ANDAMAN AIDA FREEDIVING CHALLENGE 2010

Conditions to participate

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Each athlete must have a medical certificate prior registration. The certificate can be done by your personal physician or by a specialist in diving. Fees must be paid before the 10th of February 2010 (4,500 baht).

If an athlete comes without Freediving equipment, we can provide them with bi-fins, mask, nose clip, belt and wetsuit. The rental cost is 400 baht per day.

To participate it is mandatory to follow the AIDA rules and a safe practice. Please check the AIDA website http://www.aida-international.org/ and click on "download", then "document", then click for AIDA Competitions and Record Regulations. Try also this link http://www.aida-international.org/aspportal1/scripts/aida%20regulations%20-%20v12.pdf

If you have any queries, feel free to contact blueplanetdivers@gmail.com

How to get to Koh Lanta

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By plane

From Bangkok, you need to fly to Krabi airport and then take a minibus or a private taxi. Call Blue Planet Divers to organize it.

By Passenger Ferry

You can reach Koh Lanta by Passenger Ferry from Phuket, Phi Phi, Ao Nang, Krabi and many surrounding islands. All ferries run from November to April.

From Phuket and Phi Phi

There are 2 ferries per day from Phuket with a very short stopover in Phi Phi. Ferries leave Phuket at 8.30am and 1.30pm and Phi Phi at 11.30am and 3pm.

Return ferries leave Koh Lanta at 8.30am and 1pm.
Single ticket costs 250 baht to Phi Phi and 350 Baht to Phuket

From Ao Nang and Krabi

Boats leave at 10.30 and 1.30pm and return at 8am and 1pm, a single ticket costs 200 baht.

By Minibus

Minibuses run throughout high and low season and usually every hour (dependant on demand). Minibuses can be picked up from Phuket, Krabi and Trang. Krabi and Trang take around 2 hours and Phuket about 4 hours (dependant on car ferries).

By Train

Trains can be caught to Trang from Hat Yai or Bangkok and a minibus can easily be caught from just outside the train station.

By Car

From Krabi take route 4 heading South to Trang, after about 40 minutes there is a right turn to Koh Lanta. From Trang take route 4 heading North to Krabi, after about 1 hour there is a left turn to Koh Lanta.From this turning it takes 30 minutes to get to the first car ferry. After the ferry follow the signs to the second car ferry (approximately 10 minutes).

Car ferries run from 7am to 10pm everyday and it costs about 130 baht for one car with 2 people.

AFC 2010 is happening

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We are happy to inform you that the AFC 2010 is confirmed for the 10th - 11th and 12th of February.

10th of February: Registration, Pool training, AIDA rules, Seminar
11th of February: Open sea competition at Koh Haa (max.depth 60m)
12th of February: Pool competition & Closing ceremony, prizes, party

The disciplines will be: CWT, CNF, DYN, DNF, FIM, STA.

AIDA Judges:

Richard Wonka - Germany

(Judge level E, AIDA Instructor )

Sarah Whitcher-U.K

(Judge level E, Aida Instructor)

Prizes:
4 nights accomodation for 2 persons in Rawi Warin Resort (5 stars)
Black Nemo Mares computer
Freediving Fins
Freediving bags
Freediving trips (2 days)

Cost is: 4,500 baht per person

Include:
AFC tee-shirt, Hotel transfer, Breakfast and Lunch + drinks on the boat, Buffet party, Insurance, AIDA membership.

Extra: A video and photos of the competition will be available.

Sponsors: Mares, Rawi Warin resort & Spa, AIDA Germany

If you wish to participate, please contact blueplanetdivers@gmail.com

SPECIAL GUEST

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Guillaume Nery has joined us in the 2nd annual Freediving challenge. He actually participated to some of the disciplines offered and after discovering the joy to dive in warm water without fins, Guillaume has decided to pursue this discipline more seriously. As he said, he felt even more freedom to dive without fins !

Koh Lanta offer year around 29 degre celcius water temperature with a visibility of 20m average. The dive site are very rich in marine life and corals. Pelagic can be seen such as whale sharks and Mantas Ray.

THE 3 DAYS CHALLENGE

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The second annual Andaman Freediving Challenge has been a great success. Thank you for the support of the 2 judges, Francois Gauthier and Patrick Bouillon and also to our guest of honor, Guillaume Nery. But most of all, thank you to all the athletes that has joined this challenge. We hope to see you all next year.

We also would like to thanks TAT Krabi (Tourism Authority of Thailand) which without them, the competition would have never occured. Mares, represented by Matthias Dorsch has been great sponsor as they offered all the prizes to all the winners of this competition along with Rawi Warin Resort and Spa.

