AIDA International
Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée (AIDA) (English: International Association for the Development of Apnea) is a worldwide rule- and record-keeping body for competitive breath holding events, also known as freediving.[3] It sets standards for safety, comparability of Official World Record attempts and freedive education. AIDA International is the parent organization for national clubs of the same name.
 | |
| Abbreviation | AIDA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1992 |
| Type | Sports Federation |
| Headquarters | Geneve, Switzerland |
Region served | Worldwide |
Official language | French, English |
President | Alexandru Russu[1] |
| Affiliations | EUF[2] |
| Website | http://www.aidainternational.org |
History
AIDA was founded November 2, 1992 in Nice, France by Frenchmen Roland Specker, Loïc Leferme and Claude Chapuis, with Specker as its first President.
The AIDA Competitions started to take form in 1993.
National clubs begin to form over all Europe in 1994–1995.
AIDA became AIDA International in 1999.
- In 1999 Sébastien Nagel, of Switzerland, replaced Roland Specker as the President.
- Bill Strömberg, of Sweden, replaced Sébastien Nagel as President in 2005.
- Kimmo Lahtinen, of Finland, replaced Bill Strömberg as President in December 2009.
- Carla Sue Hanson, of USA, replaced Kimmo Lahtinen as President in 2016.
- Alexandru Russu, of Romania, replaced Carla Sue Hanson as President in 2020.
History of AIDA World Championships
- 1996: First AIDA Team World Championship in Nice, France, for national teams
- 1998: Second AIDA Team World Championship, Sardinia, Italy
- 2001: Third AIDA Team World Championship, Ibiza, Spain
- 2004: Fourth AIDA Team World Championship, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 2005: First AIDA Individual World Championship, Renens, Switzerland
- 2005: Second AIDA Individual World Championship, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
- 2006: Fifth AIDA Team World Championship, Hurghada, Egypt
- 2007: Third AIDA Individual World Championship, Maribor, Slovenia
- 2007: Fourth AIDA Individual World Championship, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- 2008: Sixth AIDA Team World Championship, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
- 2009: Fifth AIDA Individual World Championship, Aarhus, Denmark.
- 2009: Sixth AIDA Individual World Championship, Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas.
- 2010: Seventh AIDA Team World Championship, Okinawa, Japan
- 2011: Seventh AIDA Individual World Championship, Kalamata, Greece
- 2011: Eighth AIDA Individual World Championship, Lignano, Italy
- 2012: Eighth AIDA Team World Championship, Nice, France
- 2013: Ninth AIDA Individual World Championship, Belgrade, Serbia
- 2013: Tenth AIDA Individual World Championship, Kalamata, Greece
- 2014: Ninth AIDA Team World Championship, Cagliari, Italy
Qualifications and certifications
AIDA has a star system for grading its freediving certifications:
Freedive certifications
- AIDA 1 Star Freediver, 8m CWT, 1'15" STA, 25m DYN.
- AIDA 2 Star Freediver, 16m CWT, 2' STA, 40m DYN.
- AIDA 3 Star Freediver, 24m CWT, 2'45" STA, 55m DYN.
- AIDA 4 Star Freediver, 32m CWT, 3'30" STA, 70m DYN.
Speciality certifications
- Competition Safety Freediver.
- Competition Freediver.
- Deep Tank Freediver.
- Monofin Freediver.
AIDA has 3 levels of Instructor qualifications and certifications:
Instructor certifications
- AIDA Instructor, can teach up to 3 Star Freediver.
- AIDA Master Instructor, can teach up to 4 Star Freediver.
- AIDA Instructor Trainer, can teach all levels, and instructors.
Records
AIDA recognized world records as of July 31, 2014
Constant weight apnea (CWT)
Deep freediving using bifins or a monofin.[3]
Men
- 130 m
- Name: Alexey Molchanov
Russia - Date: 2018-07-18
- Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas
Women
- 104 m
- Name: Alessia Zecchini
Italy - Date: 2017-05-02
- Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas
Constant weight apnea without fins (CNF)
Deep freediving using swimming strokes only, no fins allowed.[3]
Men
- 102 m
- Name: William Trubridge
New Zealand - Date: 2016-07-20
- Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas
Women
- 72 m
- Name: Sayuri Kinoshita
Japan - Date: 2016-04-26
- Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas
Free immersion apnea (FIM)
Deep freediving, allowing pulling along the vertical depth rope.[3]
Men
- 124 m
- Name: William Trubridge New Zealand
- Date: 2016-05-02
- Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas
Women
- 91 m
- Name: Jeanine Grasmeijer
Netherlands - Date: 2016-09-06
- Place: Kralendijk, Netherlands Antilles
Variable weight apnea (VWT)
Deep freediving using a weighted sled for descent, pulling along the depth rope for ascent.[3]
Men
Women
- 130 m
- Name: Nanja van den Broek Netherlands
- Date: 2015-10-18
- Place: Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
No limit apnea (NLT)
Unrestricted deep freediving, all propulsion means allowed, traditionally using a weighted sled for descent and inflatable balloon for ascent.[3]
Men
- 214 m
- Name: Herbert Nitsch
Austria - Date: 2007-06-14
- Place: Spetses, Greece
Women
- 160 m
- Name: Tanya Streeter
United States - Date: 2002-08-17
- Place: Turks and Caicos
Static Apnea (STA)
Immovable breath hold for time.[3]
Men
- 11 min 35 sec
- Name: Stéphane Mifsud
France - Date: 2009-06-08
- Place: Hyères, France
Women
- 9 min 02 sec
- Name: Natalia Molchanova Russia
- Date: 2013-06-29
- Place: Belgrade, Serbia
Dynamic apnea with fins (DYN)
Horizontal freediving for distance, using bifins or a monofin.[3]
Men
Women
- 237 m
- Name: Natalia Molchanova Russia
- Date: 2014-09-26
- Place: Sardinia, Italy
See also
- AIDA Hellas – National representative of AIDA International in Greece
- British Freediving Association – British affiliate to AIDA International
- Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques – International organisation for underwater activities in sport and science, and recreational diver training and certification
References
- https://www.aidainternational.org/BoardAndMembers
- "Associate/Observers". European Underwater Federation. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- McKie, N (2004). "Freediving in cyberspace". Journal of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. 34: 101–3. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
