With just one day remaining of the Vertical Blue 2010 freediving competition held at Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas, William Trubridge (NZL) has set another world record, diving to 95m (311ft) in the constant weight, no fins discipline (CNF) and adding a further three metres onto his own previous best.
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| Will Trubridge after his record-breaking freedive (Photo: DeeDee Flores) |
Two other athletes, William Winram (CAN) and Herbert Nitsch (AUT), had made CNF world record attempts but only Trubridge triumphed, completing his dive in a time of 3min 56sec.
In CNF, divers are not permitted propulsion equipment such as fins and must use pure muscle strength to reach a metal plate lowered to the announced depth and retrieve a Velcro tag. A Suunto D4 dive computer is used to check the depth.
Trubridge, 29, made seven breaststrokes to descend to 24m. At that depth his lungs are compressed to the point that his body is heavier than water and he enters the freefall phase of the dive, sinking all the way to 95m.
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| Will Trubridge during his record-breaking dive (Photo: DeeDee Flores) |
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He turned at 1min 53sec after retrieving the Velcro tag, requiring a further 2min 3sec and 30 breaststrokes to return to the surface where he was cheered on by a group of athletes, close friends and local spectators. The record is Trubridge's eighth in CNF and 11th in total.
The dive also puts the Kiwi at the top of the table in the Suunto Dive-Off competition, designed to determine the best all-round freediver. Athletes acquire points depending on the ratio of their best performance compared to the best dive in the event. The athlete with the most points at the end of the competition is crowned Suunto Dive-Off champion.
"This was a great dive for me, especially since it puts me in the lead in the Suunto Dive-Off," said Trubridge. "I'm also organising the event, which sometimes makes it difficult for me to achieve the relaxation and mental quietness that are necessary for very deep freedives."
"But when I entered the water I was able to detach myself from the stress. I really enjoyed the dive and felt calm and confident throughout."
Vertcal Blue concludes today, April 27 where a total of three world and seven national record attempts have been announced by 10 of the participating 15 athletes. So far six world and 19 national records have been set at the competition which began on April 17.
For further information see www.verticalblue.net/news and www.facebook.com/verticalblue.
