[Article] Martin Stepanek: It's Not About Me

[ArticleBot]

Ten-time World Record holder Martin Stepanek's open letter to the FreeDiving community. A DeeperBlue.net Exclusive!

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[trux]

Interesting interview. Little bit bitter (though still rather calm) reaction, but it was to be expected. I wonder though if Martin is right with the rules interpretation that not only the tag but also a lanyard is mandatory for a record CNF dive, and that William did not use any lanyard at his 82m record either. In such case, I would have to agree with Martin that there is absolute lapse of consistency and professionalism at AIDA rulings.

[perow1]

This is one of the reasons that i dislike record attempts. IF it isallowed to remove the lanyard just because it is a record attempt, then the world record is not comparable to a competition performance. You may not like the lanyard rule, but it is still a rule and as long as it is there it should be followed.

So many extra benefits come with a record attempt that makes it easier to perform. Personally I think that, as a mere competitor, I can only compare myself to the top competition performances and not to those done in record attempts without laynyard or any other case there is. If you want to break a record do it in competition and if there are no suitable competitions arreange one (Dahab thermocline free invitational is a good example) A huge CNF dive was performed there, under competition rules. Now this performance is something I as a competitor can relate to and compare myself with.

[trux]

I actually do not think you are right. As far as I understood the rather complex system of rules, appendixes of rules, and appendixes of appendixes, and their interpretation by the President Bill Strömberg, the latest appendixes (from around 2005) apply the competitions rules for record attempts too. So in fact the record rules are even stricter than the competition rules, since there are some additional restrictions applicable at the records. From this point of view, it could be right that lanyard may be mandatory. On the other hand I remember Bill telling that lanyard is not required when there is a safety diver below the bottom plate. So maybe Martin is finally not quite so right when trying to discredit William's record too (though I do not know if there was a safety diver below the bottom plate in William's case).

However that's not the real problem. The real problem is the complicated system of rules that is so little transparent that even top international judges, and even members of AIDA's DC are not able to interpret it correctly (as we saw in the other thread about this record). Hopefully this is being worked on and the rules will be simplified and unified soon.

[perow1]

Still, easier or not it is not comparable to a competition result. For me, the AIDA top ten-list (if it is still around) is as interesting, or even more interesting than the world record list.

[trux]

Such restriction would fail its purpose - those willing to make records alone would simply call their record attempts a competition by allowing couple of the safety divers and onlookers to make a dive too. I do not think we need such restriction. I believe that in future, with the growing costs of such records attempts, we will see more freedivers trying to break records in competitions, because it will be simply easier affordable for them than paying the equipment, and a team of safety divers, judges, technicians, and other staff individually.

[Fondueset]

It appears AIDA, in at least one iteration of their rules, is regarding the lanyard as a safety device - which can be replaced by a diver, and the tag as a depth confirmation device - replaceable with a camera. The error in that perspective is a failure to regard them as physical objects with a significant physical impact on the dive.

[trux]

Originally Posted by Fondueset

It appears AIDA, in at least one iteration of their rules, is regarding the lanyard as a safety device - which can be replaced by a diver, and the tag as a depth confirmation device - replaceable with a camera.

Nope, that's exactly what's wrong, and what was mistakenly confused by Martin, the judges, an AIDA DC member, and others. Tag is not replaceable by a camera - otherwise there would be no reason for disqualifying Martin (there was both a camera and a safety scuba diver below).

[Billextreme]

No, it's not about you.

AND it's 100% true that we all know that you presumably could make more than 10 ata in this discipline, just with some special and focused training. We have only 3, maybe 4, athletes of this caliber in our freedive community today, and you belong to them.

When it comes to record attempts, the athlete has to follow the specific rules for that discipline from the competition rules. In this case that is point/section 3 in the v11.2. (lanyard is not in that section!) The thing is that AIDA allows athletes on separate record attempts to find/use their own way of safety. When it comes to Trubridge, he failed on two separate attempts, before he finally made it the third time. I was the judge for these two first attempts, and I can say that the tag, and the little stress around it, was probably the main factors that made this two attempts end as they did. He had the depths already back then, but not the right preparation and training for the tag. The rule about the tag have been up-running since late spring 2005 and we had several attempts with tag since then(!) …and again, I am deeply sorry for our judges failure.

/B

Ps. the work with our ONE-SET of rules has started, and will hopefully make things better.

[kelp princess]

its great to see a thoughtful response from martin.

it is really is a shame that AIDA isn't doing MORE to proactively
fix their blatant mistakes and ADMIT their errors, even now.

i think an open letter from the judges should be submitted, and even better an open letter from the board who acted as judge and jury.

they say they consider the current, the incumbent and the future divers when making rulings, but by my assessment they have failed all three perspectives.
IMHO AIDA has created undue stress and they have NOT given the most focused or courageous remedies.

congrats to martin and william turnbridge for succeeding in their own performances, as they compete in these unreliable conditions.


kp

[trux]

In contrary, I believe AIDA (given the circumstances and present rules) made their best and only possible decision in this case, and the board has shown that they listen to reasonable arguments. Errors and mistakes happen - it is very sad it had the consequences we saw, but to save the situation I am afraid there was no other solution, and I value AIDA's approach highly. The principal reason of this mess (multiple sets of rules) is apparently being handled with, so hopefully we won't see a similar case in future anymore.

[Fondueset]

My Bad - the error, then, was with those on site and not with the rules (not with AIDA - with it's representatives? Twice?). This would seem, as you (trux) pointed out above, to invalidate the currently standing CNF record as well; if it was performed without the required lanyard.

Please don't mistake my tone - I do not have an attitude - neither am I fan of anyone. I only ask how we are to understand allowing the current record to stand if it too was performed outside the rules. .

[trux]

As far as I understand it, and as I already wrote, unlike the tag, the lanyard is not required if there is another safety measure (scuba diver at the base plate), so there does not seem to be a problem with that rule (unless Bill interpreted the rules incorrectly too, or unless there was no botom diver at William's record)

[Fondueset]

From the perspective of potential to influence performance I would expect a lanyard to be as much or more of a factor.

[DIVEFREE@&]

It is unfortunate that Martin has brought to our attention another controversial point - that Mr Truebrige completed his dive under a ruling in favor of his performance – without a lanyard.

NO TAG, NO RECORD = NO LANYARD, NO RECORD.

It is surprising that Mr Trubridge went to such extents to crash the ‘tag’ issue when his own performance wasn’t without its flaws. Now was it just me? Or was Mr Stromberg inclining favoritism towards Truebridge by stating “When it comes to Trubridge, he failed on two separate attempts, before he finally made it the third time”…...“the little stress around it, was probably the main factors that made this two attempts end as they did”… "He had the depths already back then, but not the right preparation and training…….”

My admiration of course to Truebridge in his dive performance. But I am sorry his 'WR' is just as invalid