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Polish Diving Championships in Underwater Orientation - Olecko 2014

This coming weekend on 9-10 August 2014 in Olecko, Masuria, the Polish Underwater Orienteering Championships will be held. The event, which thanks to the efforts of Olecko divers has been resurrected and restored to the championship rank, will probably once again gather crowds. A little about the history of the discipline The discipline began to

ByMałgorzata Brykała

Published: August 8, 2014 - 14:55

Updated: July 22, 2023 - 07:45

Polish Diving Championships in Underwater Orientation – Olecko 2014

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A little about the history of the discipline

The discipline began to develop in the 1950s as a result of combining elements of speed swimming in fins, fitness competitions and underwater techniques.

In 1967 a large international competition was held on Lake Lago Magiore in Italy. It was the first European Championship in underwater orientation with elements of fast swimming in fins.

The following year, 1968, the former Soviet Union hosted another competition in this sport. These were the first European Championships in which women competed alongside men. In the following years, the number of competitors increased, equipment was improved and new rules were introduced. In European countries, underwater orienteering is treated as an amateur sport with recreational value.

The first World Championships were held in the former Yugoslavia in 1973. Ten years later in 1983. The role of host fell to Poland. This was quite an honour, considering that the Polish Championships had only been played since 1981.

The rules and regulations for organising underwater orienteering competitions have been developed by the World Confederation of Underwater Activities CMAS, as part of the so-called Sports Committee, of which the Polish Diving Association, among others, is a member.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Poles had great achievements, winning medals at European and World Cups, for various reasons, this sport was discontinued in our country.

This year, the Olecko Diving Association “Amfiprion”, together with the LOK Diving Club and the Olecko Poviat Starosty are making another, fourth attempt to revive this water sports discipline by organising and holding the Polish Diving Championships in Underwater Orienteering – Olecko 2014, in which both professionals and amateurs will take part, as this sport is not only for young people, but also for competitors, e.g. those aged 50.

Source: Organiser