AIDA Canada has just been announced and will be the designated national representative AIDA body for Canada from 1st January 2009
Set up with the support of the two well-established and most populous Canadian clubs (Freedive Toronto and Club d’Apnée Sportive de Montréal), several top Canadian freedivers, and passionate west coast freedivers.
President François Leduc says “This initiative comes as a response to long-term expressions from a number of prominent Canadian freedivers and many members, that there is need for an effective outlet supporting their interests and participation in the development of freediving in Canada. We believe participants in this close-knit community need to have a place that nurtures a progressive approach to education, involvement, and expression. To achieve these goals, we believe that not only do we need to create a safe environment for participation in freediving, but also for the exchange and development of ideas that arise from the community of this budding sport.”
Initiatives by AIDA Canada include providing education in both French and English and fostering an active and supportive forum for exploration of different freediving philosophies.
An ambitious calendar is planned for 2009 and beyond, including:
– AIDA 1, 2 & 3 * courses, AIDA Instructor courses and AIDA Judging courses
– Dynamic Clinics (DYN and DNF) taught by Canadian National record holder William Winram – April 21, 22, 23, 2009 – Montreal
– Canadian Indoor National Competition with guests and offering world record status – April 24 – 26, 2009 – Montreal
– Canadian Depth National Competition with guests August 2009
– AIDA World Championship in Depth 2009 at Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas – AIDA Canada will be providing safety freedivers for these championships
– North American Indoor Freediving Competition hosted in Montreal – 2010
– Pacific Rim Invitational hosted in Vancouver – 2010
– Pan American Depth Freediving Championships hosted in the Bahamas – 2011
Current board members are:
François Leduc (Montreal) – President
Doug Sitter (Toronto) – Vice-President
William Winram (Geneva, Switzerland) – AIDA International liaison officer
Peter Scott (Vancouver) – Director of Development and Education
Tyler Zetterstrom (Vancouver Island) – Treasurer
Roberta Cenedese (Vancouver) – Secretary
Anyone interested in freediving is welcomed by AIDA Canada. To join, or to learn more
about AIDA Canada, please contact us at info@aidacanada.org.
