Andaman Freediving Challenge 2010

[apneaboy]

DAN is indeed a reputable and excellent organisation.

I would suggest any insurance organisation would have rules that if you acted with negligence they would not pay out is what I was suggesting. How can you prove you are diving within safe boundaries whilst Freediving is my point as most people in a comp are not qualified for the depth they are doing. Sorry if it read otherwise.

Its off topic a bit so I may post this at a later date elsewhere, i'll leave this thread.

 

[sanso]

I looked up aqua-med, and yes it will insure divers (not specified if there is a depth limit). I wonder however if it really covers athletes in a competition.

I have asked them and it does.

... b) it is oriented to germans, in particular the policy is in german and it is limited to costs of treatment after a diving accident in Germany (I think this should be a concern also for you since you are now based in Thailand).

That is actually not true - they also have the insurance policy available in English, and the insurance is valid world wide. The stress the fact that it is also valid in Germany, because many German companies' products are valid everywhere but in Germany.

In short, would it not be more efficient to arrange it on your side for all competitors, and perhaps add a little extra cost to the fee?

That is a good idea and I'll pass it on to the organizer. I will, after all, only be the judge and not be responsible for this issue.

EDIT: I've talked to Laurent and he likes the idea: He is looking into the matter. Thanks!

 

[rxcnc2]

Sanso, great if you could kindly bring this up with the organizers, to see if alternative solutions could be found. Thanks.

About aqua-med, I copy and paste from their web site:

This application form is valid for divers residing in the EU or Switzerland. The policy language is german
...
Other treatment costs after a diving accident within Germany: 15,000 Eur

 

[sanso]

Sanso, great if you could kindly bring this up with the organizers, to see if alternative solutions could be found. Thanks.

About aqua-med, I copy and paste from their web site:

This application form is valid for divers residing in the EU or Switzerland. The policy language is german
...
Other treatment costs after a diving accident within Germany: 15,000 Eur

Hah! I have missed that bit then. Thanks for this, I wasn't aware they limit things to people with EU or Swiss residency.

About the comp: Laurent likes the idea and is looking into it. Seems to be quite feasible.

 

[rxcnc2]

Hi Sanso, happy 2010!
Any news about the issue of the insurance? Some of us would like to come from Bangkok, and we need to make plans... thanks!

 

[Jacblue]

I was thinking about going. So far no luck on the insurance though and I didn't want to even think about booking anything until I had that sorted. The places I've checked so far either don't offer it, cover by scuba level (and I'm not certified to 60m) or wont cover if it is competition related. Would be great to know if there is an alternative (living in Australia if anyone has any thoughts ) Also anyone know what sort of medical certificate is required?

 

[salibandy]

Have ya heard? Martin Stepanek's a no show.

 

[sanso]

Hey guys,

don't worry too much about the insurance thing. As long as You have an insurance that covers freediving without mentioning any depths at all, You'll be fine.

An entirely different issue has come up though that is somewhat more troublesome:

Our main sponsor, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has decided to back out of their word to sponsor the event, making it a bit tricky to still get things together.

Unless we find another sponsor, it looks like Martin won't come and the status of International AIDA competition will be harder to get to. We're currently working on setting it up as a national AIDA competition with guests to keep the ranking status, which shouldn't be a problem, as Sarah and I are judges and resident on the island.

If You got a message from Laurent saying that it will not be a ranking comp, please ignore that statement, as he just didn't know any better.

We will let You know more as soon as there is something to tell. Until then, keep the dates marked. The Andaman Freediving Challenge will still happen, just possibly on a smaller scale.

See You there!

Richard

 

[rxcnc2]

Thanks for the update Sanso. Too bad about Martin's absence, and I hope it's still possible to make it valid for ranking.
But the main issue for me and the friends in Bangkok is that of insurance. It's not that everybody has a (free)diving insurance just like that, not to mention the cost - as you realize this competition is already quite expensive for the locals! As written before, any chance that -if really needed- it can be organized collectively for all competitors?

 

[rxcnc2]

I was thinking about going. So far no luck on the insurance though and I didn't want to even think about booking anything until I had that sorted. The places I've checked so far either don't offer it, cover by scuba level (and I'm not certified to 60m) or wont cover if it is competition related. Would be great to know if there is an alternative (living in Australia if anyone has any thoughts ) Also anyone know what sort of medical certificate is required?

