My first CW comp in Nice

[subaquaticus]

On the 28th of May I had announced 28 m for my first comp in CW in Nice...

The day before I had done easily 25 m but with a slight problem when I did the turn : doing my turn at 25 m I felt an ache in my right ear...

The day of the comp I started at 3:30 PM ; I did my descent very relaxed... I looked at the cable ...

at 25 m I decided to look at my target and I could see the target not very far away : I was at 26 m.... But then I felt an sudden pain in my right ear and I grabbed the rope to stop my descent...

as far as I remember my pain stopped as soon as I got my head up... then I began my ascent very relaxed and with plenty of air in my lungs...

I executed a good SP, and received a white card (which first surprised me since I had missed my target which was 28 m...)

My first question is :

1. Can my pain in the ear be caused by my breaking my neck in order to see my target ? Then can it be avoided by going on looking very tightly at the cable ?

My second question is :

2. Having grabbed the rope and eliminated the pain by being head up, does it make sense to let myself sinking down till the target, grab the card, and then ascending ? In this case I have no more right to pull the rope a second time ? In this case, shall I receive penalties ?

 

[immerlustig]

greetings subaquaticus,

regarding question 1:

i would guess that your ear pain was caused by not equalising properly. equalising can be more difficult when you overstretch your neck. but then again at 25m you should have more than enough air, so that shouldn't necessarily be the problem.

regarding question 2:

that can be answered by someone knowledgable about comp rules. not me.
on the other hand doing a full turn, and then letting yourself sink won't do you any good unless you equalise.

maybe you could explain a bit more how you equalise.

i'm sure you know erif fattah's document, also jome has posted a link to another document recently which seems very detailed as well.

hope that helps some,

roland

 

[Jason Billows]

Hi Sub.

I expect your ear problem resulted from poor equalizations. Could it have been a hood squeeze? Sinus squeezes can be quite intense and result even with proper equalizations, but I doubt you would have felt pain in your ear if that was the cause.

You can run you hand along the line for your entire dive. Within the last 1.5 meters you can even grab the line as many times as you'd like. However, you are only allowed to pull down once and up once. Above the 1.5 meter mark you are allowed to secure the line only once to turn, so stopping yourself with the line, then sinking lower before ascending would result in a disqualification. It would be considered the same as a multiple line pull.

If you experience ear pain again in a CB competition, try to right yourself without securing the line. If you clear your ear you can then continue your dive. I believe I read that Annabel had to do this before learning how to equialize properly.

Remember you can always access the rules listed on the AIDA website. It's always a good idea to review them before every competiton and to train with them in mind.

Jason

 

[subaquaticus]

Above the 1.5 meter mark you are allowed to secure the line only once to turn, so stopping yourself with the line, then sinking lower before ascending would result in a disqualification. It would be considered the same as a multiple line pull.

Suppose :

1. I grab the rope once above the 1.5 m and put myself head up...

2. I let me sink head up to grab the target

3. I grab the target and begin my ascent WITHOUT PULLING THE ROPE...

Then there is no "multiple line pull" and hence no reason to be disqualified, is it ?

 

[glennv]

Won't work . Once you grab the line to turn/pull you need to start your ascent.
I had similar questions since I always have problems equalising.
Last year in Cyprus I went to about 26 then made a 360 turn without touching the rope (which equalised my ears the moment i got my head pointing up) , then continued to 33 to get the tag.
I have lots of air and time but very bad tubes/ears/head down equalisation technique.

 

[subaquaticus]

Won't work . Once you grab the line to turn/pull you need to start your ascent.
I had similar questions since I always have problems equalising.
Last year in Cyprus I went to about 26

26 m is not at all a dishonourable depth : it is the one I did in Nice and last but not least the depth done by TOM also in Nice !

then made a 360 turn

it was a 180° (with a 360°, you would have been again head down...)

without touching the rope (which equalised my ears the moment i got my head pointing up) , then continued to 33

it is my objective for Marseille at the end of the month !

to get the tag.
I have lots of air and time but very bad tubes/ears/head down equalisation technique.

equalization seems to be a very specific technique to train... I shall be in Marseille a few days ahead of the comp and shall train a little bit with Jean-Michel PRADON...

 

[glennv]

Good, i will see you in Marseille. Will also compete there (without fins this time).

And it was 360 degrees. At 180 degrees my ears cleared and then i went head down again and continued to the tag at 33 ;-) Must have looked stupid but it worked so who give a sh&t....

 

[subaquaticus]

Good, i will see you in Marseille. Will also compete there (without fins this time).

without fins : vertical ? horizontal ? both ?

I made a try at CNF in Nice, but it is flicking difficult... and terrible for the ears...

are you training with Pradon before ?

I shall train with him on Wednesday...

And it was 360 degrees. At 180 degrees my ears cleared and then i went head down again and continued to the tag at 33 ;-) Must have looked stupid but it worked so who give a sh&t....

then you are an acrobat ! good !

 

[glennv]

Both ;-) (DNF and CWNF)
DNF because I will go to the worldcup in Lausanne and can use this as a final test.
CWNF just because i like it.
No never trained with Pradon before.
We will arrive on thursday. See you then !