W. Trubridge: Cheating death in the deep

[trux]

The New Zealand Herald published a five page article about William Trubridge today:

Cheating death in the deep (+slideshow) - 07 Mar 2008 - NZ Herald: Life & Style News and Reviews from New Zealand and around the World

photo nzherald.co.nz

[sucinimad]

Thanks for the post, trux.Will really is a living legend in my book. Hoping to see the record fall this April.

[watts]

"Cheating death in the deep" What a stupid name.

[BennyB]

Yep I agree. Whilst I think Will and all his achievements are fantastic, that article had some real sensationalist crap in it.

[Haydn]

Lovely slideshow.

[whucash]

Great article! I'm truly amazed about his philosophy...he said the truth about freediving...First looking in the eyes of death and thn a huge will for living! Fanstastic guy..for me freediving is strictly connected to the mistical side..without it its just diving...

[jome]

Yeah, the amount of references to death is a bit disturbing (to me). But still, nice article.

I like the bit about Will's on philosophy (even if it is not the same as mine), but theres a bit where it goes on to explaining how many deaths there are in freediving etc. It really leaves an impression that freedivers die by the thousands and are all infatuated with death. It would've been a nice countertone to mention for example that so far there's been no fatal accident in an AIDA event. Even no-limits deaths are in fact very few. It is correctly mentioned that these deaths are mostly solo divers, but I would've liked the a little more emphasis on the difference.

But still, nicely done. Eagerly awaiting the Blue Hole competition results...

[TRITON]

In the article it says that Will does no cardio training, is that true?

[Jee]

"t would've been a nice countertone to mention for example that so far there's been no fatal accident in an AIDA event."
I don't like that, but I remind you the Brazil competition (open water). The accident didn't take place at the actual competition, I think, but rather at the trainings (may be not even official). (if I remember wrong, sorry)

Otherwise you are right - I don't recal lany other fatal accident on AIDA events, fortunately. (Should it stay like this! And actually this is possible, because of the safety rules.)

[BennyB]

If I am right, the death in Brazil was during a CMAS competition. I can't find any sources on that but I recall reading here on DB somewhere. Maybe someone else can confirm that although I don't really want this thread straying too much away from the main topic.

[shoutatthesky]

Will seems to have a very insightful philosophy regarding his diving. The way I read the article it appears to me not that he is seeking death but that the awareness of his mortality in the extreme evironments into which he descends heightens his survival instinct. To reach a depth and to turn toward the surface is a great metaphor for the risks each one of us take to connect with life fully.
To engage life fully we must accept the possibility of death. To attempt success we must accept the the possibility of failure.

[azapa]

There seems to be a lot of talk of death, maybe it was his mood when the interview was done, maybe he was thinking, as I do occasionally, that if I am to go before my time, that this will be the better option? Maybe the press still love that Big Blue "call of the deep" image? One thing for sure, every one, scubies included, that I explain my sport to also think it's crazy and/or tempting death (the old brain cell comment). It's a good article, portrayed how the public think of the sport, and maybe abetted a little by William for the sake of publicity.

[pat fish]

The title is a true misstep...
The slide show is amazing. all the best to you Will for the upcoming challenge in the Bahamas!
Pat

[Waterenthusiast]

I think we should avoid putting it into the "media praised death seeking freediver" category. As well as i dislike the phenomenon of always trying to dramatise freediving by the media, it would be a shame if we could not relate freediving to death as we should be able to do it with any aspect of life.
Christophe

[Spaniard]

I've always thought it a shame that the 'younger' generation of future freedivers might be hampered very early on due to Parents reading too many articles linking freediving to death or extreme danger. I know if my Mum had read articles like that she would have been inclined to curtail my aquatic activities! As an 'experienced' freediver I like to think that I can read an article like that and not be unduly worried because I can see through the hype. Not so, perhaps, for the younger ones or their worried parents.