Willam Trubridge from New Zealand
 New World Record
95 m in Constant weight, no fins
Dean's Blue Hole 2010-04-26

Herbert Nitsch THREE New World Records 
Variable Weight 142m & 112m in Free Immersion
123m in Constant Weight
Dean's Blue Hole 091207-09

11 minuts and 35 seconds
That is the New World Record in Static
Stéphan MIFSUD, France
Hyeres, 8th June

2009-09-25 New World Record by

Natalia Molchanova
101 meter in Constant Weight
congratulated by Sara Campbell

April 2010

New world records

Kimmo Lahtinen judging Moscow cup reports Natalja Molchanova having done 225 meter dynamic.

Herbert Nitsch (Austria) and William Trubridge (New Zealand) showing  that they are in control of the world records in the three depth  disciplines, after beating their own and each others records several  times in an ongoing event in the Bahamas.

Herbert Nitsch did 120 meters in the Free Immersion discipline (pull  yourself down and up along a rope). Herbert has moved the record eight  meters deeper than his old record from last year. The dive time was:  4'28". The Austrian veteran coolly pulled down the line into his  freefall, then sank to 120 meters, and returned with a tag from the bottom plate, claiming his 31st world record. He failed in a first attempt where he turned at 102 meters, and then  set the record to 114 meters, briefly loosing it to William Trubridge  at 116 meters, failed at a 118 meter
attempt only to return and do a  successful dive to 120 meter.

In the ongoing competition in Deans Blue hole, Long island on sunny  Bahamas the FIM record was challenged also by Asian champion Ryuzo  Shinomiya turning at 105 meters. William followed up on the third day of the Suunto Vertical Blue Dive  off competition with a 92 meters (300ft) Constant Weight without fins  dive, 2 meters deeper than his old world record from 2009. Dive time:  3'45". An amazing dive without fins - on only one breath. His dives  are executed with precision, taking 7 breaststrokes down to the sink phase (where his lungs have compressed and lost their buoyancy). After  a free fall down to 92 meters focusing on relaxation and equalization,  he returns using 27-28 arm strokes. William Winram (Canada) made an attempt for the same record but turned  at 76 meters.

Herbert Nitsch that recently took the prestigious Constant Weight  record (monofin down and up) from Czech Martin Stepanek, added another  meter to his own record, putting it to a depth of 124 meters. From the  organizers web site:

"Powering off the bottom at 1.4m/s his legs started to fail 35 meters  from the surface, and he began his trademark armstroke-legkick  alternations.  At 3:57 he surfaced, but on the wrong side of the rope,  hitting his head on the underneath of the boom.  For most
freedivers  this would tip them over the edge on a difficult dive, but although Herbert's neck and chin dipped under, the waterline stopped just below  his mouth as he struggled back to the line, saving himself from  disqualification (athletes must keep their airways above the water  after surfacing).  Herbert admitted to still being a little dazed from  narcosis or fatigue, even after finishing decompression 10 minutes 
later.  This was the 30th world record for the Austrian, and the  deepest self-powered freedive of all time."

William Trubride 92 CNF
Herbert  Nitsch 114 FIM
William Trubride116 FIM
Herbert Nitsch 120 FIM
Herbert Nitsch 124 CWT

http://www.aida-international.org/

January 2010

New AIDA Executive Board

The elections is over and AIDA International has a New Executive Board. The number of board members have been reduced from 12 to 9 and we also have some new positions. Interesting news is also that AIDA have created a special Medical and Sience Commission where Dr. John Fritz-Clarke will be the chairman.

This is the new Executive Board:

President: Kimmo Lahtinen, Finland

Vice President: Grant W Graves, USA

Secretary: Pia Jerabek, Switzerland

Sport Officer: Pim Vermeulen, Netherlands

Technical Officer: Gregory Piazzola, France

Education Officer: Stavros Kastrinakis, Greece

Medical and Science Officer: Dr. John Fritz-Clarke, Canada

Media and PR Officer: Sebastian Näslund, Sweden

The old Treasurer, Sébastien Nagel from Switzerland will be handling the book-keeping until the board have found a successor.

World records 2010

December 2009

AIDA WC BAHAMAS

Extreme depths at the Aida individual world championships in freediving - 2009 Bahamas.

