Editing Speedo (section)

=== Speedo Knitting Mills ===
[[File:1932 Aus Olympic.jpg|right|thumb|170px|Australian swimmers [[Bonnie Mealing]], [[Clare Dennis]], [[Frances Bult]] with chaperone and sprinters [[Eileen Wearne]] (Aus) and [[Thelma Kench]] (NZ) at the [[1932 Summer Olympics|1932 Los Angeles Olympics]]]]
Company founder [[Alexander MacRae]] emigrated from [[Loch Kishorn]] in the western [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands of Scotland]] to Sydney, Australia in 1910. Originally working as a [[milkman]], he founded ''MacRae and Company Hosiery'' four years later, manufacturing [[underwear]] under the [[brand name]] ''Fortitude'' (taken from his [[family crest]]).<ref name=Speedo3>{{Google books|QqtinbjO0oEC|1001 Australians You Should Know|page=361}}</ref> The [[Australian Army]]'s need for socks during [[World War I]] provided MacRae with enough business to expand and in 1927 his first line of swimwear, called a "racer-back costume" was introduced. The following year, a naming contest held among the MacRae staff yielded the slogan "Speed on in your Speedos." The brand name was born. The contest winner, Captain Parsonson, was awarded £5 for his slogan and the company was renamed ''Speedo Knitting Mills''.<ref name=Speedo3 />

The controversial yet revolutionary [[racerback]] style's open shoulder and exposed back allowed greater range of motion in water and was quickly adopted by [[Swimming (sport)|competitive swimmers]], despite being banned by some beaches.<ref name=Speedo4>{{cite web |url=http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/australia_innovates/?Section_id=1040&article_id=10053&behaviour=view_article |title=Speedo Swimwear |access-date=15 January 2011 |publisher=[[Powerhouse Museum]]|work=Australia Innovates}}</ref> In 1932, Speedo made its Olympic debut when 16-year old Australian [[Clare Dennis]] won the [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Women's 200 metre Breaststroke]] at the [[1932 Summer Olympics|Los Angeles Olympic Games]]. After nearly being disqualified for "showing too much shoulder" in her regulation silk Speedo brand swimsuit, Dennis went on to set a world record time of 3:06.3.<ref name=Speedo5>{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |chapter-url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dennis-clara-clare-9951 |first=V.M. |last=Rasjela |title=Clara (Clare) Dennis (1916–1971) |access-date=15 January 2011 |year=1993 |volume=13}}</ref> The [[1936 Berlin Olympics|1936 Berlin Summer Games]] also saw some controversy as the men's Australian swim team featured shirtless swim trunks for the first time. Also in 1936, Alexander MacRae became involved in the [[Surf Life Saving Australia|Surf Life Saving Association]]. To this day, Speedo continues to support the Australian volunteer organisation.<ref name=Speedo6>{{cite web |url=http://explore.speedousa.com/speedo-history/ |title=Speedo History |access-date=15 January 2011 |publisher=Speedo International |work=Explore Speedo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225095148/http://explore.speedousa.com/speedo-history/ |archive-date=25 December 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>