A Process Of Elimination
Posted By Paul Kotik on 1 November 2004
Hear me out. I’m talking about a minor restructuring of competition which will make it approximately 1,000 times more interesting.
Imagine running freediving competitions as elimination tournaments. Run the competitors against each other pairwise, face to face, with the loser eliminated and the winner advancing to the next round.
Even Static Apnea would be a lot more interesting when we watch two rivals head to head in the pool. The entire dynamic of the performance is intensified when the objective is to beat a specific person now, in real time. The strategic and tactical matrix is transformed. Spectators see a dramatic, concrete, highly-visible competitive outcome every few minutes.
The time interval between rounds should be limited , a brisk pace maintained. For competitors, anything goes except actual physical contact with another competitor. Talk trash, shoot ‘em the evil eye – whatever rocks their world.
Dynamica Apnea: competitors swim at the same time in adjacent lanes. The winner is the one who covers the greater distance… but will she have anything left for the next round ? Lead or follow ? Slower, or faster ? Hmmmmm...
Constant Weight: two divers head down at the same time. First one to turn loses...unless the other one has LMC or BO.
It’s a whole other thing when the performance you have to beat is happening before your eyes as you perform. Keeping in mind that if you win your heat, and advance to the next round, you’ll have to do it all again. You’ll want to win each heat with the minimum expenditure of blood and guts, but you will want to win.
Ooooohhh ! A dilemma. A strategic and tactical conundrum whose resolution may, incidentally, level the playing field for male and female competitors : men may have higher hematocrit and myoglobin, but we don’t think with our muscles or our red cells. Mostly not. Designing women could smart their way to victory.
Imagine the possibilities. A convincing bluff could lure an opponent into surfacing too soon . . . or lingering overlong and getting the lights turned off.
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