Also known as “The Cube”, Jump Blue (JB) Apnoea is one of the signature disciplines of who are the sole officiators of world records in this style of freediving. Athletes compete to swim as far as they can around a 15x15m square at a depth of between 5 and 15m in open water. Fins are compulsory and because of the superiority of the monofin over bifins, most athletes opt for one of these.

With a reputation for causing a large number of blackouts, Jump Blue has been seen as controversial, particularly amongst AIDA diehards. A look back over the last few years of World Championship , however, suggests that this reputation might be undeserved. In the Men’s qualifying rounds last year, for example, only 3 of 17 dives resulted in disqualification, and for the Women, only 1 of 10. Compare this to last year’s Vertical Blue where almost a third of dives resulted in a red card.

Remember, though: Whatever you’re doing, Never, ever freedive alone.

The course is set up using a floating rope, suspended between 4 buoys on the surface, one at each corner of the course. Athletes are provided with an official marker (usually a clothes-peg or similar) to attach to the rope when they’ve swum as far as they can. They then have to return to the surface and complete a protocol before the dive is awarded. Judges on scuba measure the distance indicated by the marker with a tape measure, and pass the result to the surface, which accounts for the centimetre accuracy of recorded distances in this discipline.

The History of Jump Blue Freediving

The first CMAS world records for Jump Blue were set in Isole Tremit, Italy in 2003 by two Italians, Monica Barbero (92.97m) and G. Marchi (118.63m). The current world record is held for Women by Alessia Zeccini of Italy (190.48m) and for Men by Arthur Guerin Boeri of France (201.61m). Both set their records at this year’s world championships off the island of Ischia, Serrara Fontana, Italy.

Jump Blue Technical Considerations

Because it takes place at depth, this discipline presents a significant risk of shallow water blackout. Athletes may well not experience many of the signs of hypoxia as they make their way around the course because of the increased of oxygen at depth. As they ascend to the surface, however, these effects will quickly become apparent.

Turns, too are difficult, as anyone who has tried to do anything except swim in a straight line in a monofin will testify. Athletes aren’t allowed to use the ropes to assist them and so most end up waving their arms around a couple of times before moving on. Unlike in dynamic apnoea, the preferred technique amongst most athletes is a continuous kicking style, rather than the kick-kick-glide most often employed in the pool.

To AIDA divers, the Jump-Blue surface protocol will seem ridiculously easy. Athletes are required only to touch the surface judge on the head after an interval of 10 seconds has elapsed. Judges are presumably provided with special helmets to prevent injury if the athletes get a little bit carried away. Just as under AIDA rules, any assistance provided to the athlete within 30 seconds of surfacing, results in disqualification.

Specialist Equipment for Jump Blue

The rules of Jump Blue provide for athletes to use a weight of up to 3 kg to descend from the surface. Where this is provided by the organisers it can be dropped at the bottom in Variable weight style. Any weight worn by the athlete themselves must be carried throughout the dive. Except in very warm water, most JB divers will use a wetsuit, typically a 2 piece-smooth skin construction with an integrated hood for streamlining.

Bifins are allowed but the superiority of the monofin in terms of power and efficiency means that most competitors will use this instead. Perhaps the most important piece of , however, is the “cube” itself. The rules are quite strict about the construction of this 15m square course. It can be laid out on the bottom if the depth is appropriate but must be marked by buoys on the surface. Most competitions use a floating rope suspended between fixed or weighted buoys, ensuring that the setup doesn’t drift with the current or get disturbed by wave action.

CMAS Jump Blue World Records

Women Alessia Zeccini - Italy 190.48m

Men Arthur Guerin Boeri - France 201.61m