LIFESTYLE by Jasmin Wong PART-TIME: Introducing MERMAIDS Finswimming Lifestyle t is not hard to spot Lee Ho-kui as Hong Kong team athletes for open enjoy the satisfaction of achieving great he heads towards the Lei Cheng finswimming competitions. speed and the experience of snorkelling. IUk Swimming Pool to attend a finswimming training session. It is not “To put it simply, finswimming For instance, the fastest record for that he is wearing a conspicuous outfit is a combination of swimming and swimming 50-metres free-style is 21 but rather it is the large fin he is carrying snorkelling, a recreation and a seconds. A finswimmer can knock five that is drawing the gaze of various competitive sport,” explains Lee. seconds off that time. Lee says it is the passers-bys. It is in fact a monofin, a fin- Finswimmers use a monofin for attraction of extra speed that appeals to shaped piece of equipment used for the propulsion and a snorkel for breathing, so many seasoned swimmers. sport of finswimming. allowing them to go much faster than conventional swimmers. The Finswimming competitions are The 34-year-old advanced finswimming technique of finswimming is very divided into different categories, instructor, who has been working for different to ordinary swimming. All namely Surface, Apnea, Immersion the Hong Kong Underwater Association propulsion is done with a swim fin, and Bifin. With each event having (HKUA) for seven years, describes using the legs and lower body in an a completely different set of his interest in finswimming as “an undulating, up-and-down movement. regulations, the equipment used is addiction”. He first came across the The arms are placed together in front dictated by the category that the then new sport in 2003 when he of the body and kept motionless to athlete is competing in. joined a finswimming summer course minimize water resistance. organized by the HKUA. Fascinated The word “Apnea” comes from by the speed of finswimming, he According to Lee, the ranks of Greek, meaning “without breathing”. became enthralled by it and was finswimming enthusiasts are often Competitors in Apnea races use determined to get involved. Since drawn from scuba divers and snorkellers. monofins and have to keep their faces then, Lee has trained dozens of They choose finswimming because they in the water for the entire distance 32 Varsity NOV 2010 ISSUE 117 NOV 2010 ISSUE 117 Varsity 33 Christine Fung Christine Fung Christine Fung Courtesy of Lee Ho-kui without breathing. In Immersion races, Christine Fung swimmers must stay under the water and breathe using a regulator and a small sub-aqua tank. For Surface races, swimmers have to keep their bodies or monofin exposed above water except during the first 15 meters of the race. Two fins instead of one are used by participants in bifin races. By the poolside, a young finswimmer is Pairs of bifins line the training venue. The monofin is the most common ready in her monofin. piece of equipment finswimmers need to acquire. Made of special carbon fibre or fibreglass, the lightest one weighs around two pounds while the heaviest Southeast Asia where finswimming training. To the HKUA’s disappointment, one can weigh around six pounds Lee Ho-kui expresses his vision of Beginners usually start with flipper-like became known and recognized. the government has still not approved its promoting the sport. bifins. or more. There are several kinds of training in all open public swimming pools Students of Lee Ho-kui in a training monofins, differing in weight, size and coaches developed special theories on Apart from receiving more physical Although the sport is not that widely and finswimmers are required to book session. stiffness, according to a swimmer’s level ways of reaching greater speed. strength training, Lee says mainland known among the general public, local lanes in swimming pools to practice. Christine Fung of strength and skill. finswimmers are full-time athletes. That finswimmers have achieved outstanding means their training is more traditional results in international competitions The HKUA is trying hard to promote During the interview, Lee effortlessly “It was a matter of and regular - every day from 8 a.m. to in recent years. They won a record- the sport but despite their best efforts, picks up his enormous monofin and 6 p.m - while competitive finswimmers breaking array of eight gold medals, the lack of training venues remains demonstrates how to wear it. He says creating body wave in Hong Kong are all full-time students eight silver medals and ten bronze a hurdle to making the sport more that a flat surface is required in order who usually attend training after medals in the 2010 National Youth popular. The Leisure and