Where are the DIVE SPORTS and COMPETITIONS?

[jason.elias]

Over the last few months, as I have been kicking around the idea of getting into the Dive Business, I have wondered why there are so few younger Divers that stick around and how maybe to connect with them a bit more...

I realize there are a number of factors involved here, but after looking at a few of the sports that have grown from specialized activities into major sports, it became clear that activities which had sporting competitions associated with them had given a way for younger enthusiasts to follow the sport, and also given sponsors an opportunity to groom new stars. Snowboarding, skate-boarding, even mountaineering and surfing to a lesser degree, they have all used competitions to get people interested and following the sport..

So I was wondering, where are the Dive Sports? I know there is free-diving, which is close, but where are the competitions in Scuba Diving? Are they out there and some of us just haven't heard about them? Or do they exist at all?

And if they don't exist already - we are a VERY creative group of people - couldn't we put our minds together and come up with one?

 

[Blackwood]

Scubatics | Underwater Scooter-Propelled Acrobatics


Though I still contend it should read "Hydrobatics."

 

[flstarfish44]

Just curious, but what about scuba diving could be turned into a competitive sport? I can follow the logic in freediving, but not sure how so in OC or CCR diving.

 

[Jasonmh]

Scubatics | Underwater Scooter-Propelled Acrobatics


Though I still contend it should read "Hydrobatics."

That looks like fun

 

[Blackwood]

Just curious, but what about scuba diving could be turned into a competitive sport? I can follow the logic in freediving, but not sure how so in OC or CCR diving.

What about freediving can be made into a competition?

Basically, depth and duration. Apply that to SCUBA. The depth record is broken fairly often. Scuba Diving World Records

Note - I'm not suggesting it's a good idea. I'm simply answering the question.

 

[jason.elias]

Just curious, but what about scuba diving could be turned into a competitive sport? I can follow the logic in freediving, but not sure how so in OC or CCR diving.

I don't know - that is a good question. But I think not impossible..

 

[flstarfish44]

Scubatics | Underwater Scooter-Propelled Acrobatics


Though I still contend it should read "Hydrobatics."

Okie doke. Well, that answered my question.

 

[DennisS]

Fish counting, fastest time getting geared up and in the water, most sharks teeth collected on a single dive, longest time U/W on an AL80, biggest lobster, best after dive rum punch, longest snooze in a hammock, there are lots of opportunities for competitive activities in scuba.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Pushing the limits of any sport is exciting and often deadly. Water is a harsh mistress. If we push the limits to get people excited about the sport, we are likely to find out that more and more people are dying, which will put people off of the sport.


Personally, I find it perfectly satisfying to see for myself how I am becoming a better diver.

 

[jason.elias]

Pushing the limits of any sport is exciting and often deadly. Water is a harsh mistress. If we push the limits to get people excited about the sport, we are likely to find out that more and more people are dying, which will put people off of the sport.

That is true. But asphalt and concrete barriers are not so kind either yet auto racing is huge. Same is true for downhill skiing. And even sports like boxing or football (american) are huge despite, or perhaps even partially BECAUSE of their dangers.

Even the reason Free-Diving is somewhat well known is because of the dangers the divers put themselves in - that is what catches people's attention.

Now this is not to say that a sport MUST be dangerous, especially considering the Scubatics that has just been posted. But I think it is also not as big a deterrent as we might think...