Other Underwater Sports

By request, here's a forum especially for the 'other' underwater activities that you might participate in such as diving, underwater rugby, fin swimming, breath holding etc etc.

Enjoy!

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USOA is member of USOC. In newest USOC magazine, there is a major article on Open Water Swimming. Now since 1986 CMAS has been trying to get 'on the program' with fin swimming, but this new sport is Open Water Swimming - looks to be no fins and in river, lake, even ocean. It is a 10 K race (for both men and women) , and it is 'on the program' in Beijing 2008, under the auspices of FINA or world swimming federation.

Evidently there was open water swimming at 1900, 1904 and 1908 and some other early Games. History has it held in the ocean, River Seine and a lake near St Louis MO. Good times are in the 1 hour range. Open Water world championships will be held in Seville Spain in late April 2008 to serve as selection meet.

This announcement looks ominous for fin swimming entry into Olympics.

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Carol Rose

USOA entered USOC in 1989. Even then, the word was to get on Olympic Program, a new sport had to go through a IF already on the Program - ie gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, etc. Syncro went in thru swimming, FINA; rthymtic gymnastics thru standard gymnastics; etc. I believe but I am not postive that fin swimming may (MAY) have had opportunity to move to FINA, but CMAS did not want to give it up. Personally, I didn't realize Open Water Swimming existed. USOA is in was used to be called Group C in USOC - or emerging, new sports. Others in the group vary: oreinteering, etc but I don't think Open Water Swimming was in group. IOC president has said No More summer sports which again emphaizes getting 'in' via recognized group. Fin Swimming is in World Games, sometimes called the Olympics for non Olympic sports, but it is a new entry and could be bumped easily. All Games are tremendously expensive, especially with the security now required, hence the limiting. The old standard, may still exist, a country may only send a team to Olympics that is 10% larger than previous Olympics. No biggee for country such as USA, but smaller countries are quite constrained. And believe me, no matter what is said in public, medals count big time. Can a country medal in a sport is supreme criteria for participation in that sport.

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Carol Rose

Yes, I believe that even in the Winter Olympics it can be quite hard. In fact Snowboarding went in under the Skiing federation's wing, against the wishes of the Snowboarding federation. That is to say that Snowboarding said no to the offer to come in under skiing, but the ski boys ignored them and pulled the sport in under their control. Its entirely possible that FINA could do the same to CMAS.

Oh, and thanks for this forum Carl, I'll take advantage of it

I have been told, again not first hand but close, that FINA is no longer interested in having fin swimming in it's fold/control, so fin swimming is out in the cold as it were.

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Carol Rose