We love to dive and have been assiduously promoting diving for years. We educate on safety and diving techniques and take great pleasure in infecting more divers with our passion. We have created a state-of-the-art facility that we are really proud of – Deepspot is the deepest multi-zone simulator of diving conditions in the world. It’s time to take it a step further! The first Polish freediving competition is ahead! Deepspot Challenge is a challenge you can face! Check out the details and join us.
Freediving – who is the Deepspot competition for?
To enter the competition, the competitor must be at least 18 years old, pay the entry fee and accept the rules of the competition. In addition, on the day of the competition, the competitor must present a medical certificate confirming that there are no contraindications to practicing breath-hold diving (the certificate cannot be older than 12 months!).
Two launch groups – check which one you can be in
The Deepspot Challenge is open only to those who meet the conditions specified for one of the entry groups: profi or non-profi.
In order to be qualified for the profi group, whose participants in the competition will perform a dive to a depth of 44 meters, one of the documents must be presented:
- SSI Level 3 freediving certificate (or equivalent from another organization)
- Proof of participation in an AIDA or CMAS depth competition (completed with a successful dive to a depth of at least 45 meters)
- Confirmation of performing a safe dive to 45 meters in Deepspot (in the presence of a Deepspot instructor, in the period preceding the competition).
In order to be qualified for the non-profi group, whose participants in the competition will perform diving to a depth of 20 meters, one of the documents must be presented:
- SSI Level 1 freediving certificate (or equivalent from another organization)
- Proof of participation in an AIDA or CMAS depth competition (completed with a successful dive to a depth of at least 20 meters)
- Confirmation of performing a safe dive to 20 meters in Deepspot (in the presence of a Deepspot instructor, in the period preceding the competition).
Deepspot Challenge – description of the competition and key rules
During the first freediving competition in Poland, your task will be to dive to a set depth (the profi group – to 44 meters deep, the non-profi group to 20 meters deep), take the appropriate badge, and then surface to a depth of about 2 meters and stay in a specially marked zone (Static Zone), where you will continue diving in the form of underwater static, trying to achieve the longest possible dive time.
Key principles:
- you dip in and out in any way you like
- the time of the test / immersion is measured from Official Top until any part of the body emerges
- you must reach the Static Zone within a maximum of 3 minutes (profi group) or 2 minutes (non-profi group) from the start
- in the Static Zone you must hold on to the rope with at least one hand and remain fully submerged
- The emergence of any part of the body is considered the end of your trial.
Points and penalty points
How will the classification work? The order on the podium will be decided by points, awarded for specific elements of the trial. For what and how many points can you accumulate? You will receive 1 point for each meter of depth – confirmation that you have reached the depth dedicated to your starting group (44 meters or 20 meters) is provided by providing a badge, or an indication by the Official Event Computer of the depth reached by the competitor (only if you do not provide a badge). You will get 0.2 points for every second you remain apneic, so, for example, a dive on stopped breathing lasting 4 minutes will give you 48 points.
Penalty points may be deducted from the sum of points obtained for the achieved depth and diving time – penalty points may be deducted. What can you get them for? Competitors in the profi and non-profi groups may receive: 2 penalty points for failure to provide a badge, and 2 penalty points (profi group) or 4 penalty points (non-profi group), respectively, for each meter of difference between the depth set and the depth reached. Starting after the Official Top risks losing as many as 5 penalty points for every 5 seconds of delay started.
The order in the competitor classification is determined by the sum of points earned. In the event that two players achieve the same total points – the higher ranked is the one who has accumulated fewer penalty points. If competitors within a group achieve an identical number of points and penalty points – they will place ex aequo. The finals are entered by 6 female and 6 male athletes in both starting groups. .
Disqualifications – what are the risks?
As in any competition, so in the Deepspot Challenge – you can be disqualified. In what situations? You will be disqualified primarily for: starting after 30 seconds after the Official Top 6, failing to reach the Static Zone in a reasonable amount of time (up to 3 minutes for the profi group and up to 2 minutes for the non-profi group), and failing to complete (failing to perform or erroneously performing) the surface procedure after ascending. Blackout (loss of consciousness) and symptoms of lung squeeze (hemoptysis, difficulty breathing, reduced saturation, etc.) noted after a performance in the preliminaries also mean disqualification and prevent possible participation in the competition finals.
Mandatory equipment
Here the matter is simple! It is your responsibility to wear the Official Competition Computer on your hand and use a lanyard. In addition, you can have: double or mono fins, a mask or specialized goggles, a nose clip, and your own watch with a stopwatch. You can’t use a wetsuit, have any extra weight or equipment that adds buoyancy (this one is allowed only before the dive).
Freediving competition under the supervision of professional judges
We prepared the first Polish freediving competition with the utmost care. We have ensured maximum comfort for the competitors and full transparency of the qualification and classification of the competitors. The Deepspot Challenge will be overseen by a professional judging panel, which will include a minimum of three judges with AIDA International 2 judge qualifications.
Are you ready to take on our diving challenge? Do you meet Deepspot’s contestant requirements? We look forward to receiving your application!
