Finswimming

Finswimming is an underwater sport consisting of four techniques involving swimming with the use of fins either on the water's surface using a snorkel with either monofins or bifins or underwater with monofin either by holding one's breath or using open circuit scuba diving equipment. Events exist over distances similar to swimming competitions for both swimming pool and open water venues. Competition at world and continental level is organised by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. The sport's first world championship was held in 1976. It also has been featured at the World Games as a trend sport since 1981 and was demonstrated at the 2015 European Games in June 2015.

Rules and description of the sport

Competitors are described within the International Rules as 'swimmers' rather than as finswimmers or divers.

Classes of competition

Competition is divided into two classes: swimming pool and long distance.
A swimming pool must be 50 m long by 21 m wide and 1.8 m deep, i.e. an Olympic-size swimming pool is suitable for the holding of swimming races for either the Olympic Games and a FINA world championships. The International Rules do not permit the use of 25m length pools although these are used in regional and national competition.
Long distance sites include both the sea and natural water bodies such as freshwater rivers and lakes. Site selection criteria include 'low current and tides' and water quality 'appropriate for swimming' as certified by a local authority. The site, when in use for competition, will be marked by buoys, patrolled by safety boats and will have observation points for judges to oversee any turns present in the course.

Techniques

Surface finswimming

Surface finswimming is swimming on the surface of the water using mask, snorkel, and monofins. SF races are held for distances of 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 4 × 50 mix relays, 4 × 100 relays and 4 × 200 relays in swimming pools and over various long distances in the open water environment. Swimmers must remain on the surface of the water at all times for the duration of the race except when starting or make a turns at the end of a swimming pool where an immersion over a distance of 15m is permitted.

Apnoea finswimming

Apnoea finswimming is underwater swimming in a swimming pool using a mask, monofin and holding one's breath. AP races are held for the distance of 50m. A swimmer's face must be immersed for the duration of the race otherwise he/she risks disqualification. AP races are not conducted in open water for 'safety and security reasons'.

Immersion finswimming with breathing apparatus

Immersion finswimming with breathing apparatus, is underwater swimming using mask, monofin and underwater breathing apparatus conducted in a swimming pool. While there are no requirements on how a breathing apparatus is carried, it cannot be exchanged or abandoned during a race. IM races are held for distances of 100, 200 and 400 m. A swimmer's face must be immersed for the duration of the race or risk disqualification. IM races are not conducted in open water for 'safety and security reasons'. Historically, IM swims were conducted in open water up to distances of 1000m.

Bi-fins

Bi-fins is swimming on the surface of the water with mask, snorkel and a pair of fins using a crawl style. BF races are held for distances of 50, 100, 200, 400 and 4 × 100 mix relays in swimming pools and over various long distances in the open water environment such as 4 km and 6 km. It is reported that BF was introduced in 2006 to provide the opportunity for competition by swimmers who cannot afford to purchase a set of monofins. Swimmers must remain on the surface of the water at all times for the duration of the race except when starting or make a turns at the end of a swimming pool where an immersion of a distance of 15m is permitted.

Equipment

Finswimming which is often compared to sports swimming differs from that sport in the use of masks, fins, snorkels and underwater breathing apparatus. This reflects the sport's origins in the underwater diving techniques of snorkelling, breath-hold diving and open circuit scuba diving.
Apart from requiring the use of a mask for protection of the eyes and for the ability to see underwater, the international rules have no requirements regarding mask selection. Centre-mounted snorkels are the only type approved for use subject to meeting minimum and maximum requirements in tube length and internal diameter. Fins are also regulated by international rules. Monofins have a maximum size which can be checked by the use of a template while bi-fins must be one of the brands certified by CMAS.
Underwater breathing apparatus is restricted to open circuit scuba using compressed atmospheric air as the breathing gas. The use of oxygen enriched mixtures is forbidden. Cylinders are limited by maximum cylinder pressure rating of 200 bar and a minimum cylinder capacity of 0.4 litres. While there are no requirements for regulators, swimmers appear to be free to modify these to remove any unnecessary parts.
Garments such as swimsuits, swim caps and wetsuits, and the use of logos printed on these garments and the equipment is also subject to the requirements of the international rules.

