William Trubridge (NZL) and Natalia Molchanova (RUS) continued to dominate as the duo were named Free Immersion (FIM) champions at the 2011 AIDA Freediving World Championships on the last competition day, Saturday September 24. Additionally a total of 15 new national records and one world record were broken.
In FIM, divers cannot use propulsion equipment such as fins, but can pull on the rope during descent and ascent.
Molchanova’s depth of 88m smashed her own current world record of 85m. Alena Zabloudilova (CZE), winner of the Constant Weight, No Fins (CNF) title, came second with a new national best of 79m, while Anna Von Boetticher (GER) also set a country record, coming third with a depth of 71m.
Following the contest, Molchanova was understandably thrilled with her performance throughout the championships: “I completed this championship with a new gold and world record, FIM 88m. I’m very glad it went so well and so many friends gathered and had a nice time together. Congratulations to all those who succeeded in their deep goals, and of course, hats off to all new national record holders.”
It was indeed a day of records, and five new national records were set in the women’s competition. Wendy Timmermans (NED) dove to 66m, Maria Felicia Carraturo (ITA) 61m and Serbia’s Lena Jovanovic dove to 60m.
Following his disappointing disqualification in the Constant Weight (CWT) championship, Trubridge returned to form with a depth of 112m. Second placed Malina Mateusz (POL) reached a depth of 106m and Antoni Koderman (SVN) took third place with a depth of 105m, both setting new national records in the process.
It may seem hard to believe, but Trubridge was in a spot of bother before the dive:
“I woke this morning with a fever and cramps in my stomach… so I figured I would prepare as if I was going to be able to do a dive. Luckily the fever passed so I completed my breathe-up (on the platform this time so as not to get cold), and got in the water close to official top for my last dive of the championships.”
Trubridge did not complete the correct protocol when he surfaced in the previous CWT championship and was disqualified. Other dive regulations include pulling a Velcro tab from the bottom, and having dive depths verified by a Suunto watch. Target depths need to be reached or penalties will be awarded.
Trubridge spoke of his difficult descent: “Still feeling weak, I had set my alarm (on my watch) for the shallowest depth where I could turn and still win on points (110m) but when I got there I instinctively slid down the remaining two meters and collected the tag from 112m.
“I don't think I opened my eyes once during the ascent, but I could tell my depth from the progressively warmer thermoclines, the sound of the safety diver's underwater scooter when he met me at 35m, and my increasing buoyancy. No problems with the surface protocol this time, and although I got a yellow card because I lost my tag somewhere during the ascent, it still earned me another gold medal!”
The AIDA 2011 World Championships have now been concluded. For more information on freediving, visit the AIDA website at www.aidainternational.org.
FIM Overall Results MEN
1. TRUBRIDGE William (NZL) 112m
2. MATEUSZ Malina (POL) 106m - NR
3. KODERMAN Antoni (SVN) 105m - NR
4. NERY Guillaume (FRA) 103m - NR
5. MOLCHANOV Alexey (RUS) 100m
FIM Overall Results WOMEN
1. MOLCHANOVA Natalia (RUS) 88m - WR
2. ZABLOUDILOVA Alena (CZE) 79m - NR
3. VON BOETTICHER Anna (GER) 71m - NR
4. TIMMERMANS Wendy (NLD) 66m - NR
5. ASSO Aurore (FRA) 65m
Images by Nicholas Kouvaras and Fred Buyle