Sport Diving is a group of underwater sports disciplines. It is a relatively new branch of underwater sports, but its disciplines are officially recognized internationally (by the World Confederation of Underwater Activities - CMAS) and in Belarus, and are included in the All-Russian Register of Sports. In our country, this sport is administered by the Belarusian Underwater Sports Federation (BFPS).
Discipline Description
Competitions are currently held in the following disciplines:
Diving - Combined Swimming (Trial M)
Diving - Obstacle Course
Diving - Night Diving
Diving - Weight Lifting (Emersion 6 kg)
CMAS also approved the "Briefing" discipline, but it has not gained widespread popularity and is practiced only by enthusiasts in Spain.
Combined Swimming The athlete must complete a course as quickly as possible, partly underwater using a self-contained breathing apparatus (scuba gear) and partly on the surface using a snorkel.
Obstacle course. The athlete must complete the course as quickly as possible, overcoming obstacles and performing specific exercises based on recreational diving skills (mask removal and re-installation, octopus breathing, and scuba gear removal and re-installation). The athlete's performance is assessed based on the time spent completing the course and the accuracy of the exercises.
Night diving. In zero visibility, the athlete must quickly retrieve three weights, each weighing 1 kg, randomly placed at a distance from the release line. This is achieved by placing a special light-proof cover over the mask.
Weight Recovery. The athlete must swim as quickly as possible to a six-kilogram weight placed on the bottom of the pool 25 meters from the starting line and retrieve it. The weight is retrieved using a standard buoy; the moment the buoy and weight reach the surface is considered the finish.
History
Scuba diving competitions have been held in various countries since the 1960s. Later, these disciplines separated from scuba diving. The sport began to develop towards achieving speed. Scuba diving was replaced by a cylinder, which the athlete holds in front of them. Scuba diving then developed towards commercial and recreational diving. Club diving competitions were held in many countries for recreational purposes. At the beginning of the 21st century, recreational diving, which was widespread worldwide, regained a competitive edge thanks to new underwater sports disciplines. The idea of creating a sporting discipline that would allow divers to safely compete in their skills had been brewing for some time. In 2004, the Spanish Underwater Federation submitted a proposal for a Combined Diving (Trial M) discipline to CMAS, combining elements of diving and finswimming. The first demonstration competitions were held in Zaragoza. In 2007, the Russian Underwater Sports Federation proposed a competition based on recreational diving skills. In 2008, sport diving disciplines were officially recognized [2].
Since 2007, competitions have been held in the Trial M and Obstacle Course disciplines, and since 2012, Night Diving and Emersion 6 kg.
2004 — A new discipline, "Combined Swimming," combining the skills of speed finswimming and recreational diving, was presented at the CMAS General Assembly (Seville, Spain).
2007 — A demonstration of the "Combined Swimming" discipline was held at the CMAS World Games (Bari, Italy).
2007 — Anna Arzhanova presented a draft of the "Obstacle Course" sport diving discipline to CMAS, based entirely on recreational diving skills.
2007 — The World Confederation of Underwater Activities (CMAS) officially adopted new sport disciplines:
"Combined Swimming" (Trial M)
"Obstacle Course"
05. 2008 — The First International Diving Competition (Hurghada, Egypt)
09. 2008 — The Second International Diving Competition (Moscow, Russia)
2009 — First World Cup (St. Petersburg, Russia)
2010 — First European Championship (Kazan, Russia)
2011 — Second World Cup (Valladolid, Spain)
2012 — Second European Championship (Perm, Russia)
Development Prospects
Sport diving may be of interest to:
Divers who want to try their hand at the sport, as there are no age restrictions, offering a real chance to achieve success and official sporting titles;
Athletes who want to try a different sport;
Parents looking for an exciting, modern, and low-impact sport for their children;
Spectators, as it offers an exciting and engaging spectacle;
Advertisers, as it attracts the attention and interest of spectators, divers, and athletes;
Diving and swimming equipment manufacturers, as it offers a completely new field for modifying and marketing their products;
For diving instructors, as competitive activity provides strong motivation for club attendance, further education, and training.
Competitive diving in Belarus.
The Belarusian Underwater Sports Federation is at the forefront of this discipline worldwide. At the CMAS General Assembly, the Belarusian delegation voted for recognition of this sport by the World Confederation of Underwater Activities. Sergei Patrikeyev and Vyacheslav Romanovich won bronze medals at the First International Diving Competition in Hurghada, Egypt, in 2008.
At the Second International Competition in Moscow in 2008, the Belarusian team finished third.
At the First World Cup in 2009 in St. Petersburg, the Belarusian team won silver.
At the First European Championship in Kazan, Russia, our girls, Masters of Sports Irina and Natalia Slipchenko, won silver medals.
The Captain Morgan Club of the Belarusian Underwater Sports Federation is becoming the main training center for sport diving, where Irina Slipchenko, a silver medalist at the European Championships and an international master of sports, leads training in this sport.