AIDA International

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (Consider using more specific cleanup instructions.) Please help improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (September 2008)

Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée
Abbreviation	AIDA
Formation	1992
Type	Sports Federation
Headquarters	Lausanne, Switzerland
Official languages	French, English
Leader	Kimmo LAHTINEN, President
Website	http://www.aidainternational.org

The International Association for Development of Apnea (AIDA, from French: Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée) is the world wide rule- and record-keeping body for competitive breath holding events (freediving). It aims to set 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.

History

• November 2, 1992: Frenchmen Roland SPECKER, Loïc LEFERME and Claude CHAPUIS, found AIDA in Nice, France, with Specker as its first President
• 1993: AIDA Competitions start to take form
• 1994-95: National clubs begin to form over all Europe
• 1996: First AIDA Team World Championship in Nice, France, for national teams
• 1998: Second AIDA Team World Championship, Sardinia, Italy
• 1999: Sébastien NAGEL, Switzerland, replace Roland SPECKER as the President
• 2001: Third AIDA Team World Championship, Ibiza, Spain
• 2004: Fourth AIDA Team World Championship, Vancouver, Canada
• 2005: Bill STRÖMBERG, Sweden, replace Sébastien NAGEL as President
• 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.
• 2009: December, Kimmo LAHTINEN, Finland, replace Bill STRÖMBERG as President

Qualifications and certifications

AIDA has a star system for grading their freedive students certifications:

Freedive certifications

• AIDA 1 Star Freedive, 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.

Specialites 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 December 31, 2009

Sea Disciplines

Constant Weight Apnea (CWT)

Deep freediving using bifins or a monofin.

Men

• 124 m
• Name: Herbert NITSCH
• Date: 2010-4-22
• Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas

Women

• 101 m
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2011-09-22
• Place: Kalamata, Greece

Constant Weight Apnea Without Fins (CNF)

Deep freediving using swimming strokes only, no fins allowed.

Men

• 101 m
• Name: William TRUBRIDGE
• Date: 2010-12-16
• Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas

Women

• 62 m
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2009-12-03
• Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas

Free Immersion Apnea (FIM)

Deep freediving, allowing pulling along the vertical depth rope.

Men

• 116 m
• Name: William TRUBRIDGE
• Date: 2010-04-22
• Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas

Women

• 90 m
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2009-09-27
• Place: Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

Variable Weight Apnea (VWT)

Deep freediving using a weighted sled for descent, pulling along the depth rope for ascent.

Men

• 142 m
• Name: Herbert NITSCH
• Date: 2009-12-07
• Place: Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas

Women

• 126 m
• Name: Annelie POMPE
• Date: 2010-10-05
• 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.

Men

• 214 m
• Name: Herbert NITSCH
• Date: 2007-06-14
• Place: Spetses, Greece

Women

• 160 m
• Name: Tanya STREETER
• Date: 2002-08-17
• Place: Turks and Caicos

Pool Disciplines

Static Apnea (STA)

Immovable breath hold for time.

Men

• 11 min 35 sec
• Name: Stéphane MIFSUD
• Date: 2009-06-08
• Place: Hyères, France

Women

• 8 min 23 sec
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2009-08-21
• Place: Aarhus, Denmark

Dynamic Apnea With Fins (DYN)

Horizontal freediving for distance, using bifins or a monofin.

Men

• 250 m
• Name: Alexey MOLCHANOV
• Date: 2008-10-05
• Place: Lignano, Italy

Women

• 225 m
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2010-04-25
• Place: Moscow, Russia

Dynamic Apnea Without Fins (DNF)

Horizontal freediving for distance, no fins allowed.

Men

• 213 m
• Name: Tom SIETAS
• Date: 2008-07-02
• Place: Hamburg, Germany

• 213 m
• Name: Dave MULLINS
• Date: 2008-08-12
• Place: Wellington, New Zealand

Women

• 160 m
• Name: Natalia MOLCHANOVA
• Date: 2009-08-21
• Place: Aarhus, Denmark

External links

• Official site
• Current Freediving World Records