will you still go if it's not AIDA?

[samdive]

Howard who is organising the Freeology Classic 2004 has said that unless AIDA change their Red Card Yellow Card White Card Appeal rule to one of an absolute Yes or No when you surface, he will run the competition without AIDA judges and thus without AIDA ratification of any record attempts. Personally I thought last year's system sucked big time and that anything is worth changing that... and who cares if AIDA are not there.. but maybe you do? would be interested to hear some other views

Sam

[fpernett]

Yes, I will go despite AIDA ratification.
But then who will endorse the performances, I know there is a lot of freedivers that go to Cyprus because it's possible to make a world record or national.
Maybe he can look for another organ to endorse it or create a new one.

[pkotik]

Yes, it might be a good idea to look for another organ. Hammond B3 ?

[Mandy-Rae]

I would not go if it was not an AIDA competition.

I for one want to be sure that ALL performances are held up to the highest standards, even if that means that people get disqualified or have to wait to find out the ruling on their performance. It's not worth doing something, especially world records, if you are not being judged by these high standards.

It is the competitors job to make it as easy for the judges as possible, to judge their performance. If you are going to compete you need to take the time to not only train but to learn the rules.

[Jorg]

Completly agree with Mandy...

Anyway... What should be taken into consideration that at the moment the Cyprus competition is an AIDA comepetition, and that athletes are already subscribed and have booked flight and hotels. If howard looks at the new rules and says in february "No, we won't make it an AIDA comp" then some people will be pissed off. You can't invite people with certain points and then leave those points away. I know some Dutch freedivers who want to go to Cyprus, but not if it isn't an AIDA comp, because the want to set some national records and maybe more...

Maybe it's better to say at the moment that cyprus won't be an AIDA competitions because when we're looking at the present regulation then Howard tell's us he doesn't want this again. And when the new rules are there Howard still can decide to make it an AIDA comp.

[efattah]

Jorg,

Remember also that some people will only go to Cyprus if it is NOT an AIDA comp (perhaps someone who was angry with previous judging etc...)

So, if you say it is NOT an AIDA comp and people book flights because of that, and then you later say that it IS an AIDA comp, then some people are still unhappy!

You can't please everyone.

Concerning 'records', not going because the record will not be 'ratified' seems like an egostical thing. If you compete against 100 other athletes and make a 'record-type' depth in the same rules they are in, then you have proven something to yourself and to your peers. Who cares if the dive is or isn't recognized by some 'organization'? Isn't the point to prove it to the other divers, and to prove to yourself that you can outperform other divers in the same rules & conditions?

Remember when Karl Pernett's static performance was not recognized in Cyprus because of the late registration? We discussed it here, and in the end everyone congratulated him on 'winning' the static competition. Why did everyone on the forum congratulate him on winning, if his performance was not 'recognized' and not placed on the official results? Because everyone KNEW that he did what he did, who cares if he registered late.

Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

[Jorg]

Well at least be clear what's going to happen and choose left or right and be clear to all athletes that there's a great possibility that this competition won't be an AIDA competition.

I just hope the petition will change something in the rules... Every freediver should contact their national AIDA and say what the want so that that national AIDA can give a clear country vote at the international assembly.

[Walrus]

I don't think that the AIDA organisation is perfect, but at present there is no alternative ?!
And for the Athletes that have already paid their money, wouldn't this be almost a breach of contract ?
Well maybe not as legaly binding as all that but still they paid money based on rules and conditions for the comptetition. They could no longer set World or even National records ??
Who here on the forum thought that one of the highlights of the last Cypruss comp was Herb & Martin battling it out for the world Constant Ballast record ?

If that was to happen, at the very least I think Howard would have refund the money of any Athelete that is unhappy to compete in a non-ADIA competition.

Dammit I was just about to register too, now I have to wait because I don't know what's going to happen.


Confused,
Wal

Just had a thought, technically Cypruss is a British National Open (ie + guests) . So if there are no international judges, the Brits could still make national records, but they would be the only ones.

[cebaztian]

Agree with Mandy. Learn the rules, "play" them - make it easy for the judge to judge you.

BUT - I would still go. Its fun to compete. And as long as we all are judged in a similar way it is OK for me.

Sebastian/ Sweden

Good question/thread.

[samdive]

FYI - Howard never said this would be an AIDA competition so I don't know if anyone will have grounds to get money back

ALSO - it almost definitely will not be the British National competition next year as one is planned for the UK separately so UK records set at Cyprus would also not be valid as AIDA records unless there were AIDA judges

Personally I don't see what all the fuss is about - we all saw Herbert and Martin make their attempt - would the result really have been any different if AIDA were not there? How many people are really ignoring Pipins 170m just because AIDA were not there? here we go.. another controversial thread...

Sam

[Jorg]

Look at http://www.aida-international.org/aida_calendar.htm Cyprus is mentioned as a national open competition. It didn't get on that list by itself... If it's on that list it's an AIDA competition.

The result would have been different! It would still be a very deep dive, but it wouldn't be an AIDA worldrecord... (I didn't say that that was a bad thingie!)

[fpernett]

I think if Howard is the organizer, he has the right to choose how the competition will be held.
AIDA is the most important freediving organization, and has made a lot for freediving, but it's not indispensable to people for freedive.
I think the most important here is asking us why the organizer is thinking in making his event without the most respected body in freediving?.
There has to be a reason. An a good reason

[fatboyjim]

The reason is that the current rules are unworkable for a comp of this size, its as simple as that. If divers want big international events with no depth limits and top media coverage the rules need looking at. The judges who attend need to be A1 and understand the huge logistics involved in such events.
Everyone wants this to be an Aida event but it wont be the organisers that decide this it will be the rules/ Aida.

[joefox]

What about organizing Cyprus and recognizing records as Freeology??

Howard and Freeology crew can do the job, cannot they?

Joefox

PS

I think the most important here is asking us why the organizer is thinking in making his event without the most respected body in freediving?.

Good point!

[samdive]

nice idea and one that may well happen if AIDA do not get their act together....

hope someone is listening out there

Sam