Two World Records in Two Days! By Marco Scilipoti

The DNA Tec Deep Team was pleased to be invited to assist and support in the Freediving World Record attempts of Czechoslovakian, Martin Stepanek, in May this year. Martin announced world record attempts in all three depth disciplines consisting of Constant Weight (CWT), Constant Weight without Fins (CNF) and Free Immersion (FIM). The attempts were taking place from 22nd May in Sharm El Sheikh, on the Sinai Peninsula. The records were under the auspices of Free-diving Instructors International (FII) and recognised internationally.

We set off from Hurghada and crossed to Sharm El Sheikh to meet with Martin and his event team. They were a very experienced and professional group with many years of recreational and technical diving experience, cave penetration and underwater exploration expertise as well as vast experience of freediving. In charge of the event team was David Cani who lives, like the majority of Martin’s support team, in Ostrava, a city in the north east of Czech Republic, surrounded by mines. We already had the pleasure to visit this place and enjoy the unknown, at that time, Czech hospitality.

The team built up an absolutely magic atmosphere, from the Doctor, David Skoumal, to the video operator and all the support divers. They made us feel like a group of friends having good fun and being surrounded by people whose passion is changing the history of this sport and the limits of humankind was amazing.

Martin had been training for several days prior to our arrival already reaching 119 metres in the Constant Weight with Fins (CWT). This category is described by the International Association for the Development of Freediving (AIDA) as where 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.

On 22nd May, it was an impressive team spirit on the day and also a very spiritual atmosphere leading up to the dive as there was total silence and everybody was deeply concentrating on the preparation of the equipment for the dive: rebreathers, lights, cameras and emergency devices.

Martin successfully achieved 122m in CWT which is a new world record. The dive lasted an impressive 3 minutes and 36 seconds! On 23rd May, after a gruelling day previously, and after receiving medical clearance, Martin made a record attempt at Free Immersion (FIM). This is where 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 the only means of propulsion. Performances can be made head first during the descent, or feet first, depending on equalization facilities of each freediver. Some may also use mixed equalisation solutions.

Martin successfully achieved a world record in FIM with a dive lasting 3 minutes and 56 seconds! Two world records in two days is such an admirable achievement.

What is even more amazing is the unusual fact about Martin’s freediving, that he wears a diving mask which needs to be equalised as he descends, so he may be using as more than a litre of lung air to equalise. Imagine if he didn’t wear a mask? How much deeper would he be able to go with the extra lung volume?

In the last few days of May, Martin will attempt his third world record in the category Constant Weight without Fins (CNF). He would like to achieve more than 88m. Watch this space ...!

After our experience, which left us enriched, the only regret that we have is that this event should have involved all the international media, for the magnificence of his record, and especially the community of Sharm El Sheikh which is primarily supported by sea and tourism activities.

Before finishing, we wish the best of luck to Martin and his team of pioneer divers and their next successful world record attempt.