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How to join a freediving course in Belgium?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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zenfreediver

Member
Jan 15, 2012
5
0
11
Hey everyone,


I've been searching for a freediving club near Ghent in Belgium for weeks now but I haven't found a lot of information about it... Since I noticed there are some freedivers from The Netherlands on the forum I guess there are some Belgian freedivers here who might be able to help me out with this quest?

It has come to my attention that AIDA is the organisation for freediving in Belgium, so I went to their website to check out some information. Apparently they have freediving sections in Antwerp, Brussels and Wallonia. Nothing about freediving in East-Flanders... weird? It was clear that I'll have to subscribe myself to become a member of AIDA Belgium in order to be able to join a freediving course, trainings, competitions, etc...
However, I can't seem to find exact information on which clubs offer such freediving courses. (AIDA 1*, 2*, etc...)

I'm currently member (1*) of the scuba diving club "Mantis Divers Club" near Ghent which is associated with the NELOS federation. They do offer some freediving/apnea exercices but those are considered as a side-training for scuba diving. Those exercices are not sufficient for me as I would like to advance in freediving competitions on the long run. So unfortunately my club doesn't offer freediving courses nor has a freediving instructor...

Can anyone shine a light on the situation because for me it's still not very clear what I have to do in order to start a freediving course over here in Belgium.

Thanks in advance!


Kind regards,
Zenfreediver
 
Last edited:
If you really need to have AIDA courses in Belgium logically to visit site of
AIDA Belgium :D
There is a yahoo mailing group at the site under link Forum where instructors use to send all announcements.
 
Hey Osusim,

Thanks for the response. However, it was already mentioned in my post that I visited the website of AIDA Belgium...
Nonetheless, I'll also take a look at the yahoo mailing group as you suggested. ;)

Kars has already provided me with some mail addresses of people to contact over here in Belgium but it would be nice to hear from a fellow Belgian how they began freediving and in which club they train. Since that isn't very clear on the website...

Kind regards,
Zenfreediver
 
Hi Zenfreediver,

I was wondering if you have found a free dive club in Belgium, as you I'm very curious to follow a course.

Best regards,
Inge
 
Same here... New here by the way.

Zenfreediver, Inge where are you from?
I'm in West-Vlaanderen - kind of hard to do some real freediving here, or so it seems... :-/
 
Hi zenfreediver,

Please note that even though most competitions in Belgium use the Aida rules that doesn't mean you must go for Aida freediving courses. The freediving community in Belgium is a bit scattered but for you that just means that you have more options. There are courses and instructors for Aida, SSI, Apnea Academy, CMAS/Nelos (and maybe even more) and those organisations probably all offer good courses. I don't think you need a freediving certificate to enter a competition and for sure it does not matter for a competition organiser which organisation your did a course with.
 
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Hi Jo,

Indeed Nelos offers some courses in Belgium, I'm aware of De Mantas at Ghent. Or check the Nelos site if there is any other club more closer to you. But the good news is they are starting up more and more courses for freedivers :)
 
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Hi.

Im a english speaking international student at the University of Leuven which has never tried freediving but would love to test it in a beginners course in Brussels, or somewhere close to Leuven.
I have looked around a bit but havent really found what im looking for.

Do you guys have any good tips??

Sincerely,
Rasmus.
 
Hi Zenfreediver,

you may contact Filip West (b.marlinarobasehotmail.com), he is organising freediving trainings near Zottegem, I think in the Bevegemse Vijvers swimmingpool.
best,
paul
 
Hi Jo,

Indeed Nelos offers some courses in Belgium, I'm aware of De Mantas at Ghent. Or check the Nelos site if there is any other club more closer to you. But the good news is they are starting up more and more courses for freedivers :)

Hey Osusim,

Thanks for the response. However, it was already mentioned in my post that I visited the website of AIDA Belgium...
Nonetheless, I'll also take a look at the yahoo mailing group as you suggested. ;)

Kars has already provided me with some mail addresses of people to contact over here in Belgium but it would be nice to hear from a fellow Belgian how they began freediving and in which club they train. Since that isn't very clear on the website...

Kind regards,
Zenfreediver

Hi Zen,

starting from oktober,pooltraining will resume in Antwerp on monday and wednesday-evening (Wezenberg)
This will be under Nelos flag, but with a 'universal' mindset.
Everybody's welcome
Nelos is teaming up with PureApnea,by the way, to promote freediving on a mundial level.

We also dive once or twice a week in PutVanEkeren for the rest of summer.
Quarries are also on the agenda.
Check www.universal freedivers.com for schedule
Send your data to jeroen.vanhaudt@universal-freedivers.be and I wil keep you informed.
 
Antwerp... That's a bit far from Ieper, isn't it? :p
Still, it's great to see freediving is being promoted. I can only hope it will know a break through in West-Vlaanderen...
 
Antwerp... That's a bit far from Ieper, isn't it? :p
Still, it's great to see freediving is being promoted. I can only hope it will know a break through in West-Vlaanderen...


Wel Jo,

I'm happy to announce two AIDA 1* initiations in Oostende in oktober 2014 .
Please contact

Adje Klerkx
Padi Master instructor
Dan Instructor trainer
www.duikpunt-duikschool.be
www.weedoc.be
duikpuntduikschool@gmail.com
0473/594257

to receive notification with details.

In aftermath of these initiations, weekly trainingsessions will be organised.
These are to be confirmed depending on the amount of candidates!
So I guess you can say we definitly have a breakthrough in West-Vlaanderen ! (y)

Jeej!
 
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OK! I hope there will be enough interest. I'm the edge of my seat here! Thanks, Jeroen!
 
Hello,
Im an Belgian but International Student also. When i used to live in my homecountry (about 2 yrs ago) my main sport and hobby was Freediving & Spearfishing! once i arrived to belgium i was a bit disappointed on not being able to find any apnea course, i did found out about Nemo 33 on bruxelles, but it was not for individuals but clubs, for the freediving.

Its nice to read each of the answers in this post, as zen i was on the same question!

So are there any clubs on west flanders? im living in kortrijk by now, but on the weekends i go to Leuven, is there any chance that someone that already has the info can send me an email? thanks! rafastroob@gmail.com
 
Hey, a fellow inhabitant of West Flanders! If you want to come "down" to Ypres (Ieper) we could train together some time? There is also a freediving training schedule in Oostende at the coast. It's still "only" monthly, but in comparison to what there is/was in West Flanders in freediving, it's a great thing! If interested, PM me, I can send you directions to the right guys. And I will be there from time to time as well on the trainings if time permits.
 
Hi All,
I know it is a long time since there was a post in this thread...but wondered if you were still out there!?
I move to Gent at the end of May and would really like to find out what the free diving scene is; meet, clubs, trainings, quarries pools etc.
I have read about Remo, but not sure if it is possible to dive there or not.
All info highly appreciated.
Nick
 
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