The Editor says: The annual freediving highlight — the "4th Taiwan Cup Depth Competition" — wrapped up yesterday (3/20) in Xiaoliuqiu. The event drew many divers eager to push their own limits. As depth increases, so does the risk, but the Editor feels that constantly challenging yourself is exactly what makes a depth competition so compelling! Read on for this year's competition recap. Source: Taiwan Freediving Development Association.
The freediving competition "4th Taiwan Cup Depth Competition (2024 AIDA Taiwanese Cup)," co-organized by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association, Msocean, and the One.意潛 team, concluded on (3/20). The event spanned four days in total (3/17–20). As one of the premier annual events in Taiwan's freediving scene, the Taiwan Cup Depth Competition has led freediving enthusiasts onto the stage of deep-sea challenges with every edition. This year's fourth installment attracted even greater attention and participation from both domestic and international athletes, transforming it from a mere competition into an exhilarating annual freediving celebration.
Open Division: Zhan Kai-Xiang Takes the Men's Crown, Hou Yi-Ming Claims the Women's Title
Hou Yi-Ming delivered an impressive dive in the Constant Weight Bifins (CWTB) discipline, completing her dive at 68 m. photo credit: Taiwan Freediving Development Association
Competition in the Open Men's division was fierce. Each athlete had 2 dive attempts. Zhan Kai-Xiang chose to compete in two depth disciplines — Constant Weight No Fins (CNF) and Constant Weight Bifins (CWTB) — posting valid performances of 66 m and 77 m respectively. However, he received a penalty of 5 points for a violation on his 77 m dive. This opened the door for runner-up Bai Bo-Han, who recorded 66 m in CNF and 73 m in CWTB, but inadvertently lost his tag (the token proving he reached the announced depth) on his CNF ascent, resulting in a 1-point deduction. After the final weighted point tally, the two athletes were separated by just 0.19 points — Bai Bo-Han narrowly missed the title, leaving Zhan Kai-Xiang to claim the men's crown. In the Open Women's division, Hou Yi-Ming took the title without contest, comfortably winning with 68 m in CWTB and 70 m in Constant Weight (CWT).
Zhan Kai-Xiang breathes up and relaxes, preparing for his dive. photo credit: Taiwan Freediving Development Association
Three Days of Competition Pushing the Limits of the Deep Blue
On the first competition day (3/18), a total of 26 athletes from the Open and Novice divisions took part. The first athlete to announce the deepest target, Chen Zhi-Xuan, successfully retrieved the tag at 90 m, but unfortunately suffered a Shallow Water Blackout and was disqualified (red card). Several other athletes received yellow cards for violations — including turning back early without retrieving their tag, or losing it on the ascent. Czech athlete Tomas Kondelka had planned to challenge his own 61 m CWTB national record, but was penalized with a yellow card after turning back early without a tag. That said, performances in the CNF discipline were impressive: in addition to Zhan Kai-Xiang, Xie Xin-Ying's 53 m CNF dive was a Personal Best (PB) for her in competition.
Athletes who receive a white card after a successful dive are celebrated with water splashing and cheering. Pictured here is Pan Xin-Xin receiving her white card. photo credit: Taiwan Freediving Development Association
The 20 athletes competing on the second day were all first-time competitors in the Novice category. To ensure safety, Novice athletes are capped at a maximum announced depth of 70 m. However, three of them — Li Zi-Xian, Lin Bo-Jun, and Hong Kong athlete YiP Hiu CHEUNG — all successfully completed dives to 70 m underwater, suggesting their abilities had long surpassed that depth. They were jokingly dubbed "fake newcomers," and their performances left everyone impressed with the caliber of the Novice challengers.
On the third competition day, 31 Open and Novice athletes competed. The first National Record Attempt (NRA) of the event was made by Xie Xin-Ying, who announced 56 m in CNF — a challenge to the 55 m record held by Lian Lin-Lan. After years of Hou Yi-Ming and Lian Lin-Lan trading depth discipline national records back and forth, this was the first time a third athlete stepped up to challenge them. Unfortunately, Xie Xin-Ying also succumbed to a Shallow Water Blackout and was unable to complete the record attempt.
photo credit: Taiwan Freediving Development Association
Heartfelt Thanks to All Supporters — Special Gratitude to the Coast Guard for Full-Event Escort
Hosting a freediving depth competition in Taiwan is no easy feat. For the organizing team, the pressure of facing an ever-changing ocean is immense — in a sense, they too become a kind of "seafarers at the mercy of the elements." This event was escorted throughout by Coast Guard Administration patrol vessels, which provided immediate assistance when needed, giving the organizing team invaluable peace of mind and the confidence to see this challenging event through to completion. When an athlete required emergency medical evacuation, units including the Pingtung County Fire Bureau, the Liuqiu Township Health Center, and Antai Hospital all provided swift and effective care. Their response gave us genuine confidence that the government's well-developed infrastructure can support the healthy and safe growth of competitive freediving in Taiwan.
As freediving continues to grow in popularity, competitive events are becoming more and more frequent. To successfully organize a competition, you need not only a strong and dedicated organizing team with an eye for every detail, but also the collective support of various government agencies that recognize the importance of the freediving industry. The Editor also hopes that while everyone pursues their best performance, they never forget that safety comes first! Surpass the person you were yesterday — that makes you the greatest!
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