| Anyone who was ever witness to a finswimmer | | | | the fins, especially the extremely fast hyperfins, are |
| sprint 50 meters gets why finswimming is dubbed the | | | | mainly hand-crafted and thus expensive; and partly |
| "Formula One" of swimming. The speed is undeniably | | | | because media coverage of finswimming events is |
| impressive! But it's not only that. Just like in the | | | | thin. Finswimming rules and disciplines have been |
| Formula One of motor sports, where elegance of | | | | approved by the International Olympic Comitee in |
| race cars fascinates both fans and spectators just as | | | | 1986 but still the sport is far from any participation in |
| much as speed, the elegance of a finswimmer using a | | | | these prestigious sport games. To be considered for |
| monofin is unrivalled. Like a dolphin, he undulates | | | | participation the sport has to first garner more |
| through the water and it's easy to imagine him | | | | popularity, as only "widely practiced sports" are |
| breach like the sea mammal. He carves out a wake | | | | allowed to enter into the "mother of all sporting |
| behind him like no other swimmer. His whole body | | | | events". A lot of behind-the-scenes work will have to |
| becomes one dynamic wave that slinks through the | | | | be done to make this goal come true. |
| water like an orca. Beauty and speed, just like in | | | | The internet is one medium that already sports |
| Formula One. | | | | finswimming content. Plenty of websites exist |
| Though monofins are also employed by free-divers | | | | where both enthusiasts and the curious can mine for |
| to maximize and streamline their power while | | | | information about the "Forumla One" of swimming. |
| conserving energy, the real beauty of using these | | | | Finswimming clubs or swimming & scuba diving clubs |
| fins - which resemble a dolphin's powerful tail in form | | | | with finswimming departments have their own |
| and function - is exemplified in the speed of | | | | homepages and well-known monofin manufacturers |
| finswimming. A finswimmer in top form can reach | | | | like TRITON offer their equipment via their own |
| more than 11 km/h (6.8 mph) in the water, which is | | | | internet presence. There even are communities like |
| almost 3 km/h (1.9 mph) faster than the speed of a | | | | Fin City where finswimmers and everyone interested |
| top freestyle swimmer. Nonetheless, just like the | | | | in the sport can find and meet like-minded people the |
| swimmer the finswimmer uses only his own body | | | | world over and exchange information. Fin City is |
| power to propell himself forward. | | | | much more than a social community though. It |
| But reaching these speeds takes time and plenty of | | | | features a Finswimming Wiki, a directory where |
| hard training. A Formula One driver goes through | | | | knowledgeable members can create and edit articles |
| years of rigorous training in several classes of the | | | | about their sport and disseminate their knowledge |
| motor sport before he might be allowed to join the | | | | available to the whole finswimming scene. Important |
| "king class". Likewise a finswimmer also needs years | | | | events are published in the Finswimming Event |
| to develop and reach his full potential. His body has | | | | Calendar and enthusiasts can exchange ideas and |
| to memorize the dolphin-like movement until it is | | | | opinions in the Finswimming Forum. To make the |
| second nature and he can do it in his sleep. Small | | | | sport more visual there is a Finswimming Photo |
| mistakes costing mere hundredths of a second can | | | | Album and plenty of links relevant to finswimming |
| make or break a race, just like in the top class of | | | | that can be found in the Finswimming Link Directory. |
| motor sports - split seconds count. The exitement of | | | | With the help of Fin City and other dedicated |
| a 50 meter sprint race with two or three | | | | websites and with the promotion of the sport in |
| finswimmers hitting the wall at almost the same time | | | | other medias such as television, finswimming has a |
| is like no other in water sports. But finswimming | | | | much better chance of finally becoming an Olympic |
| events are raced in various disciplines at distances | | | | sport. By contrast, some finswimming enthusiasts |
| ranging from 25 meters (usually for younger athletes) | | | | believe that it is undesirable to go "Olympic", |
| to marathon distance races of up to 25,000 meters | | | | maintaining that finswimming should go the way of |
| in open ocean or lakes. Each venue and race has its | | | | golf or Formula One which are not Olympic sports |
| own particular flavor and excitement. Sometimes in | | | | yet remain extremely popular. Whatever the personal |
| long distance races, a breakout finswimmer can gain | | | | opinion, the sport has great potential to become at |
| and keep the lead position for the bulk of the race | | | | least on par with its slower and more famous cousin, |
| only to get overtaken in the final 20 meters by a | | | | classical swimming - if not even more so. And let us |
| competitor who better learned to preserve his | | | | not forget that the elegance and speed of a |
| strength throughout the race and finish strong. | | | | finswimmer evokes one eternal dream of mankind: |
| For all its excitement, finswimming is still not a | | | | to move like a mermaid or merman through the |
| well-known sport. Popularity is low in part because | | | | water is now one step closer to being realized. |