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Unassisted at Cyprus 2004

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

Will

Freediver
Jun 20, 2003
556
151
133
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I sent this suggestion to Howard Shore who organises the Cyprus gigs. I would be interested to know what everyone here thinks, and how many people would be interested in competing no-fins.
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Have you considered accepting Unassisted Constant Weight depths towards points in the 2004 Freeology Dive Open? Unassisted diving has taken off since Cyprus 2003, with more record attempts than for fin diving! Many freedivers are saying that it is the purest discipline, and the way forward for freediving. A very tidy ratio presents itself for the conversion of points. As I understand, currently:
Static 6" - 1 pt
Dynamic 2m - 1 pt
CW 1m - 1 pt

If you were to include unassisted the points could be given as follows:
Static 6" - 3 pt ( 1" - ½ pt)
Dynamic 4m - 5 pts ( 1m - 1 ¼ pts)
Dynamic (no fins) 3m - 3 pt ( 1m - 1 pt)
CW 1m - 3 pts ( 1m - 3 pts)
CW (no fins) 1m - 2 pts ( 1m - 2 pts)

In this way a 60m no-fin dive will earn as many points as a 90m fin dive. This ratio accurately portrays the current world records of these two disciplines. It also works for lower values. I broke 45m with fins at the same time as 30m without fins, and have since increased depths in the same ratio.

This addition might lower the average prescription depths, and dive times, taking some of the burden off the deep support scuba crew, not to mention the fact that freedivers are a lot safer for everyone else when they aren't weilding razor sharp carbon-fibre fins / monofins!
 
The main flaw here, is that competitors have already started paying their entry fees for the 2004 comp. It wouldn't be fair to add / change scoring disciplines, as it may have affected their decision to take part.

Unless he's done a shifty name change, Howard's last name is Jones.

But he shore is a nice guy...
 
At Cyprus this year competitors were able to enter Dynamic with or without fins. The points scoring was the same so you were gonna be hard pushed to come first without fins - but it did allow people to use the set up to try for a national no fins record. Maybe Howard could do a similar thing for constant no fins next year.

Sam
 
Would be pretty cool if you could do no-fins depth diving at Cyprus. I don't think it would be fair to be part of overall points as most people don't train for it.

The major drawback I would see are the current AIDA rules. In competition, ANY depth diving must be done with a standard mask, cannot use noseclip, goggles, lenses or pipemask. So far almost all no-fins records have been done with noseclips. Erez Beatus did 46m no-fins with a standard mask but that's the only one I know off. I would guess that only a small minority of divers can equalise hands free, those that can't would have their depth limited because you would totally stuff up your stroke having to equalise with your hands. Would make it very hard at the start of the dive when you need a lot of effort to fight Bouyancy.

So unless AIDA changes their rules I don't think it would be a very good competition.


Cheers,
Wal
 
One way to escape the rule is to do your no-fins dive at FRC. That way you would sink the whole way down (easy to pinch the nose). On the ascent, you use your arms and don't need to equalize. That way, it would not be any harder using a mask vs. goggles (except for the increased drag from the nose pinch and the loss of air equalizing the mask, as always).


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
Holy cow! An FRC no-fins world-record.

Translation: A 60-meter+ dive with no-fins, no-wetsuit and almost no-air. That would be quite the feat!

Not knocking it -- just having a hard time imagining it since I have done very little diving w/ reduced volume and found it really uncomfortable the few times I tried. I guess that it improves w/ practice, like anything else.

I find that I can get negative even with full lungs with about three or four good sweeps of the arms and that I can pinch to equalize in between sweeps since there is a relatively long glide phase. To get to a fast free-fall (50' to 60') takes an additional 3 or four sweeps, for a total of six to eight total strokes down. Getting back up is a whole 'nother story and I realize that the reduced ballast for FRC would have some benefits here.
 
Eric,

Is there any rule that states that you mask has to be in good working order? What if it has a hole in it, like Herbert's goggles, and it just happens to flood while your down there?

Jon
 
- The use of nose plugs is not authorized.
- The use of apnea lenses is not authorized.
- The use of wrist weights is not authorized.
- The use of volume reducers in the mask is not authorized.
- The use of an unmodified series mask is mandatory. The competitor is not permitted to put water in his
mask.
Tinted or mirrored glasses are not allowed.
- The use of fins or a monofin is not authorized.
- The jury takes note of the presence of any weight used and the weight of the athlete while equipping
the freediver. The weight must be affixed to a belt equipped with a fast release feature and situated on
the outside of the diving suit. The jury checks for any changes in weight upon exit from the water. If
variation has occurred, the attempt is cancelled.
- Any special equipment which could help the propulsion of the swimming movments is prohibited
- The freediver is free to choose any other equipment. (AIDA Competition Rules)

As far as I know, you will receive penalty on points if you have water in your mask after or during the dive.
 
Last edited:
What about gloves?

I wonder if wetsuit gloves are allowed for unassisted...

The rules state that " Any special equipment which could help the propulsion of the swimming movments is prohibited".

Gloves don't really count as special equipment, but I do think they help the propulsion a little bit, as they enlarge the surface area of your palm.
 
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Gloves don't really count as special equipment, but I do think they help the propulsion a little bit, as they enlarge the surface area of your palm.
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I think the concept is to avoid people from using swimming paddles (that would sort of be fins for the hands, wouldn't it?). The wording should probably be more specific.

Chris Engelbrecht, Copenhagen
 
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