Cultural to maintain a balance between the in the water to school, twice a week and for three Finswimming Championships. Services Department (LCSD) sets left and the right leg. Within a few ensure streamlined hours each time. limits on the number of lanes that seconds, he has slipped his bare feet Sandy Cheng Hoi-shan, a 15 finswimmers can use in public pools. into the fin, giving his body a merman- movement,” he adds. Lee does not consider this to be a year-old student, is one of the local Sandy Cheng Hoi-shan in a monofin and like silhouette. He makes it look easy, disadvantage. “I think every coach is champions. Sandy started finswimming Lee acknowledges that such a snorkel. but Lee says it is hard to keep balanced fighting for the medal. Although we at the age of 13 and achieved record- regulations are meant to protect the Lifestyle while wearing the fin and admits that it A lot of research has been done to cannot train athletes 24/7, we resort to breaking results in the 2010 National safety of other swimmers, as there is is “not naturally comfortable” to be in formulate the best forms and postures other methods for improvements.” Youth Championship by bagging two a possibility of injuries if swimmers yet a competitive one. Lee believes it is one. This is why athletes rarely wear one to enhance the performance of athletes. gold medals. collide. And he is not surprised that only a matter of time before it is. for too long. The key to being at ease in Lee says Hong Kong coaches rely on other swimmers are reluctant to be a fin, says Lee, is, “having the right body “Athletes in the past used to build science and ergonomics to improve Despite Hong Kong’s glory in the in the same pool with finswimmers, At the optimistic coach’s command, form, posture and body movement up strength and muscles in their thighs their athletes’ performance and to pool, finswimming remains a niche when their sport involves giant fins a line of finswimmers kicks and during finswimming”. Wearing the right and lower body, while nowadays the reduce injuries. sport popular chiefly with underwater and great speeds. undulates through the water. Swaying size of monofin to ensure a perfect fit is mainstream focus is on creating body devotees. One of the reasons for this hard with their monofins they make also important. wave using mainly the abdominal This explains why Hong Kong could be the cost. A set of equipment While the lobbying effort for a the movements known as strikes and muscle as a core,” says Lee. athletes are keener on short-distance including a monofin, a bifin and a specialized venue continues, the HKUA dolphin kicks. Combining speed and Training routines are specially finswimming competitions, for example snorkel can cost some $3,000 or more. is using other promotional means to gracefulness, they have the appearance designed for athletes based on their Lee explains this also allows the 50-meter Apnea and 100-meter reach more citizens. The association of mermaids but swim with the needs while paying heed to health athletes to get fit and lean instead of Surface races. Lee says people who join the usually concentrates its promotions determination of athletes. and safety. Athletes are first trained on big and chunky. introduction courses are only required in the summer months. It also holds bifins, which are like a pair of flippers The HKUA is a major pioneer in this to buy a bifin and a snorkel, which would demonstrations at secondary school which makes it easier to maintain body According to Lee, forms and postures sport. Established in 1967, the HKUA cost around $300 in total, while subsidies swimming events to let more youngsters balance. Once competence is achieved are the main strength of Hong Kong is currently a member of the Sports are provided to those who show talent know about it. with bifins, swimmers advance to finswimmers in competitions. Having Federation and Olympic Committee of but cannot afford the expenses. increasing sizes of monofins. the right postures enhances speed. Hong Kong, China. It is also a member Although finswimming is an This means Hong Kong swimmers tend of the World Underwater Federation But apart from cost, there is another exhibition sport in the Olympics, it is not “Finswimming training is not merely to do better at short-distances events, and one of the founding members of major obstacle to the sport becoming repetitive, mechanical practices,” says whereas mainland swimmers do more the Asia Underwater Federation. In popular in Hong Kong. The city has Lee. With the help of mechanics theory, physical strength training. fact, Hong Kong was the first place in no specific venue for finswimming 34 Varsity NOV 2010 ISSUE 117 NOV 2010 ISSUE 117 Varsity 35.