American professional racing Ironman New Zealand last weekend. Swimming in his XTERRA Vendetta triathlon wetsuit, Jim exited the water in 1:02:29 and finished the race 9:55:30, making him the 12th pro to cross the line.

Peter Wood of La Jolla, CA added to his long list of victories at IM NZ. In the 65-69 age group, he was first out of the water in his XTERRA VENDETTA triathlon wetsuit and won the top spot, good for a slot at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Congratulations to you both!

We are proud to announce a new partnership with American professional triathlete Chris Lieto. Overall runner-up and first American at the 2009 Ironman World Championship, Lieto has signed to race with XTERRA WETSUITS for the 2010 season.

The Danville, California native started his triathlon career in 1997 after reading a story about triathlon legend Mark Allen. Now at age 37 and nearly 100 triathlons later, Lieto has risen in the pro ranks with multiple Ironman wins, a U.S. Ironman championship and three top-10 finishes at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Coming in just shy of the top spot by three minutes at last year’s Ironman World Championship proves that every second counts. That’s why Lieto is teaming up with XTERRA WETSUITS to ensure that he swims to his maximum ability with the least amount of effort.

We are excited to welcome Chris to the XTERRA WETSUITS family as his passion and success has turned him into a role model and ambassador in the sport of triathlon. We look forward to helping him in his quest to become a world champion in 2010.

Lieto is joining an elite team of professional athletes with XTERRA WETSUITS, including Linsey Corbin (USA), Charlotte McShane (Australia), Yvonne van Vlerken (Netherlands) and Sandra Wallenhorst (Germany).

Priced at only $99, we are excited to introduce the Volt as the ultimate entry-level wetsuit for 2010. With tens of thousands of athletes becoming triathletes each year, the Volt is everything an entry level wetsuit needs to be: comfortable, durable, fast and affordable.

It’s common for triathlon wetsuits to be priced upwards of $400 to $700, making them one of the more expensive gear buys. But with the Volt priced at only $99, it is certain to capture the attention of every triathlete, whether for training or on race-day. Beginners will love the all-around comfort. Experienced triathletes will love the flexibility. Everyone will love the price.

The Volt uses a technologically advanced Hyper-Flex GKA Neoprene and X-Flex Liner to offer the best combination of buoyancy, durability and flexibility is all four directions. The wetsuit’s 3 mm front and 2 mm back provides enough buoyancy to make any triathlete swim quickly through a sprint or Olympic-distance triathlon, while it’s soft, high-end liner makes it easy to get off in transition before you jump on your bike.

The Volt is available exclusively at www.xterrawetsuits.com

Yvonne is from the Netherlands and won the 2009 Ironman Cozumel when she swam in her XTERRA Velocity ++ speedsuit. In July 2008, Yvonne set a new world record of 8:45:48 for an Ironman distance race at the Quelle Challenge Roth in Germany, more than five minutes faster than Paula Newby-Fraser’s world record of 8:50:53, which had stood for 14 years. She also placed second at the 2008 Ironman World Championship. She has been wearing XTERRA WETSUITS since 2009.

1. Get yourself into your rhythm as soon as possible for an Ironman distance event. Focus on deep breathing and a long, powerful stroke. As for shorter distance events, I just go as hard as I can from the start!

2. Try to get into a good pace group from the start. If your group is too slow, accelerate carefully and look out for another pair of feet to follow. If the group is too fast, back off so you don’t exert all of your energy too soon.

3. During the last part of my swim, I always relax my legs as much as possible and concentrate on my arms. Your arms can have a rest when you’re on your bike, so use them!

4. During the last 100 yards or so, visualize a smooth transition. Quickly review all of the movements that you will make, and the order that you will make them in.

5. Remove your cap and goggles, open your suit and pull it down to your waist as soon as you get out of the water. Rinsing your mouth with fresh water really helps, as does rinsing your head and upper body after an ocean swim if showers are available in your race.

6. I always try to take care of nutrition intake within the first 30 minutes after exiting the water; especially in an Ironman distance event. The sooner the better.

7. During training, a great drill is using an elastic band around your ankles while using a pull-buoy. You will focus exclusively on achieving a strong stroke, which is especially important in the later part of an open water swim.

8. Do a lot of intense swim sessions with short, fast speed sets. Triathletes often overlook speed work, which is incredibly important. I love 20x100m fast as a main set.

9. Drills with short fins are beneficial. They strengthen your kick, and you can concentrate on a one-handed stroke, body roll and head position.

10. Make at least one swim per week in open water, and make this your long swim if possible. Although pools offer great workouts, it’s always important to imitate your race environment.

