Underwater Target Shooting

Introduction

Underwater target shooting is an adventurous sport, played in swimming pool or open water. This includes shooting practices in an adverse negative buoyant condition inside a water body. The game involves a varying degree of focus and aim during the shooting practices, which also challenges the everyday science. The sport was invented during the mid of 1980s in France. 

Objective

The objective of underwater target shooting is to analyse the participants aiming skills. The players are required to fire a speargun to the target. During the event, players are needed to be underwater and breath only by coming to the surface. The sport can be played by individual players or by teams. Player or team with the highest number of targets aimed during the match wins the competition. 

History of Underwater Target Shooting

Underwater target shooting was developed in the mid of 1980s in France, as a popular physical and training activity to hunt via spearfishing (fishing with a spear). Spearfishing was performed to gather food resources by fishing and has developed as a winter season training activity. 

With due course of time, the sport was widely popularized throughout Europe. Later, the first-ever French national governing committee was founded in 1987. 

Soon, the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) recognised underwater target shooting as an official sport and still is the governing body for the game. 

In 1990, the first-ever French national championship was organised. Later in 1998, the European Championship was organised where major European countries participated. Then, the first international World Championship of underwater target shooting was held in 1999. 

Variants

Precision underwater target shooting

In this variant, the participants usually begin their matches by diving from the start line and continuously swim until they reach to the shooting line. The participants shoot with their spearguns on the target board from the shooting line. After the player finishes the shoot, they swim back to the target area. The players then reload their guns and get ready for their next round of shooting. The series is repeated until the players have shot a total of 10 spears, within two rounds. Each round lasts for 5 minutes. The matches are organised in two categories for males and females.,

Biathlon underwater target shooting

In biathlon shooting, the players after performing their shot are required to return in their start line and recover their spears without going to the surface. The players are only allowed to breath from the surface after returning to the start line. The cycle is repeated until the individual fires at least 5 successful shots from the speargun. The men’s category has the time limit of 2 minutes 30 seconds, whereas the women’s class lasts for 3 minutes. Any participant who has shot maximum targets wins the match.,

Relay underwater target shooting

The team involves in this variant is regarded as Relay. In this variant, 2-3 participants from each side participate in the match. The game is played for only one round where the players are required to shot 9 bullets at 9 targets. The participating team can be a mixed team consisting of both men and women who together perform for 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Unlike the precision variant, the team which scores the maximum scores wins the entire round.