If you’ve been to TYR.com recently, you probably noticed some dramatic updates. A preview of the latest technical suit from TYR, known as the Tracer Titan, shows the next generation Tracer with even more impressive stats than the Tracer Rise. However, there’s no information posted about the suit’s official release date just yet.

Let’s run the numbers: surface drag coefficient of 0.021, a “decrease of over 34% from the existing Yamamoto SCS fabric on the market,” and water absorption ratio of 0.5 percent (product preview).

The suit itself is comprised of 3 layers of material. An outer layer addresses skin friction drag with a “Micro-Honeycomb” that bonds water molecules to its surface, that TYR says will create a “ball-bearing effect of water molecules.” The middle layer will address form drag by reinforcing stability and proper body posture. Not to be out-done by the Speedo LZR Racer, the Titan will also include a core control panel for lower abdominal stability. The base layer is comprised of polyester with extremely low water absorption to keep the suit lightweight throughout a race.

Yamamoto SCS-Fabric BRS MARK-III material has a reportedly lower drag coefficient than previous Yamamoto Biorubber Swim-SCS Fabric–although Yamamoto president Tomizo Yamamoto previously referred to the Biorubber SCS Fabric as the “world’s fastest swimwear material.” (source)

The Tracer Titan has been approved for NCAA competition, and has already been worn in record-breaking Big 12 conference swims. And since the NCAA’s memo from Friday, February 27th, stated that “with no ability to test suits, the NCAA will continue to permit the use of all currently-approved suits for the 2009 Division championships,” it looks like the Titan will be the newest weapon for what’s bound to be a record-breaking NCAA Championship this season (CollegeSwimming.com and SCAQ Blog) .

The product photography is also very cool. Matt Grevers looks like a cross between a Marvel superhero and a video game character. He’d be right at home on an X-Men comic book cover!

The Missouri Grand Prix psych sheet is now posted. Here is a short preview of what to look forward to:

Ryan Lochte is entered in a gutsy 8 events for the meet: 200FR, 100Fly, 400IM, 200IM, 100Back, 400FR, 200Back, and 100FR.

Matt Grevers is entered in 6 events: 200FR, 100Fly, 50FR, 100Back, 200Back, and 100FR.

On the women’s side, Katie Hoff is entered in 6 events: 200FR, 100Fly, 200IM, 400FR, 800FR, and 200Fly.

Mary DeScenza is entered in 7 events: 200FR, 100Fly, 200IM, 50FR, 100Back, 200 Back, and 100FR.

And Whitney Myers (my midwest favorite, representing Tuscon Ford Dealers aquatics in Arizona) will be making her 2009 Grand Prix debut in the: 200FR, 100Fly, 200IM, 100Back, 100FR, and 200Fly.

The meet is hosted by MizzouRec Services and Facilities along with Columbia Swim Club, and will be held at the MizzouRec Aquatic Center Competition Pool, University of Missouri.

>>View related articles.

Source: Missouri Grand Prix website.

Mary DeScenza still has a commanding lead of the field in overall points in the Grand Prix Series. With 61 overall points, she is ahead of Ryan Lochte (37) and Chloe Sutton (31). I’m not sure how accurate the scoreboard is, however, because it doesn’t list Matt Grevers’ bronze medal in the 200y Free, and the SoCal Grand Prix was both Grevers’ and Lochte’s first meet of the Grand Prix series–so how could Lochte out score Grevers when Grevers won the High-Point award for the meet?

In other news, the Missouri Grand Prix is coming up February 13th-16th at the University of Missouri. A PDF of meet information can be found HERE on the Columbia Swim Club Tiger Sharks website.

The Missouri Grand Prix of Swimming competition pool is an indoor, Olympic-sized 50-meter by 25-yard indoor competition pool. The facility has state of the art timing and display systems, a movable floor, and two bulkheads. The pool has a spectator seating capacity of 1,000 and was designed by Hastings & Chivetta Architects to provide the university with a state-of-the-art natatorium for the Tigers swimming and diving teams, as well as a number of campus and community swim clubs.

Source: USASwimming.org, Counsilman-Hunsaker.

Mary DeScenza won 5 golds and 2 silver medals at the SoCal Grand Prix of Swimming this past weekend, holding on to her spot at the top of the overall high-point leaderboard, and winning the most points for a female competitor in the meet.

