EXTREME SPORTS LEARN TO RIDE
EXTREME SPORTS LEARN TO RIDE
EXTREME SPORTS LEARN TO RIDE
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Freediving (or free-diving) is a form of underwater<br />
diving that relies on a diver's ability<br />
to hold his or her breath until<br />
resurfacing rather than on the use of a breathing<br />
apparatus such as scuba gear. Examples<br />
include breath-hold spear fishing,<br />
freedive photography, recreational breathhold<br />
diving, apnea competitions, and to<br />
some degree, snorkeling. The activity that<br />
garners the most public attention is the extreme<br />
sport of competitive apnea in which<br />
competitors attempt to attain great depths,<br />
times, or distances on a single breath.<br />
APNEA<br />
10<br />
Competitive freediving is currently governed<br />
by two world associations: AIDA International<br />
(International Association for Development<br />
of Apnea) and CMAS (World<br />
Underwater Federation). Most types of<br />
competitive freediving have in common that<br />
it is an individual sport based on the best individual<br />
achievement. An exception to this<br />
rule is the bi-annual World Championship<br />
for Teams, held by AIDA, where the combined<br />
score of the team members makes up<br />
the team's total points. There are currently<br />
nine disciplines used by official governing<br />
bodies and a dozen disciplines that are only<br />
practiced locally. In this article, the recognized<br />
disciplines of AIDA and CMAS will be<br />
described. All disciplines can be done by<br />
both men and women and, while done outdoors,<br />
no differences in the environment<br />
between records are recognized any longer.<br />
The disciplines of AIDA can be done both in<br />
competition and as a record attempt, with<br />
the exception of Variable Weight and No limits,<br />
which are both done solely as record<br />
attempts.