As you see there are several of us with the insurance problem...
About the medical certificate though it should be easy. There is no official AIDA form, what you need is a statement from a sports doctor that you are fit to do underwater sports. At least, this has always worked for me.

 

[sanso]

As you see there are several of us with the insurance problem...
About the medical certificate though it should be easy. There is no official AIDA form, what you need is a statement from a sports doctor that you are fit to do underwater sports. At least, this has always worked for me.

I've asked Laurent and DAN insurance will definitely suffice for the event and makes a lot of sense anyway if You're a diver.
To get a medical certificate, any doctor will do, but this is mainly for Yourself so You probably want to go to a doctor who has experience with diving medicine or at least is a diver him/herself.

 

[wjohnson100]

Generally people use the medical form from their national AIDA organization. Being an American, I get mine from AIDA USA. If your national has a website, it can probably be found there. While any doctor will do, some doctors might be unwilling to sign for something they don't consider themselves to be expert in. My doctor in the USA was reluctant and sent me to a specialist. It involved extra expense and time. The lessong there is not to wait till the last minute. Now I just get it done in Thailand by a doctor here. Much easier and cheaper and serves the purpose since in Phuket, the doctors here are used to doing diver physicals, no appointment required.

Regarding the Andaman Freediving Challenge, I might be able to answer some questions as I have participated in the previous two comepetitons and will be competing this year too.

Walt in Phuket, Thailand

 

[rxcnc2]

I called the organizer... dive insurance not longer a requirement!
I will definitely try to be there... possibly already from 7th or 8th so to enjoy some relax and training. Anyone else arriving there early?

 

[silkyshark]

Official word from Laurent the organiser 'Insurance will be provided by Blue Planet Divers for those who need it'.

Also just to reconfirm that it will be an AIDA ranking competition.

 

[salibandy]

Apparently it's with AIDA Germany?

 

[silkyshark]

Indeed it is with AIDA Germany. They stepped forward to give us a helping hand so that we can have it as a ranked competition.

 

[mortenkv]

Any news from the competition? Eager to hear results, see pictures and such...

 

[trux]

Yes, and it would be nice if the organizer could send the results to the AIDA Ranking mailbox (aidaranking at gmail com). If you did, then we did not receive them. In that case, send a copy to ivo at apnea cz too)

 

[rxcnc2]

Be patient... competition is still on, and last two days internet outage.
Today it was CWT, FIM, CNF... less than ideal conditions due to current.
Tomorrow STA, DYN, DNF in a 41m pool
Sebastian is also here so one way or the other I am sure the results will find their way to AIDA.

 

[rxcnc2]

Competition is over. It was tiring (6 events in two days, including long boat rides and a fierce sunshine are not easy to handle!) and sometimes challenging with more than a bit of a current in the depth events and a pool designed mainly for splashing tourists... but it was a great fun! About a dozen competitors from almost as many countries from Australia to Lithuania. Many of them enthusiastic beginners which were trying their limits, some of them quite serious too. The organization was obviously stretched to the limit with so many things to handle in different places in a short time, but also quite enthusiastic and dedicated. In some aspects it was actually impressive: pick up each day from each competitor's hotel, one day of sea training included (that's 5 hours boat ride with meals!), food and refreshements with free final barbecue dinner, and last but not least an impressive line of prizes! Two happy first man and woman went home with a Nemo Apneist, and lots of other big prizes too including a voucher for a very luxurious stay. I was very happy to see two thai beginner freedivers taking part, and with some potential too!

I don't have the final results, not even in photo... but I do know that yours truly was first among men, followed by Jay from Australia and Ossian from Finland. Among women, Jacinta from Australia led the list, followed by Olga from Poland and Aey from Thailand. I might find out the last names if I look long enough in my papers, but I do hope the official final results will come out in time. Jacinta set what seemed to be a women's national record in FIM with 36m (not a mean feat considering the current!) with a white card, but then the judges reconsiderered looking at the u/w video and gave her a penalty... pity she really had it in her. Richard and Sarah as judges were heroic and exhausted as much as the competitors, enduring six disciplines under a relentless sun and especially having to give red cards when sometimes an outstanding beginner did a great performance with a tiny little mistake in the SP... but that's what judges must do.
Pictures... I have lots of them, eventually I will post some.

Thanks to Laurent, Melissa, the judges, the safety freedivers and scuba divers, and all the unnamed staff in the shop, on the boat and in the pool that made it possible.