The awards ceremony for the 3rd boot dive awards sponsored by BAUER KOMPRESSOREN in the Dive Centre in Hall 12 featured an exciting ceremony, numerous guests, the who’s who of the diving industry and beaming faces among the winners. The announcement of the winners was eagerly awaited, as high-class players and innovative companies as well as regions of the diving scene competed against each other in each category. The evening was expertly hosted by experienced presenters Anna von Boetticher and Jan Schulte.
©Messe Düsseldorf/ctillmann
A renowned expert jury, consisting of the editors-in-chief of the diving media divemaster (Dr. Friedrich Naglschmid), PLONGEZ! (Dr. Nicolas Barraque), TAUCHEN (Alexander Kassler), taucher.net (Armin Süß und Tina Gfrörer), VDSTsporttaucher (Dietmar Fuchs) und WETNOTES (Nina Zschiesche) and by public voting determined the winners The Avelo System (INNOVATION), Better Oceans (CLIMATE), Malta, Gozo und Comino (DESTINATION), SEAYOS (PRODUCT) and Dr. Steffen Scholz (PERSONALITY).
boot Director Petros Michelidakis expressed his thanks to the jury and the fans of the public voting: ‘The award winners impressively demonstrate how innovative the diving scene is. There is no standstill here – on the contrary: people are working tirelessly to advance the protection of the oceans. For divers, an intact environment is of the utmost importance, as the protection of our waters is deeply rooted in their identity. I am thrilled that we are able to welcome this visionary community to our diving halls here at boot.’
The winner of Better Oceans in the CLIMATE category received a special surprise: this year’s sponsor of the boot dive award, BAUER KOMPRESSOREN, added a brand-new BAUER JUNIOR II breathing air compressor to the prize money awarded in all five categories at boot Düsseldorf. BAUER KOMPRESSOREN has a long-standing and enduring commitment to marine and water protection and continuously supports marine protection projects and the people who carry them out, very often on a voluntary and private basis. That is why BAUER KOMPRESSOREN was keen to honour the winner in the CLIMATE category with this special award.
The winners in the five award categories of the dive award – powered by BAUER KOMPRESSOREN:
INNOVATION says a lot about the future viability of an industry. In this category, we celebrate people, companies, and initiatives that make a special contribution to the sustainability of the diving industry, its foundations and resources. Where are the concepts and projects that make the diving industry fit for the future? Where are the ideas that are shaping the world of tomorrow with a fresh wind and forward-looking energy?
The Avelo System: Buoyancy control like a submarine.
The Avelo System takes a new approach to buoyancy control in recreational diving. In contrast to a conventional buoyancy compensator (BCD), the Avelo System does not require an air bladder at all, but instead uses the addition or removal of water.
Conventional BCDs have an integrated air bladder into which air can be added or released from the air tank in order to ascend or descend. The Avelo System works completely differently. First of all, the Avelo system is balanced on the surface of the water and the rest of the diving equipment, especially the wetsuit, provides buoyancy: the diver floats on the surface of the water. If you want to descend, you activate the pump for 30 to 60 seconds: The water chamber of the system fills up, the buoyancy decreases and the diver sinks. As soon as the water is completely or partially drained from the water chambers, the buoyancy increases and the diver ascends. The main component of the Avelo System is the so-called Hydrotank, a scuba tank with a flexible inner bladder. The bladder contains compressed air (or another breathing gas) which is only used for breathing – not for buoyancy control as with a conventional BCD. The Avelo System is buoyant by adding or draining water.
In the CLIMATE section, everything revolves around projects and initiatives that are advancing in a special way toward climate protection and climate neutrality. For example, scientists, lobbyists and environmental organizations can be nominated – in short, anyone whose work or project is dedicated to the health of our oceans and the life in them. Because climate change is the greatest threat to oceans and waters..
Better Oceans: Marine conservation meets water sports.
Not an organisation. One platform. For marine conservationists, water sports enthusiasts, scientists. An unbeatable network in the fight for Better Oceans. Better Oceans is a platform and network for everyone who loves the sea. In our online marine magazine and on Instagram, we report on the oceans, their inhabitants and the threats they face, open people’s eyes with well-founded information and touch their senses with vivid images.
