Manu competition to be held on November 27, 2022 at Havelock Village Pool, Hastings.
photograph: Provided by / Hastings District Council
The first-ever Manu World Championships will be held in Wellington this weekend, with a $30,000 prize awarded to the contestant with the best V-shaped dive bomb.
Event organizer Scott Rice said depth, volume and splash will all be factors in determining the winner.
he said morning report Manu was a word that referred to a type of underwater bomb.
“The birthplace is said to be mostly South Auckland, Manurewa and Mangere. Also known as the V-bomb…butt goes into the water first, arms and legs are lifted up like an AV, and there it is. When it gets to the ground, it collapses, creating a massive droplet.”
Rice explained there are many other styles, including gorilla, coffin and staples.
He said there was definitely technique involved in making a good splash, but “a little bit of weight” and jumping height helped.
“My butt goes in first, [get] It's in a tight V, and when your butt goes into the water, it's probably about a foot below the surface, and your butt collapses… [your] head and [your] As your back jerks back into the water, the water creates an upward thrust. ”
Rice said that in the preliminary rounds, contestants will be judged on splash, height and volume.
However, there will be other factors to consider in the finals.
“In the final we will add a decibel value to measure their boom…the sound of their bombs, this will be interesting,” he said.
Rice is appealing to all Manu competitors.
“We encourage anyone who can make a big splash to sign up.”
