Vertical Blue http://www.verticalblue.net/ held its annual Invitational Freediving competition in Dean’s Blue Hole, Bahamas. This event hosted the biggest names in the sport, with world record holders and world champions competing and taking the human body to maximum underwater depths all on a single breathhold.
Dean’s Blue Hole is the deepest blue hole in the world, at 660 feet (203 meters), and each of the 21 invited freedivers will be dropping their maximum depth in an attempt to be named the world’s deepest man/woman. .
In 2009 freedivers will once again compete in three disciplines of freediving:
1) Constant Weight: the diver descends and ascends with fins or a monofin. The current world records are 113m (370ft) for men and 95m (311ft) for women.
2) Unassisted: the diver cannot use any fins or propulsion equipment of any kind, and descends and ascends with a kind of adapted breaststroke. The current world records are 86m (282ft) for men and 60m (196ft) for women.
3) Free Immersion: the diver uses the rope to pull themselves down and up. Current world records are 108m (354ft) for men and 85m (279ft) for women.
Some of the freedivers that competed this 2009 freediving event were:
Herbert Nitsch: 22 world records in freediving, “greatest freediver ever”
William Winram: pan-American freediving champion.
male CWT: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 120mmale CNF: broken, William Trubridge, 88mmale FIM: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 109mfemale CWT: broken, Sara Campbell, 96mfemale CNF: unbrokenfemale FIM: unbroken
Two entrants both finished with 11 points: They were LEONARDO D'IMPORZANO from Italy, who picked:
male CWT: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 114mmale CNF: broken, William Trubridge, 88mmale FIM: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 111mfemale CWT: broken, Sara Campbell, 96mfemale CNF: broken, Sara Campbell, 61mfemale FIM: unbroken
and STEFAN DROGUET, who picked:
male CWT: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 115mmale CNF: broken, William Trubridge, 90mmale FIM: broken, Herbert Nitsch, 111mfemale CWT: broken, Sara Campbell, 96mfemale CNF: unbrokenfemale FIM: unbroken
Since they both finished with the same score we had to go to the tie-breaker, which was the prediction of the dive time of one of the records. Both Stefano and Leonardo made predictions regarding William Trubridge's CNF world record:
Leonardo: 3:21Stefano: 3:37
The real dive time for the 88m was 3:30, which is closer to 3:37 than it is to 3:21, so the winner is Stefano Droguet!
Congratulations to them both for their accurate predictions!
(N.B. Apologies for the earlier clerical error which stated that Leonardo was the winner).
William, Herbert and Alex Sarasitis (Herbert's coach) went on a spearfishing trip after the competition was finished. They are holding 2 hogfish, a conch shell and 2 yellowfin rockfish - some of the most tasty seafood the Caribbean has to offer, and served up on a barbecue later that night.
Ahhhh the bahamas, gotta love'em...these boyz know how to have fun!The Vertical Blue athletes and crew together at the midway barbecue at Kris and Jean's private beach in Salt Pond. Conflicting goals, common spirit.
Here is some freediving history in the making! Enjoy and congrats again!!!!!!!!
Once again Leo Muraoka (above) stole the show at Vertical Blue 2009. The 53 year old Hawaiian battled his way through body-wracking contractions to win back the US National Record in Free Immersion that Robert had taken from him, with 81m in a time of 3:28. The crowd of spectators watching from the beach erupted into applause and cheering as Leo showed his white tag and the judges replied with their white cards.
William Trubridge again attempted 111m in CWT on the last day, but the sudden darkness on the last day of the comp meant he lost the line on the descent, retrieved it via his safety lanyard, corrected vertical position, but by which time he had missed an equalisation, and so turned at 103m. He finishes the competition with 107m in this discipline, an improvement on his competition PB of 88m set two years ago in Dahab with bi-fins.
History in the making: Herbert Nitsch ascends the last couple of meters in the bubbles of his own exhale (above). Below, Herbert greets his father after the successful record attempt.
For complete updates and news as well as many more pix go to http://www.verticalblue.net/news/Here's a very good explanation taken from Herbert Nitsch site http://herbertnitsch.com/ , on the various freedive disciplines...great info (especially the acronyms) thanks Herbert and congrats!
Constant Weight Without Fins (CNF)
The freediver descends and ascends under water using only his own muscle strenght, without the use of propulsion equipment and without pulling on the rope. Constant weight without fins is the most difficult sportive depth discipline, because of absolutely no propulsing material to go down in the water. This category needs a perfect coordination between propulsing movments, equalization, technique and buoyancy.
Constant Weight With Fins (CWT)
The freediver descends and ascends using his fins/monofin and/or with the use of his arms without pulling on the rope or changing his ballast; only a single hold of the rope to stop the descent and start the ascent is allowed. Constant weight is the common sportive depth discipline of freediving, because of the specific fins or monofins used in it. Constant weight is one of the three disciplines considered for the international competitions by team, with Static apnea and Dynamic with fins.
Dynamic Without Fins (DNF)
The freediver travels in a horizontal position under water attempting to cover the greatest possible distance. Any propulsion aids are prohibited. Dynamic without fins is the most natural of both disciplines measuring the distance for many freedivers, because it doesn't need any propulsing material, but a very good technique. Performances also could only be recognized in pools with a minimum lenght of 25 meters, and are greatly appreciated from "old-swimmers".
Dynamic With Fins (DYN)
The freediver travels in a horizontal position under water attempting to cover the greatest possible distance. Any propulsion aids other than fins or a monofin and swimming movements with the arms are prohibited Dynamic with fins is the most typical of both disciplines measuring the distance in freediving, because of the specific means of propulsion : long fins or monofin. Performances could only be recognized in swimming-pools with a minimum length of 25 meters, and are sometimes considered in national or indoor's 'combiné', with the Static apnea.
Static Apnea (STA)
The freediver holds his breath for as long as possible with his respiratory tracts immerged, his body either in the water or at the surface. Static apnea is the only discipline measuring the duration, and one of the three disciplines considered for the international competitions by team, with Constant weight and Dynamic with fins. Performances could be done and recognized in both pool or open water (sea, lake, river, etc).
Free Immersion (FIM)
The freediver dives under water without the use of propulsion equipment, but only by pulling on the rope during descent and ascent. Free immersion is the sportive depth discipline with the purest sensations, because of the speed of the water in the body, and the power of each pull on the rope as only mean of propulsion. Performances could be done the head first during the descent, or the feet first, depending equalization facilities of each freedivers… Some of them also even use mixed solutions.
Variable Weight (VWT)
The freediver descends with the help of a ballast weight and ascends using his own strength: arms and/or legs, either by pulling or not pulling on the rope. Variable weight is the first of both depth disciplines using a sled to go down in the water. Old sleds was descending "head first", like presented in the famous Luc Besson's movie "Le Grand Bleu", but new sleds descending "feet first" are now generalized.
No Limit (NLT)
The freediver descends with the help of a ballast weight and ascends via a method of his choice. No limit is the absolute depth discipline. Going down with a sled, and going back up with a balloon, a diving suit or a vest with inflatable compartments, or whatever other means
Tone
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