Age groupings and associated restrictions

The following age groupings and associated restrictions for both men and women are mandated by the International Rules.

Age group title	Age group code	Age range	Restrictions
Senior	A	18 years & over	No restrictions
Junior	B	16–18 years	No restrictions
Junior	C	14–16 years	Maximum openwater swim of 8 km
Junior	D	12–14 years	Maximum openwater swim of 6 km Maximum AP distance of 25m
Junior	E	less than 12 years	Known as the 'pre-competition group'; national rules apply for this age group as there is no international competition for this group.
Master	V0	25–35 years	No restrictions
Master	V1	35–45 years	No restrictions
Master	V2	45–55 years	No restrictions
Master	V3	55–65 years	No restrictions
Master	V4	65–75 years	No restrictions
Master	V5	+75 years	No restrictions

Origins and history

The sport developed in Europe following the ready availability of the first rubber fins during the 1930s. Luigi Ferraro, Italian diving pioneer, is reported as organising the first fin-swimming competition in the sea during 1951 followed by a ocean swim in 1955. The first competition in the Soviet Union was held during 1958.
The first European Championship which was a multi sport event involving both finswimming and underwater orienteering was held under the title of the First European Championship of Subaquatics Technical at Angera, Italy in August 1967. The specific finswimming events were races over the distances of 40m and 1000m which are reported as using either surface swimming techniques or respectively apnoea and immersion techniques. In 1969, the first European Finswimming Championship to be separate of underwater orienteering was held in Locarno, Switzerland.
The first World Championships were held in Hanover, Germany during 1976 followed by the inclusion of the sport in the inaugural World Games in Santa Clara, California, USA during 1981. In 1988, the first World Long Distance Championship was held in Paris, France followed in 1989 by the first World Junior Championship in Dunaújváros, Hungary.
The arrival of the monofin in the early 1970s led to the breaking of all world records by the end of the decade due to the improved performance possible when used in lieu of bi-fins.
In 2007, the first Bi Fin races using CMAS homologated fins were held.

Sporting appeal and training

Appeal

The main appeal of finswimming is reported by some as being the speed that a swimmer can reach. The world record for the men's 50 m freestyle in sports swimming is 20.91 seconds. In finswimming, it is 13.70 seconds . This is a 50% increase in speed over sports swimming.
One of the great appeals of finswimming is that finswimmers do not need to be good sports swimmers. Indeed, there is some evidence that top flight sports swimmers may make poorer finswimmers than well-trained finswimmers.

Training

Unlike most sports swimming training programmes, finswimming training tends to be far more specific and more like systems used for track running in athletics. In addition, finswimming training tends to have more dry-side work, including a huge amount of core stability, plyometrics and weight training. Elite finswimmers emphasize mental preparation and technical precision over volume-based training, with competition schedules requiring peak performance maintenance across 4–6 month seasons.
It has been recorded that sports swimmers tend to approach finswimming with preconceptions on technique, which can limit their success.

Governing body

The governing body is the CMAS Finswimming Commission.
Its role includes the upgrading of the rules of competition when required, keeping of records for CMAS championships, the World Games and these of national federations where these match or exceed records achieved at international level, and the maintenance of the CMAS World Ranking which is a listing of the best performing senior and junior men and women from both the most recent Finswimming World Championships and the rounds of the World Cup. It also assists the CMAS Board of Directors and others organising competitions organised under the auspices of CMAS.
As of June 2015, national federations in the following countries and territories have affiliated with the commission: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Belarus, Canada, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Libya, Mexico, Marianas, Montenegro, Netherlands, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela and Vietnam.