A competition you can't miss... Oktober 2008

[fcallagy]

Originally Posted by Goran Colak

Well yep, Alexei took 1000€ in AIDA part of competition, with 7:33min static and well known 250m, and me with humble 209m dynamic and 7:28m static in CMAS part of competition...

Are you taking the piss Goran? Humble my ass well done on a great performance.

[Goran Colak]

Originally Posted by trux

Congrats, Goran! I am surprised though you started in the CMAS part. Didn't you compete in DYN / STA on any AIDA comeptition this year? Or was the rule disqualifying such competitors abolished? It was still used a few weeks ago in Turkey. And since when actually does CMAS competitions in statics? FFESSM did, but it was not a CMAS discipline.

Originally Posted by rxcnc2

Another interesting subject is what actually happened during Lidya Lilic (sorry for spelling) attempt. A clean 150m+, with some strange disqualification.

First thank you, then, no, I did not compete under AIDA in DYN or STA this year, but even if I compete, this was no CMAS competition, but FIPSAS. So no CMAS rules or judges was there. So therefore, there will be no problem even if I compete under AIDA. This was FIPSAS rules and organisation, that was open for CMAS competitors.

And for Lidija Lijić, she was disq for not thuching the wall on start, that stays unclear because there is no way (at least that is what main judge tell to me, Lidija and Bill) for FIPSAS judge to make a mistake, so logical ther is no way to protest and to see the video, and ofcourse there is no way to make a protest at all. Not to mention that judges did not let her finish the protocol at all, so even if all above was possible, there is no meters to mesure the dive, and no protocol was done... But... like someone told me, that's actually fine, because judge can not make a mistake.

[BennyB]

Yep Feargus summed it up nicely for me there.. well done Goran!

I tell you, it'll be a sad day when we think that 200+m DYN dives are ordinary for comp!

[KatFish]

Well done Goran. I saw your static - it looked easy! Must say that I had to give up on watching the dynamics due to the time difference (already well past my bedtime on a school night).

[GirlOfWater]

I guess there can be many things said about this competition, but I'm not sure if it will do any good. I was really not happy with the way the names of the "stars" were used to promote the competition, even though they had not agreed, had not recieved any invitation etc. I had signed up, but not got any reply, even though I sent another email. Martin and I only got on the in-list thanks to Bill S. for contacting the right man...

It was a pitty we were so few AIDA athletes, as a big part of a competition is also the social part. And it was a pitty I don't speak italian, because this made it hard to make new friends among the italian CMAS freedivers.

Now I'm done with that! All in all it was a very nice, well organiced and friendly competition. I think it's great that we're taking the first steps towards CMAS.
There were some great performances which I found really inspiring. Congratulations guys (and girls)!

PS: For a blogpost about the competition: www.elisabethfreediver.blogspot.com.

[rxcnc2]

You are right on many counts Elisabeth...
About CMAS being mostly italians and thus speaking only italian: I think
it's fair to say that they tended to talk mostly among themselves in
italian. But I have also seen several of them talking to the AIDA people,
maybe in broken english...
Anyway, I want to mention that right now there is a huge discussion
going on on the Apnea Academy forum, with the pros and cons of AIDA
and CMAS. For those who can understand italian

[fcallagy]

can you let us know how it goes on the AA forum it would be interesting to see how their perceptions of the comp were.

[MP4/4]

As much as i've seen, and i read the biggest thread, they are mainly focusing on anti-doping measures in AIDA vs those in CMAS.


There are questions about which are better and is the AIDA in cooperation with WADA.

There are some talks about measures against pure oxygen intake before the performance.
Also Alexey Molchanov took doping test immediately after his AIDA WR, unlike the Frederic Sessa who took doping test only the next day after his performance which will probably be recognized as CMAS WR.

In the other thread they talk about the need to introduce again CWT in CMAS because it isn't the same in the pool as in the sea

[rxcnc2]

A big part of the discussion on AA forum has been on the issue of
different CMAS and AIDA rules concerning possible use of oxygen.

I guess it would be very useful (but perhaps difficult) to present
some convincing scientific results on the long term (1 hour and more)
effects of inhaling pure oxygen. Some people were saying that after
45min there is still a 30% benefit (compared to maximum) from oxygen.
Some other (namely a professor last year at the apnea training
workshop) says that there is no effect at all after 15-20 minutes.

[Kars]

O2 helps for a quick recovery after a BO, So I quess it can help in case of some tiredness to have some extra oxigen to get rested and prepaired quicker?

Following the AIDA rules, 45 min before OT the athlete must be under jury supervision, I don't think it's allowed to breath pure O2 during that time.


About the CMAS and AIDA rules discussion.

Rule simplification.
I happen to agree with Stig on the need for simplification of many of the AIDA rules.
I also agree with my coach who explains: "Freediving is not synchronised swimming or board jumping where every move is to weighted for artistic value by a jury."


Bodypart surface braking rule.
Like many of us have suffered from the infamous -heal above the water- rule, and also the anti grabbing rule.
Countering this frustration of being accused of breathing through my heal, I would rather eliminate the break through the surface rule as well as 5m grace zone. In stead I favour of a maximum of 10m of surface braking allowance in combination with a ban on using any surface swimming strokes such as chest crawl. The point is that the Intent should be to swim underwater. And offcause everybody wants to swim underwater because we're freedivers and know that there is much less water resistance underwater.

On the grabbing rule.
I would suggest a limit of two grabs, meaning one can grab with both hands the pool to pull oneself up. Going hand over hand is not practical and I think not beneficial.
This will end a lot of controversy too. And also a lot of explaining to the media.

The Surface Protocall.
Though the SP is a kind of unnatural, It serves a good purpose of keeping away many samba's and BO, and showing the beginners and media we're seeking to stay in control, worn out but not over the edge.
But I would love to know and see some data of an experiment having NO SP, like Stig suggest; just the basic survival rule to keep the head above the water.

CMAS no-samba rule.
The CMAS no-samba rule I think may be taking away those tension moments when you see an athlete struggeling to recover and do a good Surface Protocall in time.
When the sport is too sterile (similar to having no possibility of racecar accidents on the racetrack) it looses risk, tension and exitement.

Distance measurement.
The CMAS measuring in CM I find too expensive and too much a quest for unnessesairy detail.
In hight jumping they measure in CM, but when you compair 223 CM to 223M you see there is in fact the same level of detail.

On CMAS ban of deep disciplines.
Offcause Constant Weight is the most important, Freedive discipline! The Origenal challenge!
It's the place where all the other disciplines come together, only topped in purity by CNF.
AIDA has shown over the years that CW competitions can be very safe. Even now some are ventureing now into depths having deco hangs after their dives at 5m for fast(er) recovery, the vast majority still can do very happy and beautifull deep dives without the use of O2 after their dives.

On the supposed need for a AIDA and CMAS coorperation or even a merging.
I am against of AIDA being absorbed by the huge political CMAS.
Though I go against the grain of the modern New Age religeon instilled whish to become One, I do greatly value independence.
I don't expect a big burocracy to be beneficial to the sport of Freediving. The creation of 'Jump Blue', the abolishion of CW competitions and the hostile attitude of CMAS Italy twards other Freediving competitions, banning athletes who participate in AIDA competitions, does greatly worry me.

I think a fair competition between associations is good, though CMAS has a huge money power over any competing association and could buy off and work any opposition into submission. I much rather have a small group, with reachable responsive representatives serving the freedivers, not a system, where I feel we are the goverment.

Ok, we may be getting a bit off-topic here too much.
Pitty I cannot understand Itallian. I would love to communicate with them on these subjects.

Love, Courage and Water,

Kars