Underwater Target Shooting

Underwater Target Shooting Rules

• The water temperature in the swimming pool should be at least 23°C (+/- 5°C). The officials should continuously monitor the temperature. 
• The circumference of the swimming pool should have the minimum dimension of 25m x 10m with a depth of a minimum of 1.80 meters and can be increased up to 5 meters. 
• The competitors are required to use an air or rubber-powered spearguns for targeting. The spears used for targeting should be at least 150 cm long.
• A spear used for the matches should have a diameter of 8 mm with the tip of 4 mm, avoiding the fins. It should have a minimum thickness of 0.8 mm.
• The participants cannot use guns that have elastic lines on it. However, during biathlon matches the lined guns are allowed with a single pulley. These sidelines should have a maximum length of 1.80 mm.
• Participants can only use mass-produced guns for the relay events competition.
• A shoot-off is performed between the players if two they score the same points during the match. The matches are repeated until a single player emerges out as the winner.
• The shooting line is marked almost 4 meters away from the target area direction, whereas the starting line is marked 10 meters away from the shooting line. 
• The target has a total length of 33 cm and breadth of 35 cm. The targeting centre is placed 80 cm above the pool’s ground.

Penalties and Disqualifications

The participants are disqualified if they -

• Load their guns outside the water, especially during their biathlon and relay events
• If their body parts touch or cross the shooting line
• Leave the gun intentionally or unintentionally at the bottom of the pool
• Try to make a knot with the lines present on the gun
• Enter in the pool before the previous participants have left the competition area

Safety

• The players are only allowed to load their guns inside the pool towards the target’s direction. This is only performed in biathlon and relay races.
• The competitor cannot swim towards the surface of the pool after loading their guns.
• During the precision events, the competitors aren’t allowed to stay on the water surface after loading their guns for five seconds.
• After completing their round, the participants can withdraw their equipment with permission received from the judges and officials.
• To signal any issue, the participants can quickly raise their hands above the water surface before the starting line.
• During an event, the participants are required to use their guns or else the event duration is ended.
• During the relay matches, the players cannot shoot more than 9 times, or they will be awarded zero points and appear at the bottom of the chart.