Free Diving Categories

[Chuck_Northrup]

What are the different categories of Free diving?

I was reading an article written by one of Tanya's support divers when she broke the record for variable ballast at 400ft.

The categories I think I know are:

Constant Ballast (Swim down and back up under your own power)

Variable Ballast (Use a weighted sled down and swim up)

No Limits (Use a sled on the trip down ride a liftbag up)
:-\
I am probably missing a few? By the way, let me know when next years freediveapaloza is taking place, I would love to attend.

CN3

[Freedive WI]

We're still working on dates, but would love to have you. If we do put a competition together I would like to have some rebreather guys on the bottom of the lines- less bubbles to interfear with the divers going down the line. 8)

There are, now, a ton of different catagories. The main ones are no-limits. THat's the sled and lift bag one that get's almost ALL of the press. Pipin has some idea about breaking 600' in that catagory in the near future, or so he says.

The big one that most freedivers talk about is constant ballast. That's where you have to swim down, and back, using only your fins, or monofin. Martin Stepanik just re-set the record last week at 103 meters in that catagory.

There's also free immersion- pulling yourslef up and down a line with no fins or lift bags to help. Maritn has that record @102 meters.

There is also something called unassisted constant ballast. Herbert Nithc just borke this record last week. He hit 62 meters using nothing but a mask- you swim breast stroke the whole way as no lines or fins are allowed.

There is static. That's where you lay there and see how long you can hold your breath- current record is over 9 minutes. If you look this one up in Guiness you'll find some other guys name at 13 minutes, but it doesn't count in freediving circles because he hyper-ventilated pure 02 for 30 minutes before he did the breath hold. If something like that were allowed then Umberto Pellizari would have the record at just over 19 minutes.

The one that was acutally in the Olympics, back in 1900, was unassiisted drynamic. This is where you swim laps underwater on a single breath of air- swimming brest stroke the whole way.

Normal dynamics are done with fins, or monofins, and the record is over 200 meters underwater on a single breath.

You can then divide all of the catagories into: male/female, salt/fresh water, openwater/ under ice. It makes for a long list and records are constantly changing.

CMAS has started a new competion, because they feared for the safety divers who had to spot people at 100 meters during competition. Their new idea is called "jump Blue" and involves swimming down to 50' and then swimming as many laps as you can around a 50' grid square, and then coming up under your own power. The more distance you cover on the grid the more points you get. Most freedivers think that this is stupid, but they must get some people to give it a shot. ???

A standard freediving competition has two parts on two different days. First day is constant ballast, fins only, and you get a point for ever meter of depth. The second day is static breath hold, where you get a point for every so many seconds of hold. Add the points otgether and you have your overall winner. Most of these have an 'optional' dynamic, with or without, fins event tagged along in there as well. Many, but not all, people will give this a go while they are there.

Hope that I didn't bore you too much.

Jon

[Chuck_Northrup]

Thanks for the info Jon

I am not sure what opinions are in the freediving circles, but as an outsider looking in I think Constant Ballast is the most "respectable" category.

I understand that holding your breath for 5-6 minutes is difficult no matter what the circumstances, but riding a sled/liftbag seems kind of like "cheating" : Obviously the No Limits category has deeper records and gets more attention but Constant Ballast seems to require more discipline and physical control.

What do you think?

CN3

[Mark Y]

I didn't know there where so many categories. Where do you go to get the 'news' on who is doing what?

Chuck, I agree with your 'constant ballast' comments.

BTW - if you need rebreather divers for the next Freedive-A- Paloza, count me in!

[Freedive WI]

I agree about the constant ballast comment.

It is the "purest" form of competition, with the exception of no fins. This is the category that most freedivers pay attention to.

Deeper Blue. net is a good place to look for info. Freedive UK is another one. There are plenty of sites out there, but these are the two biggest.

Jon