Døds is the original Norwegian style of death diving administered, produced and promoted by the International Døds Federation through its Døds Diving League consisting of Døds Diving World Tour, Døds Diving World Championship and other proprietary events. The Døds Diving World Tour is the official competition circuit that serves as a qualifier for the Døds Diving World Championship. The Døds Diving World Championship is the pinnacle event of the sport of death diving, and has taken place in Oslo, Norway every August since it debuted in 2008 as the first official death diving competition on the global stage. Under its Døds trademarks, the International Døds Federation produces everything from events, media productions, merchandise and training courses at Døds Academy. International Døds Federation, headquartered in Oslo, Norway, is a fully commercial organisation that works to build the sport and the death diving community internationally.
Døds is a form of extreme freestyle diving from heights jumping with stretched arms and belly first, landing in a cannonball or a shrimp position. There are two classes of death diving: Classic and Freestyle. In the Classic event, competitors are to fly horizontally with their arms and legs extended until they hit the water, with no rotations.[1] Competitors curl into a fetal position just before entering the water, landing first with their feet and hands or knees and elbows to avoid serious injury; dives are judged on speed, air time, complexity, how long the diver holds the original pose, the closing and the splash. In freestyle, the competitors do various tricks during the air travel, including rotations and flips, hence the name.
The current world record in height is 44,3 meters and is held by Côme Girardøt (FRA).[2] In the women's class the record is at 30.5 meters and is set by Norwegian Asbjørg Nesje.
"Døds Diving" has roots as a distinctive style of diving at Frognerbadet ("the Frogner Baths") pool complex since the 1970s, where youths from the different districts of Oslo competed in performing the toughest stunts from the 10-meter.[3] Døds is said to have been started in the summer of 1972 and was pioneered by Erling Bruno Hovden, then guitar player in Raga Rockers.[4]
Each year since its launch in 2012, the Bruno Award is given to the best classic døds or to honour an extraordinary performance or achievement (winners below) to honour his memory. Since 2008, the Døds Diving World Championship (Norwegian: VM i Døds) has been held annually competition at Frognerbadet.[5] In recent years[when?] the capacity has been filled with 6,000 spectators and tickets being sold out.[6] The events have been broadcast nationally (TV2, TV2 Sport, Viasat) and internationally (ESPN).
At the Døds World Championship 2024, Pacome Pegaz from Spain won the men's title and became the first ever non-Norwegian diver to win confirming the sports increasing international growth.
