It may be a bike show but the triathlon fraternity have been represented in ever-increasing numbers at Interbike in 2014. One of the major new multisport launches was the 2015 incarnation of the Blueseventy Helix, the fifth generation of a wetsuit that’s scooped multiple 220 Triathlon award wins and has graced the shoulders of countless pro athletes, including the ITU’s fastest female swimmer, Lucy Hall, and 2012 Ironman Hawaii champ Leanda Cave.
Blueseventy, one of the triathlon wetsuit pioneers who began life producing Ironman-branded wetsuits before going their own way in 2005, label it as the FrankenHelix; the ‘culmination of all the Helix suits we’ve ever made’. So what are the changes for 2015?
The VO2 split chest construction has been redesigned to accentuate the lungs in a bid to maximise the degree of stretch during respiration, with the centre panel extending to the neckline with the goal of improving comfort.
Elsewhere there are tweaks with the TST (Torsional Stretch Technology) aimed at further increasing flexibility (the suit again uses ultra-thin 1mm Yamamoto under the arms), with a new addition being 2mm lower leg panels that begin at the knee and extend at the ankles aimed at producing a faster removal in T1.
The distinctive design is heightened by the orange catch panels, which utilise fabric from the brand’s swim skins (oft seen at Ironman Hawaii) in a bid to improve technique, increase power and reduce the risk of injury.
The Seattle-based brand’s Reaction and Fusion have also been given an overhaul for 2015, with a big talking point being the new Sprint suit aimed at the entry-level market (something Blueseventy admitted they’ve previously neglected).
We’ll be hopefully getting our mitts on the new range later this year but testing early in 2015. Head to www.blueseventy.com for further info.
