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Finswimming is an underwater swimming sport where athletes race against each other with the use of floating and breathing equipment like masks, fins, snorkels and a scuba diving set.

Finswimming competitions are conducted in both swimming pools and open waters. Competitions in swimming pools feature short-distance races, while long-distance races are conducted in open waters.

Four techniques are used for finswimming, and races are conducted separately for all techniques. The techniques are:

• Surface swimming: Swimmers use a mask, snorkel and monofins, and must always remain at the surface of the water. Individual races for 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500 meters and relay races for 4 × 100 and 4 × 200 meter are held for his technique.
• Bi-fins swimming: Swimmers use a mask, snorkel and a pair of fins, and swim at the surface of the water. Races for 50, 100, and 200 meters are conducted in a swimming pool, and long-distance races of 4km or 6km are conducted in open waters.

• Apnoea finswimming: Swimmers use a mask and monofin and swim underwater holding their breath. Only 50m races are conducted for this technique. All races are conducted only in a swimming pool.
• Immersion swimming: Swimmers use a mask and monofin and swim underwater using breathing apparatus. Races are conducted for 100m and 400m using this technique, only in a swimming pool.

World Championship - held annually, World Cup - held annually, Continental Championships - held every two years, and the World Games are the most popular competitions where finswimming events are conducted.

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Similar Sports

• Freediving — underwater diving which completely relies on the diver’s capability to hold its breath.
• Underwater Hockey — two teams of six push a puck along the bottom of a swimming pool. (also known as 'Octopush' or Water Hockey).
• Swimming Events

Related Pages

• Plunge for Distance at the past Olympics.
• List of Underwater Sports
• Breath Holding — How long can you hold your breath? An old test for assessing aerobic fitness.
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports — a list of every sport from around the world.