If you are active in the Tri community you may already know who Cody McCasland is. You may even reconize Cody from earlier XTERRA Wetsuits blog posts. Regardless, Cody is by far one of our favorite triathletes here at XTERRA Wetsuits.

On Saturday Cody McCasland was honored with the Challenged Athlete of the Year Award at the Endurance Sports Awards. Cody is a double amputee who has accomplished more in his 8 years than some do in their entire lives! Cody's smile and positive attitude is truly contagious.... Here he is in his XTERRA Vector Pro X2 with his sister Callie.

Lear more about Cody at http://www.teamcody.com

The first 70.3 of 2010 was held in South Africa on Sunday. After two consecutive top-10 places at the Ironman World Championship, XTERRA WETSUITS pro triathlete Sandra Wallenhorst lined up with a solid field of female pro triathletes at 70.3 South Africa to test her post holiday fitness.

Sandra exited the waters in the... mix (and in her XTERRA Velocity speedsuit), biked like there was no tomorrow, and successfully finished second overall – only 1:06 behind the winner. Congrats to Sandra and the rest of the XTERRA WETSUITS triathletes who enjoyed the weather south of the equator.

Our XTERRA Velocity 0.02 and XTERRA Velocity++ speedsuits were given approval by both USAT and FINA (the governing body for swimming). Then, FINA banned our speedsuits. Then, they said the XTERRA Velocity++ (also known as the Velocity RED) was approved with modifications (that made it a bit slower). Then, FINA told everyone that the speedsuits would be banned, only permitting jammers for men beginning in 2010.

Our XTERRA Velocity++ in its original form, no-seams & no-lycra, with 100% Nano-SCS is still approved by USAT and remains the fastest speedsuit you can wear.

Igor Nastic of Switzerland was the first amateur out of the water at the 2009 Ironman World Championship wearing his XTERRA Velocity speedsuit. Check him out putting our XTERRA Vector Pro X2 to a climate test in the snowy mountains of Levantine! The wetsuit passed his test…with the exception of his feet. Next time he’ll test the suit on lava! Maybe at Kona in 2010?

XTERRA Wetsuits has come to the rescue for all of you last minute shoppers out there. You can get a great gift and support a great cause, all at the same time this holiday season.

We are donating $5 to the Challenged Athletes Foundation for every XTERRA Wetsuits t-shirt, thermal and sweatshirt purchased through January 10, 2010! Give the gift that helps others this holiday season.

XTERRA WETSUITS
www.xterrawetsuits.com

XTERRA WETSUITS on Twitter and XTERRA WETSUITS on Facebook

The fastest, most buoyant wetsuits on the planet.

We love it when we hear from our sponsored clubs anytime of the year, but the holidays bring particular cheer to XTERRA Wetsuits. The University of Alabama Triathlon Team sent us a great holiday card, along with a note, which is below. Good luck during your Virtual Training Camp and happy holidays!

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On behalf of the Alabama Triathlon Team I wanted to take a moment to thank you and XTERRA for your support. I am happy to report that the bags, caps, and shirts you sent are being put to good use! We're about to enter into our "Virtual Training Camp" season, where members earn points for off season training, so we'll all be logging some pool time! I've heard from a few members that they're hoping Santa brings them some cash so they can buy a wetsuit for the 2010 season, so we'll be in touch!

Thanks again for your support.

Happy Holidays,

Dave Aurich
VP of Development & Sponsor Relations
The University of Alabama Triathlon Team

We know how hard it is to jump into that chilly water during the winter months - but here are some helpful swim tips for your off-season training! It's never too early to prepare for 2010's triathlon season.

1. What you can control, don't forget and do it – there are some things that you can control just before the race that will make a difference psychologically. Here are two examples based on experience. First, put your timing chip and strap under your wetsuit. Then, you won't lose it on the swim to waves or someone's hands. Second, if your watch band sometimes comes loose – you'll know this from swimming laps – then tape it closed. That way, it won't have it come loose while you swim, causing annoying drag with each stroke.

2. Swim in the pool with a race cap. Some people never do this, and as a result they are annoyed by the swim cap on race day. Find where it sits comfortable on your head and stays there. For example, does it feel better completely covering your ears or only half-way.

3. Cold water preparation – If you think that the water will be cold – as in under 62 degrees – consider practicing with ear plugs and/or a thermal cap beforehand. Try practicing with two swim caps. Remember that your head is a release point for heat, so that after a mile of swimming your head may wish it didn't have that cap. But, if you've practiced in the pool beforehand, you'll know on race-day.

