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The Editor says: The annual freediving highlight event, the "4th Taiwan Cup Depth Competition," concluded yesterday (3/20) in Xiaoliuqiu. The competition attracted many divers who love pushing their own limits. As depth increases, so does the risk — but BlueTrend feels that the constant drive to challenge oneself is precisely what makes depth competitions so captivating! Let's take a look at this year's competition results! Article source: Taiwan Freediving Development Association.
The freediving event "4th Taiwan Cup Depth Competition (2024 AIDA Taiwanese Cup)," co-hosted by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association, Women's Ocean, and the One.意潛 team, wrapped up on (3/20). The competition 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 to the stage of deep-sea challenges with each successive edition. This year's 4th edition drew even greater attention and participation from both domestic and international athletes, transforming the event from a mere competition into a passionate, annual freediving feast.
Open Division: Zhan Kai-Xiang Crowned Champion, Hou Yi-Ming Takes the Women's Title
Hou Yi-Ming delivered an outstanding performance in the constant weight bifins (CWTB) discipline, completing her dive with a depth of 68 m. photo credit: Provided by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association
Competition in the Open Men's division was extremely 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 committed a violation on his 77 m dive and received a 5-point deduction. This gave close rival Bai Bo-Han a shot at the title: Bai posted 66 m in CNF and 73 m in CWTB, but unfortunately lost his tag (the token proving he reached his announced depth) during his CNF ascent, resulting in a 1-point deduction. After the final weighted score calculation, the two athletes were separated by a mere 0.19 points, leaving Bai Bo-Han agonizingly short of the championship — and handing the crown to Zhan Kai-Xiang. In the Open Women's division, Hou Yi-Ming claimed the title without question, easily taking the gold with a CWTB dive of 68 m and a constant weight (CWT) dive of 70 m.
Zhan Kai-Xiang breathes up and relaxes in preparation for his dive. photo credit: Provided by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association
Three Days of Competition Pushing into the Deep Blue, Athletes Give Their All to Showcase the Allure of Freediving
On the first day of competition (3/18), a total of 26 athletes from both the Open and Newcomer divisions took part. The first athlete to announce the deepest target, Chen Zhi-Xuan, successfully retrieved the tag at 90 m but was ultimately disqualified with a red card after suffering a Shallow Water Blackout. Several other athletes also received yellow cards — either for turning back early without retrieving their tag, or for losing it during ascent. Czech athlete Tomas Kondelka, who had planned to challenge his own national record of 61 m in CWTB, also received a yellow card after turning back early with no tag. Nevertheless, the CNF discipline produced some impressive performances: in addition to Zhan Kai-Xiang, Xie Xin-Ying's 53 m CNF result was a personal best (PB) for her in competition.
Athletes who successfully complete their dive receive a white card, and everyone celebrates by splashing water and cheering. Pictured here is Pan Xin-Xin, who earned a white card. photo credit: Provided by the Taiwan Freediving Development Association
All 20 athletes competing on the second day were first-time competitors in the Newcomer division. To ensure safety, newcomers are subject to a maximum announced depth limit of 70 m. Even so, three athletes — Li Zi-Xian, Lin Bo-Jun, and Hong Kong's YiP Hiu CHEUNG — all successfully completed dives to 70 m underwater. It seems several of these newcomers are already capable of going well beyond that depth, earning them the playful label of "fake newcomers," and leaving onlookers genuinely impressed by the caliber of the newcomer challengers.
On the third and final day of competition, 31 Open and Newcomer athletes competed. The first National Record Attempt (NRA) of the Taiwan Cup came from Xie Xin-Ying, who announced 56 m in CNF to challenge the existing record of 55 m held by Lian Lin-Lan. After years of Hou Yi-Ming and Lian Lin-Lan trading blows over depth discipline national records, this was the first time a third challenger stepped up — unfortunately, the attempt also ended in a Shallow Water Blackout, falling just short of success.
photo credit: Provided by the 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. The organizing team faces enormous pressure from an ever-changing ocean, making them, in a sense, another kind of "people who live at the mercy of the sea." This event was escorted throughout by Coast Guard Administration patrol vessels, which were ready to provide immediate assistance at any moment — a genuine source of reassurance for the organizing team, giving them the confidence to see this challenging event through to completion. When an athlete's injury triggered the emergency medical evacuation plan, personnel from the Pingtung County Fire Bureau, the Liuqiu Township Health Center, and Antai Hospital all provided swift and effective care. This truly reinforced our belief that the government's comprehensive infrastructure can support the healthy and safe development of competitive freediving in Taiwan.
As freediving continues to grow in popularity, so does the number of freediving competitions. Successfully organizing an event requires not only a strong and dedicated organizing team with attention to every detail, but also the shared commitment of various government agencies to support the development of the freediving industry. BlueTrend also hopes that while everyone pursues their best performances, they never forget that safety comes first! Surpass yesterday's version of yourself — and you are already the best!
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