On the 10th of February 2009, we had the opening ceremony at Rawi Warin Resort's pool and Laurent Pinci, the organizer along with the judges have explained the AIDA rules to every athletes. Then, all the athletes had the time to train and get familiar with the pool layout. As I recall, everyone enjoyed this day of preparation.

On the 11th, the first day of competition. The deep sea disciplines. Constant weight with fins and without plus Free immersion was on the planning. We went to Koh Haa. An amazing dive site with a huge variety of marine life including cavern and a stunning lagoon. However, to find the depth, we had to go outside of this zone where we had 55m depth on the line. Once the boat has moored up. We prepared the official zone and the warm up lines. Monica Ganame, Marc Guerrin, Karl Marchant and Dave Summerfield was the safety diver. Please note that we didn't have any black out or samba, this day.

As the athletes went on one by one and performed well with the maximum depth of 52m hold by Lionel Lavabre, from France. Ao Nang Princess boat arrived on our side with the press and Thai official such as the gouvernor of Krabi and TAT officials. They all seem interested in what was going on and told us later on that they were really happy of the event.

Guillaume Nery has also participated at the challenge and touched of course the bottom but once in the Andaman water, he felt something that he hasn't felt for a long time...the joy to dive in a warm sea with great diving condition !!

Sebastien Naslung has joined us as well and participate with 2 dives. Free immersion and Constant weight without fins. I recall that Sebastien Naslung is from Sweden and recognised as one of the best Freediver in his country.

The day finished around 4.30 pm and came back to Lanta to end up in a very nice restaurant eating delicisous Thai food. Then everyone went to bed...exausted.

On the 12th of February, the pool competition. Held in Rawi Warin Resort with 41m lenght. The perfect spot ! Really...We started with static with a best of 5'25'' from Michael Board, UK.
But before going with the dynamic, I would like to mention that 2 woman athletes were with us and scored a national record for their country. Louise Dixon, from Australia did 33m in Free immersion and Ingela Karlsson from Finland did 41m in constant weight with fins, 17m with no fins and 37m in Free immersion. That makes her the best in deep disciplines in all over Finland !!

As for the dynamic, we had lots of suprises !! With 13 athletes, we had 3 beginners and one person that hasn't trained for years and guess what ? One of them ended up first in the man categorie with 90m with no fins and 96m with fins. His name is Julian Van Heerden from South Africa. To mention the others has they performed brillantly without failing to the surface protocol ; James Valentine and Jay Davidson for their first time earned lots of respect by particpating.

You are welcome to visit our website to see all the results of this 2nd competition: http://blueplanetdivers.net/freediving.htm

For further more informations or interested to join for our 3rd annual competition 2010, you can contact us at: blueplanetdivers@gmail.com

Results of the AFC 2009

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Resutls of all the disciplines of each athletes - In order on combined disciplines

Combined disciplines (Deep sea and pool) winners:

1.Emmanuel Turlin (France)
2.Michael Board (U.K)
3.Chris Friend (South Africa)

Woman categories:

1. Louise Dixon (Australia)
2. Ingela Karlsson (Finland)

Deep sea disciplines winners:

1.Lionel Lavabre (France)
2.Chris Friend (South Africa)
3.Emmanuel Turlin (France)

Pool disciplines winners:

1.julian Van Heerden (South Africa)
2.Emmanuel Turlin (France)
3.Michael Board (U.K)

CONTACT US

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Blue Planet Divers
3 Moo 1 Ban Saladan, Koh Lanta
Thailand

Tel: +66(0)75 668165 or Mobile: +66(0)81 3701303
E-mail: blueplanetdivers@gmail.com
Website: http://www.blueplanetdivers.net/

Accomodation on Koh Lanta

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There are plenty of accomodation you can choose from on Koh Lanta. Bungalows with Fan or with air condition. Prices varies between 400 baht to 2000 baht a night.

Here is a list of places to stay (cheapest to more expensive): Feel free to contact us for more infos. Click here for Koh Lanta map http://www.maps-thailand.com/map-koh-lanta.php

Klong Dao area:
- Garden Home
- Diamond Sand
- Kaw Kwang Beach Resort
- Southern Lanta Resort

Phra Ae area:
- Funky Fish
- Lanta Sandy Beach
- Blue Sky
- Sanctuary
- Thai house
-Good Days Lanta
- Sayang Resort

Klong Khong area:
- Green garden
- Blue Marlin
- Lanta Emerald
- Blue Andaman
- Where else

Special rate at Rawi Warin Resort and Spa for any participant: 50% off
See website: www.rawiwarin.com

Videos

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Insert videos

Andaman Freediving challenge 2009 pictures

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Inscribed Athletes

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1. Mark Song - Singapore
2. Jacinta - Australia
3. Walter Johnson - USA

4. Ken Kiryiama

5. Liam Bree - Scotland

6. Jay - Australia