Gold medals in the no fins category landed as predicted with the current world record holders: William Trubridge and Natalja Molchanova.
In the classic fin category (CWT) nobody could challenge ruling champion Natalja Molchanova - and as expected Herbert Nitsch took the gold medal.

The drama was around the silver and bronze medals.

The world championships started with record depths demanded for a place in the final in the no fins category. Three french men announced the same depth - 73 meters (which became the qualifying depth), forcing the organization to include them all in the final. It was no surprise that the ruling world record holder William Trubridge announced the deepest depth in the final. The plate was lowered to 90 meters depth where no light reaches down. Before that the crowd on the beached had seen the Austrian Herbert Nitsch try for a world record depth of 89 meter, making it down there in a 3.40 minute dive, but failing to deliver correct surface protocol to the judges at the surface, due to low oxygen and lack of focus (and lingering narcosis). Trubridge compeeting on "home turf" did a very secure dive to 90 meters leaving the competition behind. The Canadian William Winram did an impressive come back, with first an 80 meter dive in the heats, and then 86 meter in the final, claiming the silver medal. Due to young Alexey Molchanov's short black out at the surface after a 83 meter dive, the french man Guillaume Nery took the bronze with a 78 meter dive - and remember, these are dives done with breast strokes down and up.

Among the women Natalja Molchanova was out of reach for the other women with her 62 meter no fins dive lasting 3.15. Nikki Roderick, New Zealand, claimed silver with a 55 meter dive (coached by her partner the multiple world record holder Martin Stepanek). Jana Strain Canada kept within her limits, not pushing it too far as has happened before, took the Bronze medal with a 54 meter dive coming up with blood from the sinuses.
But no one was as happy as Junko Kitahama finishing 4th with a 52 meter Japanese record (leaving her coach crying happy tears). Junko having progressed nearly 10 meter during the training week preceding the World championship.

Constant Weight dives (CWT = with monofin).
After an early turn from Jana Strains, leaving her out of the CWT (fins) final, Swedish Klara Hansson made it into the top 6 doing one of the many national records during this world championship. Japaneese Misuzu Hirai managed two national records in this competition and finished 4th with a dive to 72 meters. Jarmilla Slovencikova from Czeck republic did 74 meters national record and finished with a bronze.
Sara Campbell having lost motivation for really challenging the ruling Champion Natalja, did a (for her) easy dive to 92 meters. Natalja for the first time in years not announcing a world record depth in a world championship claimed the gold medal after a 97 meter dive.

For the men, in the classic fin category not even a 80 meter dive with monofin was enough to make it into the top 10. One of the favorites, the Japanese Ryouzo Shinomiya, turned early at 90, and missed the final, letting swedish Johan Dahlström into the top 6 and the final.
The final for the men was all clean dives, everyone making their announced depths the 6th and last place in the final with a 100 meter dive. as expected.

The Blue Hole in Long Island proved to be perfect place for performance freediving. Calm, deep, warm waters a few swim strokes from land. 51 athletes from 17 nations participated making it one of the smallest World Championships, but at the same time one of the most successful in the sense of depths achieved and number of national records.

World records
Natalja Molchanova 62 meter CNF
William Trubridge 90 meter CNF

BO percentage 8%
DQ percentage 10%

VERTICAL BLUE
- WC organizer.

September 2009

WR Again !

Natalia Molchanova of Russia did it again, a NEW World Record in the discipline Free Immersion with 90 meters. This was 5 meters deeper than her old record, 85 meters from 2008.

Natalia is by this the Athlete with most World Records behind her back, a total of 26 WR. One record more than the flying fish from Austria, Herbert Nitsch.

Sharm El Sheikh 27th of September 2009

Natalia Molchanova of Russia, became the first woman in the world to successfully dive to a depth of 100 meters on one breath in the discipline of Constant Weight. Natalia actually surpassed the triple digits with a dive to 101 meters in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Her total dive time was 3 minutes and 50 seconds. The previous CWT record was held by Sara Campbell, from the UK. Sara made a dive to 96 meters at the Vertical Blue competition earlier this year.

This was World Record number 25 for Molchanova!

The competition, Ruler of the Deep, have one more competition day on Sunday and maybe we will see more records if everything goes well.