4. Bilateral breathing – you don't have to be a bilateral swimmer, as in breathing on both sides during a race. But, you should know how to breathe on both sides so that if the waves are hitting you from your left side you can breathe to your right, or vice versa. It's a matter of knowing that you can do it on race day if you must. Therefore, cool down once a week with 25 yards on your left, 25 on your right, 25 on your left, 25 on your right. Do this once a week.

5. Find your place, find your rhythm – you will eventually find your place – "clear water" – at some point in the race. If you don't find it right away, move parallel but away from the buoys, but always breathing on the side that you can see other swimmers so that you know you are going in the right direction. Then, find your rhythm like you have in the pool on a good workout.

6. Practice chaotic swimming – the start of a triathlon swim, and maybe the first 500 yards, is chaotic and crazy. You will likely feel totally defeated and wish you were not racing. The only way to get over this feeling, amongst other horrible feelings, is to practice chaotic swimming and get used to it. Here are four ways to practice a swim start's chaos:
*Enter a sprint triathlon (or even a race with a shorter swim – or just an open water swim of 750 meters or less) and put yourself right in the middle of the start no matter how good a swimmer you are. Then, think about why you are doing this – practicing chaos – while you work your way to find your place/clear-water. Then, find your rhythm. Now that you are in a race, and hopefully a triathlon, practice your swift transition in T1, enjoy your bike ride, swift T2, and a fun run.
*Do a workout breathing every fourth breath. In other words, make your lungs suffer a bit more than usual. Get used to that feeling and how to overcome it – in other words, how to eventually work through the feeling of shortness of breath that you'll experience from the race start.
* Swim 25 yards with your left eye closed, then another 25 with your right eye closed. Next, swim 25 yards fast (both eyes open), turn to go back the length of the pool and let water in one goggle, now swim the remaining 25 with that one eye closed but the goggle still on. Then, fix the goggle at the end of the lap, and swim another 25, turn and knock the other goggle to let water in.
*Get an idea of what you're in for by studying race-start photos – go onto ASI photos and look at the aerial views, or youtube.com for the swim start at last year's race.

7. Practice your transition –
* Be in the wrong gear to exit the transition area
* Fumble to put on socks (it's a warm Texas or So. Cal. race, so you really don't need them),
* The straps on your shoes are closed (they should be open),
* The strap on your helmet is tangled and clasped (it should be open, and laying on your aero bars if they'll let you),
* You have trouble putting on a dry shirt on your wet body (you should wear it under your wetsuit),
* You put sun screen on your neck (you should wear bodyglide with SPF)

8. Study the swim course – know the swim course forward and backward. Study the buoy positions, and how many buoys it is to the turn. And, is there one buoy or two between the two outside turn buoys? Knowing the swim course will make you comfortable on race day.

9. Practice the race start – practice the first 50 yards of a race start. Find out whether you start from the beach, partly in the water, or all the way in the water. Then, practice that exact scenario from lining up on the beach to the start. Set your alarm to go off in a few minutes and just stand around getting ready. You'll be anxious for your watch to go off, but don't look at it. When it goes off hit your stop watch like you'd do on race-day and then take off into the water. If it is a water start, anticipate the start and get your body flat in the water. Now, swim 50 yards all-out so that the adrenalin is rushing and your arms are getting a bit of that lactic acid which you'll flush out once you relax and just swim.

Happy Training!

Mark Allen, a legend, and still pretty darn fast SPEAKS this Thursday on the Simon Gown Show. XTERRA WETSUITS proudly sponsors Mark Allen's coaching - Mark Allen Online - and we take credit for all his Ironman wins even though we were not around back in the day.

Mark is the co-author of Fit Soul-Fit Body, along with Brant Secunda. Mark is a testament to determination losing six times at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, until 1989 when he won the first of six consecutive Ironman World Championships. He also owns a streak of winning 20 consecutive races between 1988-1990, went undefeated in 10 trips to the Nice International Championships, as well as being named Triathlete of the Year six times by Triathlete Magazine and being declared the Worlds Fittest Man in 1997 by Outside Magazine.

Antonio Ferreira da Sliva of Brazil looked strong exiting the water in his XTERRA Velocity ++ speedsuit at Ironman Cozumel on Sunday. Antonio had the ninth fastest swim that day and the fastest in his age group at a quick 46:00. Overall, he also placed ninth and first in his age group with an impressive 9:02:34 –... a P.R. and good for a spot at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii! It will be Antonio’s 7th time racing Kona.

Congratulations to Brendan Wolters of San Diego, California who also qualified for the 2010 Ironman World Championship. Brendan swam in his XTERRA Velocity ++ speedsuit and finished in 10:24:34 - good for 3rd place in the 25-29 age group!