DeScenza told TYR.com:

“Winning here feels amazing. I

Both Ryan Lochte and Matt Grevers finished the SoCal Grand Prix meet with 2 wins each on the final night.

Grevers began with a win in the 200y Fly (45.98) with Lochte finishing second (46.51). Two events later, Lochte bested Grevers (45.69) in a close 100y Back with a time of 45.44. In his 3rd swim of the night, Lochte won the 100y Breast in 54.32 ahead of Cody Miller (54.77). Grevers’ second gold of the night came in the 200 IM in a time of 1:43.05.

>>Check out Grand Prix Series results on USASwimming.org.
>>Continue reading SoCal Grand Prix event results here.
>>For online shopping check out Kastawayswimwear.com.

Day 1 Highlights
In the distance events on Friday, Chloe Sutton was well ahead of the pack in the women’s 1000yd Free with a time of 9:33.05 followed by Mary Descenza at 9:47.52. In the men’s 1000yd, Ous Mellouli was in under nine minutes with a time of 8:54.17.

Day 2 Highlights
Lacey Nymeyer started off Saturday’s finals with a first place finish in the women’s 100yd Free with a time of 48.73. One and a half seconds later, Andi Murez (50.22) and Roxane Akradi (50.59) came in for second and third places respectively.

In the men’s 100yd, Matt Grevers touched first at 42.24 (he brought it back in a 20.38) followed by William Copeland (42.89). Adam Ritter was third with a time of 43.27. Ryan Lochte was ‘king banana,’ winning the consols with 43.18 that would have put him in 3rd in the championship heat.

In the women’s 200yd Fly, Mary Descenza earned first place points with a 1:51.28, besting Lyndsay DePaul who placed second with a time of 1:56.51.

The men’s 200yd Fly was won by Japan’s Hidemasa Sano in a time of 1:41.88.

Mary Descenza went on to win the 200yd Backstroke in a time of 1:57.85, well ahead of 2nd place Roxane Akradi. Chloe Sutton came back to win a close 500yd Free in 4:41.69 ahead of Jazz Carlin (4:43.90). In the men’s 500yd, Ous Mellouli continued his distance dominance by winning with a 4:17.92.

Day 3 Highlights
In the men’s 200yd Free, Ryan Lochte touched first with a time of 1:33.32, ahead of Ous Mellouli (1:33.55). Matt Grevers finished third (1:34.31) for his first swim of the night.

Matt Grevers came back from his 3rd place finish in the 200yd to win the 50yd Free in a blazing 19.15, ahead of William Copeland (19.70). There was a tie for third between Joey Hale and Ryan Lochte (19.74).

Mary Descenza showed her versatility as a sprinter by winning the women’s 50yd Free (22.66).

Monday
The SoCal Grand Prix will finish up tonight with the 100yd Fly, 1650yd Free, 100yd Back, 100yd Brest, 200IM, and 400 Medley.

>>For full results, visit the meet host website.
>>And remember to watch the meet on live webcast at SwimNetwork.com

Tomorrow, the Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming will begin with prelims at 9:00am PST. The first finals session will take place at 5:00PM PST, where points will influence the current leaderboard standings. Mary Descenza is currently in first place with 30 points after the Minnesota Grand Prix last November. Her six first-place finishes put Descenza well ahead of current runner-up William Copeland.

Copeland, who recently won the 2008 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming Short Course National Championships in the 100yd Free with a meet record of 41.75, will also be attending the Grand Prix this weekend. Copeland is seeded first in the 100yd Free ahead of Matt Grevers (41.85) and Ryan Lochte (41.99).

>>Did you know? The Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool was used as the “school pool” in the movie Van Wilder.

This fall, Matt Grevers served as the Northwestern University 2008 Homecoming Grand Marshall in the homecoming parade. Watch his interview with the BigTen Network about his recent experience at the Olympics. Video HERE or watch it below.

More from Northwestern Swimming:
The men’s team will travel to Notre Dame for a meet this Friday, and live results will be available on www.und.com.

Kassia Shishkoff, Photo by: Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern women, with current Big Ten Swimmer of the Week Kassia Shishkoff, have a meet against Michigan this Saturday.

>>Visit Northwestern University’s athletic website.

>>Check out more swimming and diving on the Big Ten Conference Athletic Site.

Source: Big Ten Conference, NUSports.com, BigTen Network