Our database presents marine conservation organisations in informative profiles. Interested parties can find out more about their work and decide which ones they would like to support. Those involved in marine conservation benefit from the exchange among themselves and our contacts with the public media.
In less than two years, 62 marine conservation actors have registered in our database and are using Better Oceans as a network and reach amplifier. As a partner of the UN Ocean Decade, Better Oceans is also in contact with 80 institutions from science, business and society.
Like hardly any other watersport, diving is closely linked to the topic of travel. The DESTINATION category is therefore dedicated to tourist aspects. Divers set off all over the world to explore the wonders of the underwater world. In this category you can find destinations and tourist offers that are especially well adapted to divers. Destinations and regions as a whole as well as individual hotels, dive centres or liveaboards can apply.
Malta, Gozo und Comino: the diving paradise in the Mediterranean
The Maltese archipelago is one of the best diving destinations in the Mediterranean. A mild climate, short distances to the diving spots and excellent underwater visibility make Malta, Gozo and Comino an ideal destination for divers of all levels of experience almost all year round.
The underwater landscape around the islands fascinates with rocky bottoms, artificial reefs made of wrecks and a rich animal world: damselfish, octopus, rays and even dolphins or tuna can be found here. Historical wrecks, such as the 2,700-year-old Phoenician shipwreck, also offer an archaeological highlight. Projects such as the “Virtual Museum: Underwater Malta” also make these sites digitally accessible. Since 2019, the Cirkewwa Marine Park has been offering protected diving areas. There are more than 200 dive sites with caves, reefs and wrecks on the islands. Over 40 diving centres offer courses for beginners and advanced divers, from introductory diving to technical diving. Two decompression chambers ensure safety. The islands offer over 300 days of sunshine a year and water temperatures between 13 and 23 °C. The proximity to major European cities and direct flights from many German cities ensure excellent accessibility. With the Blue Flag award for clean beaches and an excellent price-performance ratio, Malta is a top address for divers.
The PRODUCT category is all about equipment and technology. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the biggest, fastest or most expensive piece of equipment that makes life easier for divers. Maybe the clever trick is in the detail? Or in a new type of material that has never existed before? Or in the fact that a proven product can now be manufactured in a particularly environmentally friendly way using new technologies?
SEAYOS: the First Standalone GPS for Scuba Divers.
SEAYOS is a versatile autonomous positioning device for professional and recreational divers offering positioning, cartography and communication functionalities. With its patented concept, SEAYOS acquires satellite signals on the surface, while remaining at the bottom! A custom-made product available in several models to meet the needs of all divers with two main missions: enriching the experience of scuba divers while enhancing their safety & helping professional divers to carry out their missions. We value an environmentally-friendly production and carry a range of repairable and upgradable products made in France. SEAYOS main applications are: 1. Positioning: be guided (to entry point, positions recorded underwater or transferred from the PC interface) and carry out 3D position fixes (geodetic coordinates + depth). 2. Cartography: digital and cartographic processing (transfer to mapping tools) and recording of continuous routes. 3. Communication: diver-surface communication (data transfer + exchange of messages), monitoring the divers’ evolutions, and centralising data from several divers.
The category PERSONALITY is about people. Here, outstanding athletes, underwater and nature filmmakers or people from other fields are honoured who have rendered outstanding public service to diving, the diving industry and the oceans.
Dr. Steffen Scholz: Focus on the deep – sunken wrecks. As a passionate explorer, Dr. Steffen Scholz provides an insight into the depths of the oceans with his wreck underwater photography. With a focus on the deep, Steffen Scholz is dedicated to documenting and exploring shipwrecks. As a photographer, he tries to bring the fascinating and often tragic history of wrecks from depths that are inaccessible to most people to the surface visually and thus make it possible for everyone to experience them. Steffen’s central concern is to raise awareness for the protection of the oceans. Steffen Scholz wants to use this type of visualization to draw attention to the fragile world beneath the surface of the water, which is worth protecting. A strong team is essential for this. That is why Steffen Scholz encourages young technical divers in their development, shares his experience with them and prepares them for the challenges that complex technical dives require, especially on photographic missions. I involve them in my projects at an early stage and gradually introduce them to deep dives so that they can then take on the corresponding tasks.
