15 Nov 2023

Speedo Unveils Out of This World Fastskin Swimsuits

• Refreshed suits feature fabric coating engineered from Lamoral ® Space Tech, inspired by material used in space exploration
• A bold new update to the world’s fastest swimsuits, underlining Fastskin’s long-standing reputation as ‘the choice of champions’
• The best gets better ahead of a crucial year for Speedo athletes in 2024

Speedo’s pioneering Fastskin® LZR® Intent and LZR Valor swimsuits have entered a new dimension with the introduction of new editions developed by Speedo’s Aqualab® research and development facility and engineered from Lamoral®️ Space Tech. Utilising Lamoral’s world-leading expertise, the new suits feature improved hydrophobic qualities, allowing athletes to perform at peak performance on race day.To produce the LZR Intent 2.0 and LZR Valor 2.0 Speedo worked closely with Lamoral who’s original coatings were developed for use on satellites.

The collaboration with Lamoral has produced a suit with Speedo’s lowest water absorption and the most durable water repellence benefit. The innovative fabric coating is also lightweight and provides a feeling of weightlessness indicative of the company’s space-age origins. The refreshed suits were developed in Speedo’s global R&D facility, Aqualab, by a team of experts specialising in textile technology garment engineering, sports science, computational fluid dynamics, testing protocols and design. The Aqualab team has once again taken inspiration from space travel following on from 2008’s LZR Racer, which saw NASA feed into the design of the suit that changed the course of swimming history.

The original LZR Pure Intent and LZR Valor swimsuits were introduced in 2019, and are the trusted choice of champions swimmers including Caeleb Dressel, Emma McKeon and Adam Peaty. Since then, 52% of all individual swimming world records have been broken by athletes wearing the suits, including 75% of world records set in 2023. Speedo Fastskin technology also thrived on the highest level at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, with 61% of all gold medals and 49% of all medals won in Speedo.

By focusing on evolution rather than revolution, the upgraded suits enable athletes to continue enjoying the familiar feel of their current suits as they head into a pivotal year, whilst benefitting from the marginal gains delivered by the upgraded fabric that can make all the difference at the most crucial moments. The new Fastskin LZR Intent 2.0 and Fastskin LZR Valor 2.0 combine innovative new technologies and fabrics applied intelligently to make the perfect suit for every type of competitive swimmer.

The LZR Intent 2.0 uses a smart fusion of three textured fabric zones, along with bonded seams and compressive dual layers in targeted areas to streamline, increase power, and reduce drag. The LZR Valor 2.0 now has six times more durable water repellency, with compression that allows freedom of movement with stability and support.

Simon Breckon, Speedo Senior Vice President, said: “Our new development with Lamoral underpins Aqualab’s mission to push the limits of swimwear design through our innovative approach. This upgrade is driven by science and informed by our expert athletes and club swimmers across the world, retaining all of the properties that make Speedo Fastskin suits the world’s fastest, to ensure that the world’s best just got even better.

"Ahead of Paris, our mission was to deliver updated suits that build on the successes of the LZR Intent and LZR Valor. Through our partnership with Lamoral and working with their Space Tech, we’ve increased water repellency to deliver a refreshed suit that is truly out of this world.”

Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) - "Speedo’s Fastskin is known for being the best in the world and this suit is no different. The design is amazing, and I feel that added power when I'm in the water. I can’t wait to show what I can do wearing it!”

Emma McKeon (AUS) said: – “The Speedo LZR Intent 2.0 is very flexible and is firm in the areas that need most support. Movement feels limitless and the water just glides off. The suit feels faster than ever. I can’t wait to try it in competition.”

The new suits mark the latest chapter in the Fastskin story, which began with the original sharkskin-inspired suit in 2000 and has since developed an unrivalled reputation for pioneering swimming technology, whilst dominating the pool for more than two decades.

The new Fastskin LZR Pure Intent 2.0 and Fastskin LZR Pure Valor 2.0 swimsuits have been approved by World Aquatics and will be available for purchase on November 15th 2023.