21.08.2009

STA finals and DYN qualification

Today was another looooong day here in Århus for all competitors, judges and the organization.

We started at 9:00 with the static finals. Markus took a very nice video of Georgina Miller's dive in the A-Final witch I was judging.



In the B-Final, Anna took the one national record, she thought would be impossible to take for her. With a 6 min and 12 sec breath hold she was surprising herself and many others, including me.

I was having the honor to also judge Guy Brew in the means A-Final. It took him 8 min and 46 sec to decide the gold medal for him. He is a very strong diver but a bit old school. He was doing his breath-up through a snorkel. Contractions started at around 3 min and he just kept going.
After he did his protocol he was looking at me like he had just returned from a walk in the park...

We had a long break then which I used to get some food, fresh air and then watch the CMAS DYN qualification. I am very happy both federations are hosting this event together. Last year in Legnano, I already experienced the good vibes that such a combination (one event, two federations, two competitions) could create. It was interesting to see a different approach to the same thing: how to swim as far as you can under water.

Here is a video of Stig Severinsen, who started for Denmark:



The dynamic started at 5 and lasted until 8 but we judges shifted the lanes so we got some time off in between. I did not think that judging would be so much hard work. But it is quite demanding mentally and physically.

I hope to have some nice pictures and videos about the dynamic here soon. The important results for me where the ones which (obviously) I could not judge myself:

Anna von Boetticher: 154 m (National Record) -> B-Finale
Elisabeth Kristoffersen: 178 m (National Record) -> A-Finale

I cannot tell you how proud these two girls are making me...

18.08.2009

WC is getting started


The 5th AIDA Indoor World Championship has startet.

Here is just a short update. Everything seem to be running smoothly now after the usual hick-ups.

I have put together a little up-date on the German team on the AIDA Germany webside.

The organization has put together a YouTube channel where you can find videos from the competition.



You can find the announcements and starting times for tomorrow here.

13.08.2009

United breaks guitars...

As I am packing my bags to go to Aarhus for the 5th World Championships I remember how so many athletes showed up without their beloved mono fins at so many competitions including the last WC in Maribor.

I came across this video which is based on a true story:



Maybe we should make a song about lost mono fins some time.... Anyways, I hope none of you guys is flying United and we will all have a great competition...

Luckily, DYN is last. So airlines will have time for finding missing fins while you all dive DNF and STA. Clever move by the organization team, don't you think?