STATIC APNEA competition 2012

[spearkat]

Freefall Freediving Academy is arranging a static comp in Cape Town, South Africa on 9 December 2012.

Static Apnea (STA)
Static Apnea involves athletes holding their breath and lying face down in water for as long as possible. This discipline tests a freediver's breath holding ability and is regarded as one of the most mentally challenging

The competition will have an Advanced and Beginners group so make sure to share this event and invite all your friends.

https://www.facebook.com/events/543911995624483/

Freefall Freediving Academy

 

[trux]

What rules and what surface protocols will be used at the competition? AIDA, CMAS, or something else? Any official judges from an exisiting federation will be present?

 

[spearkat]

We will be using PURE APNEA rules and surface protocols and certified Pure Apnea judges.

Pure Apnea - Freediving

 

[Vedrana]

We will be using PURE APNEA rules and surface protocols and certified Pure Apnea judges.

Pure Apnea - Freediving

I don't see any big difference from AIDA rules.... c/p



4.25.2. The Surface Protocol consists of 3 sequential phases:
1) Remove all facial equipment.
2) Give 1 visible OK hand sign to the judges.
3) Clearly say the words "I'm OK" or "I am OK" or “OK” in English.

 

[x_yeti]

The Pure Apnea rules were made to 'fit' the AIDA rules as closely as possible making it easy for AIDA athletes to compete in our comps without having to learn a new set of rules while still being progressive i.e. longer time for surface protocol, easier/cheaper to run comps etc. etc.

Also small things like allowing “OK” for the surface protocol. "OK" is one of the most universally spoken phrases, but "I am" or "I'm" are actually not easy for hypoxic non-English speakers to verbalise.

On a side note, anyone ever time a surface protocol with 3 proper recovery breaths, removing a noseclip and fluid goggles, giving the OK signal and saying "I'm OK"? I get 14-15 seconds doing this fresh in a pool. Add a long tough dive with tired muscles and one hand grabbing a rope and it's almost impossible to do the 3 proper recovery breaths and surface protocol in 15 seconds. Why teach something that can't be properly applied in comps?

 

[Mullins]

Because only a tiny proportion of students would do comps?

 

[x_yeti]

So teach students to do the right thing and force athletes to do the wrong thing? Why?

 

[Mullins]

Different environments, skill levels, priorities etc. If there's no need to validate a performance, you may as well focus entirely on recovery. In comps there will always be some conflict between validation and recovery - unless you go for 'survival rules' (which I quite like).

Why would it take more than 15s to take three breaths and do the protocol? It is considered acceptable to breathe while you remove facial equipmen; but even if you don't, it still seems fairly easy to take three breaths first.

 

[Goran Colak]

On a clean dive, 10 seconds is more than enough for relaxed and slow surface protocol.

 

[Simos]

15s is probably enough in most cases but I do agree that at least for some people this would mean rushing the recovery breaths etc.

What would be the downside of allowing a bit more time? e.g. 20-25 seconds? Does anyone know whether 15s was chosen for a reason? (maybe for someone with a not-so-clean dive to NOT have time to recover?)

 

[x_yeti]

(maybe for someone with a not-so-clean dive to NOT have time to recover?)

... and how often do clean dives become not-so-clean dives because of rushed recovery?

Timing myself and several other freedivers: almost all were able to surface and do recovery and SP within 11 to 15 seconds while fresh and in a pool. So why not add 5 more seconds to remove the stressor of not knowing whether you are doing it fast enough?

As for it being a way of validating a clean dive from a not-so-clean dive, if athletes are allowed to samba their way though the SP, as long as they do it within 15 seconds, then is this even a legitimate argument? Why not allow them to samba their way through the SP in 20 seconds? A samba is a samba. Grey is grey.

 

[trux]

The problem is more the creation of yet another standard, making then the comparisons of identical performances under different organizations unjust. A freediver who would get disqualified in an AIDA competition, will pass just fine if the conditions are more relaxed, which then reduces the value of the performance under the relaxed rules in comparison to the stricter ones.

OK, there may be comprehensible reasons for not joining AIDA (the necessity of paying fees, and judge/instructor training fees), but why couldn't you simply at least stick to AIDA rules, like many other non-AIDA competition organizers do?

 

[Simos]

On balance I agree with Trux about standards. 15s might be a bit tight but surely this is only in comparison to how much you push. The reality is that it's easy enough to even do a 5s protocol if you haven't pushed (just recover while taking off mask) so in some ways perhaps a shorter protocol time limit does result in safer dives...

 

[Mullins]

If you're searching for a point of difference from AIDA, ditch the PBMM rule. It's very silly.

 

[x_yeti]

If you're searching for a point of difference from AIDA, ditch the PBMM rule. It's very silly.

We already did, but perhaps the rules need to be made clearer. "Loss of consciousness" might be a bit too vague.

Trux, I don't think it is realistic to expect non-AIDA organizations to follow the AIDA rules to the letter. Who is doing this? There definitely is a fine line between progressive rule changes and creating entirely new disciplines. I don't think Pure Apnea has crossed that line yet.