Freediving, or so-called. Free diving, is diving on held breath, without an aqualung. The length of immersion of a person diving with this method depends primarily on the ability to hold his breath safely. The key to satisfactory freediving, then, is breathing exercises and training for effective submersion and ascent. Freediving can be practiced within a variety of disciplines, designed for divers of varying levels of skill. Learn about freediving competitions for divers who want to develop their diving skills, take part in various competitions and…. break records!
Freediving – the most important rules
Freedivers dive without an aqualung, that is, without equipment used to breathe underwater. However, this does not mean that they go underwater without any equipment! When freediving, the following are used: masks and goggles (protect the eyes and allow admiring the underwater world), wetsuits or swim skins (protect the diver’s body from cooling), fins (increase the diver’s mobility), and ballast (allow effective management of the depth of immersion).
AIDA International(International Association for the Development of Apnea) has been active since 1991.
– An international federation of national federations of divers on held breath. AIDA International’s main tasks include developing standards for freediving education and safety, as well as organizing international competitions and improving the regulation of sports competition. Freediving is also covered by other organizations, including CMAS, but AIDA is dominant and its standards most widely used.
Freediving can be practiced recreationally, savoring the silence and beauty of the underwater world – this technique is often compared to meditation. However, if you are looking for excitement and want to actively develop your skills – learn about the sports competitions of freediving.
Freediving competitions – disciplines for freedivers
Freediving is divided into two basic categories: pool freediving(apnea swimming ) and depth freediving (also referred to as proper or true freediving). Each discipline has its own regulations and rules. However, regardless of the competition – after each dive, within 15 seconds of ascent, divers are required to complete a surface protocol:
- Removal of equipment / gear from the face – mask, goggles and nose-clip
- Clearly showing the OK sign and verbal confirmation: I’m ok
- Waiting for the judge’s verdict (up to 30 seconds) – without submerging the mouth in water again.
Loss of consciousness (blackout) and symptoms of lung squeeze disqualify the diver in each case.
Pool freediving
It is a good idea to start diving on held breath with maximum safe, fully controlled conditions. That’s why the pool is where most divers begin their freediving adventure, and once they have mastered the basics – they begin to develop their skills within the two pool disciplines: static (STA) and dynamic (DYN and DNF).
Static (STA) – static breath holding. The competition involves lying on the water in stillness, with the airway submerged, and holding your breath for as long as possible. This seemingly easy discipline requires tremendous willpower from the diver, the ability to effectively disengage from reality, calm down and focus on the task at hand.
Dynamics (DYN – dynamics in fins, DYN Bifins – dynamics in double fins, DNF – dynamics without fins) – dynamic breath holding. The competition involves covering as much distance as possible on held breath. This discipline requires the diver to be in excellent physical condition and to master the technique of swimming as much as possible (with or without fins, respectively).
Depth freediving
Depth freediving is about reaching as deep as possible. Competition can take place in one of several categories:
- fixed ballast (CWT – with fins, CWT Bifins – with double fins, CNF – without fins) – the diver completes the descent and ascent with his own strength to the greatest possible depth, with fixed ballast, which he cannot discard during the test; it is allowed to grab the rope once to complete the descent and begin the ascent;
- variable ballast (VWT) – the diver submerges with ballast (maximum weight: 30 kg), which, after reaching the target / maximum possible depth, he leaves and resurfaces on his own strength; the diver may use fins, a monoplane and/or a rope;
- free immersion (FIM) – diving without fins and with fixed ballast (no possibility of changing the load during the dive), the diver makes his way down and up using the rope, the way of immersion (head down or feet down) is arbitrary;
- no limits (NLT) – diving to reach the greatest possible depth by any means, this competition uses, among others. Elevators (for rapid ascent, the speed of ascent usually exceeds 2m/s) and air balloons or inflatable vests (for express ascent); due to the enormous speeds of ascent – NLT diving is associated with a high risk of acquiring decompression sickness, requires the diver’s experience and ability to effectively equalize pressure.
Freediving records
Every year, hundreds of athletes prepare to break records. However, current records and years of their establishment clearly show that the discipline of freediving is extremely demanding, and the results already achieved are often difficult to beat.
Current records for each freediving competition:
- STA: 11 min 54 sec – Branko Petrovic (SRB, 2014);9 min 02 sec – Natalia Molchanova (RUS, 2013).
- DYN: 300 m – Giorgos PANAGIOTAKIS (GRE, 2016), Mateusz Malina (POL, 2016); 237 m -.
Natalia Molchanova (RUS, 2014). - CWT: 129 m – Alexey Molchanov (RUS, 2017); 104 m – Alessia Zecchini (IT, 2017).
- VWT: 146 m – Stavros Kastrinakis (GRE, 2015); 130 m -Nanja Van Den Broek (NLD, 2015).
- FIM: 124 m – William TRUBRIDGE (NZL, 2016); 92 m – Jeanine GRASMEIJER (NL. 2016).
- NLT: 214m – Herbert NITSCH (AUT, 2007); 160m – Tanya STREETER (USA, 2002).
