The World Freediving Championships currently taking place in Villefranche-sur-Mer near Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes, many records were beaten. Let's go back in detail to these extraordinary divers capable of staying underwater for long minutes without breathing.
Static apnea is a discipline that takes place in the pool, the diver immerses himself but remains on the surface, he is under the supervision of another diver for safety reasons. The goal is to stay in apnea as long as possible in a lying position , without moving. Stéphane Mifsud holds the world record with a record time of 11’35” . Stéphane says that during these long minutes, he has a conscious dream. He goes to a world where no one can go, he escapes from reality while keeping his "feet on the ground".
M:Stéphane Mifsud :11 minutes 35 seconds
F:Natalia Molchanova:8 minutes 23 seconds
Unlike static apnea, this type of apnea is practiced in motion . The diver must cover the greatest distance horizontally underwater, it is simply equipped with a monofin and must do the most lengths in a swimming pool under the supervision of several other divers who follow him in the pool.
M:Goran Colak with 273 yards
F:Natalia Molchanova:225 yards
It's about going as deep as possible using a rope to go down and up with the only strength of the arms and without flippers.
M:William Trubridge with 121 meters
F:Natalia Molchanova:88 meters
This is about descending to the greatest depth with or without fins and with the sole strength of the legs and arms , without rope or respiratory assistance.
M:Alexey Molchanov with 125 meters (fins)
F:Natalia Molchanova with 101 meters
Morgan Bourc'his is the first French world record holder, he descended 87 meters without fins at the World Championships in Greece. Note that during the Freediving World Championships in Nice, the Frenchwoman Aurore Asso broke his own French record by diving 77 meters deep and that Guillaume Néry managed to reach 114 meters , he achieved his goal!
You have to go down as deep as possible using a pig . It is a mass ranging from 13 to 30 kilos descending vertically along a rope. It helps the freediver to descend, in general there is a brake which makes it possible to manage the speed of descent. The ascent is done either by palm blows or by hoisting oneself along the cable with the strength of the arms.
M:Herbert Nitsch with 142 meters
F:Natalia Molchanova with 127 meters
It is the most impressive discipline and it is also during this activity that the greatest depths are reached thanks to the use of the pig again. The danger with this type of apnea is that the ascent is also done with the pig and that if a mechanical problem occurs, the freediver has a good chance of staying in the abyss because there is no material or human assistance at its depths.
M:Herbert Nitsch with 214 meters
F:Tanya Streeter with 160 yards