November 2009

IMPORTANT INFO about Bahamas WC 2009

The 2009 AIDA Freediving World Championships will take place in Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas, between November 25 – December 5. Each event will have a day of heats between Nov 27 – Dec 1, with the top 6 male and female athletes in each discipline competing for the medals on the 3rd and 5th.

Only athletes who have qualified through their AIDA national, or directly through AIDA International if there is no AIDA national in their country, or who have been awarded wild‐cards, may register for the WC. Names of athletes must be sent by verified AIDA nationals or from the AIDA executive board itself – communication with athletes themselves will not be entered into until the relevant AIDA body has first contacted the organiser with confirmation of their qualification.
Once qualification is confirmed then in order to register the athlete must pay the full entry fee into the bank account listed below, with reference “AIDA WC.” All bank fees are payable by the athlete. Entry fees are as follows: ‐ payment made before September 6: USD 695 ‐ payment made betwen Sept 6 – Oct 4 USD 800 ‐ no entries will be accepted after October 4.
BANK DETAILS
Destination: swift: CHASUS33 JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York IBAN/ABA: 021000021 Pay to bank: swift: ROYCBSNS Royal Bank of Canada, Nassau Bahamas Account no. 05245 780.106.1 Beneficiary: William Trubridge (The transfer needs to be directed to the Destination bank, with all the 'Pay to bank' data included in the details).
Only athletes who have registered may book official accommodation and vehicle hire on Long Island. A second registration will take place on the island on November 25. For this the athlete will be required to supply: ‐ a valid medical certificate stating non‐contraindication to breath‐hold diving ‐ a valid passport for their declared nationality ‐ a completed registration form (to be supplied) ‐ a completed liability waiver (to be supplied) ‐ any outstanding balance from the entry fee.
For further enquiries and information contact info@verticalblue.net
Organiser - Stavros Kastrinakis
Executive Organiser - William Trubridge

August 2009

The 5th Individual AIDA World Championship 2009

The Danish Sport Diving Federation invites all the freediving nations of the world to Denmark for The 5th Individual AIDA World Championship 2009 (FreeWC09.dk) in Aarhus, Denmark.
FreeWC09 will be a five day competition with one, two or three days of optional training prior to competition.

There will be room for 200 athletes. Three women and three men in each discipline
plus wildcards for the ten best athletes in each discipline, on the AIDA world ranking.

The Championship starts with verification at Aarhus Swim Stadium
Monday August 17 2009 at 7.00 pm, and ends Saturday August 22 2009 with the award ceremony, farewell dinner, underwater disco and team static ind the 5 meter dive pool.

On August 15, 16 and 17 it is possible to train in Aarhus Swim Stadium.

The price for the competition is 150 EURO (this includes free training, some food and free hard floor accommodation, look at the accommodation site), and 15 EURO pr. discipline.

The price for captain, trainer or coach are 100 Euro. Media with press card is free.
Deadline for signup is Juli the 31'

Kurt Lykke Larsen Chairman of the FWC09 Event Organizing Committee

http://www.aida-international.org/

July & August 2009

Freediving & Spearfishing courses in Tunisia in the village of Chott Meriam

Freediving:

AIDA*
AIDA **
AIDA***
AIDA****

Spearfishing:

Beginners course:  8 to 10 days (max. 6 pax)

For those who want to learn more about this sport and to understand his philosophy.
You will be introduced to the equipment (mask, fins, wetsuit, speargun).
This course will incorporate a freediving course, where you will learn how to dive (duck dive, fining technique, equalization, rescue and streamlining of the body).

Advanced course: 8 to 10 days (max. 6 pax)

The course will specialize in training for deep dives (25 to 30 m), marine life, spearfishing techniques with hints and tips for success and rescue.
We incorporate to this course an advanced freediving course, where you improve your basic skills (frenzel equalization, free falling breathing exercise).

These courses will be running  in Sousse, Tabarka, Takelsi, Nabeul and Hergla.

Prices for spearfishing:

By 6 persons - € 350 per person

By 4 persons - € 450 per person

By 2 persons - € 500 per person

For more information please contact us.

May 2009

Tunisian National record: May 31, 2009

National record in Constant Weight (CWT) set by Akim Adhari in Blue Hole,Egypt.

75 meters for 2:34 min