[News] Famed Magician In Freediving World Record Stunt

[commonerg]

I was and still am appalled by the circus sideshow I saw last night. A guy convulsing with LMC, half blacked out on national TV..... yeah that is bound to bring a positive image to our sport [/sarcasm off]. I cannot wait to hit the pool just to have the lifeguards thinking I am a "copycat". Or even worse, inexperienced new comers who think pushing the limit to blacking out is "cool".

I, for one, plan to ride the coat-tails of Mr. Blaine. I believe people here in the U.S. will now be much more receptive to freediving. I have already e-mailed the editor of the university newspaper to tell them that there are people right around them doing this stuff for real- every bit as talented and dedicated as Blaine (but perhaps not as well funded).

We should accent that breath-holding is a process. That we've been training even longer than Blaine. We should also stress that there is nothing magical about breath-holding- except the magic of the human body to cope with stress. I think there is a good opportunity here to continue educating people on the sport and the physiology of freediving.

 

[neshamah]

he succeeded. He accomplished what he ultimately set out to do...further his career and keep us entertained. I hope to see him around these forums, and I would be honored to dive with him.
________

does david blaine know about deeperblue forum?

it will be good that all of us email him and suport him

I was there whatching everything from the begining

and I knew wasn't going to do the 9 minutes -that's why at the moment he enter the esfera I put my head down and refuse to see his face while doing his maxima static -i just pray- I saw later tears in david's eye-I think david learned something from this new event- than all the magic he did before

but anyway he did good- 7 days into the esfera and 7 holding his breath is enough to test his limit- test Kirk limit and my limit jaja

what else to say!
_____________

there was a lot of people there a lot of media-I can see that 1000 of people for the first time hear I least something about freediving - david blaine talked in the big screen about the danger of practicing freediving at home-

a camera man from espana interview me jaja

also want to thank to Kirk - Mandy and Martin they are very humble person

but Im sad- I didn't get meet Paul he disapeared again as magic jaja

saludos

 

[Fondueset]

Couple of Points:

I'm certain David B knew he would not set a world record - this is not to say he didn't try his very best - but it was a selling point for the event - not a likely scenario and he knew it. I say this because a few people here - and the media - characterize the event as a failure - but in it's complete context it was an absolutely over the top success. The 'failure' is part of selling the event - and David Blaine - as well. Though one can not argue that it was entirely contrived.

The Audre Mestre footage was very sad - and in questionable taste - but it can also be viewed as a sort of tribute. The last image shown is of her, intact, beautiful and sort of saying goodbye. They didn't have to do it that way.

This is completely positive for freediving. It was educational and informative.
Kirk, Martin and Mandy-rae were impeccible, articulate and professional.

He was losing motor control well before the 7 minute mark. It was impressive - considering the chains, exhaustion and the fact that the breath up was done with his chest well below the surface - which makes it a whole lot more work!

 

[neshamah]

characterize the event as a failure - but in it's complete context it was an absolutely over the top success.
______

I agreed with you !

 

[SanderP]

and that he was going to beat the world record (a lie - that is 15 minutes)

Wasn't that the Guinness record? I heard it from the radio, when they were talking about Blaine's attept a week ago or so. Can you provide me with a link or something? It sounds really amazing but I couldn't find any info from google.

And David did a superb stunt in my opnion. 7 days underwater is just plain crazy, even tho he didn't hold his breath for 9 minutes (I think that none could do it after a week in an aquarium).
I wonder if the managed 9 minutes during training.

 

[Morg]

As I was watching I was really noticing all the things that were counting against him.

- The chains bogging him down.
- He had to move around while doing his breath hold.
- He has too much muscle mass (I didn't know this until Martin said that David doesn't have the ideal body shape).
- His condition going into the breath hold.
And those are just the ones off the top of my head and that I know about...

But overall I am amazed at how well he did. That takes a very powerful mind to stay in there for that length of time and to do the breath hold. I see the entire thing as a huge success, it is educating people about what we practise.

 

[chojan]

One thing that did surprise me is that they didn't have a fast dump valve at the bottom of the sphere in case rescue was necessary. As it was, he still had the chains attached at his feet when his attempt was over, causing him to be held under even longer.

Instead, we had to wait for his feet to be released. Mandy had what looked like a really difficult task of trying to keep his airways shut and possibly deliver some air (at the very end).

For safety reasons, wouldn't it have been better to simply dump the contents out the bottom? (at least down to head height)

 

[Erik]

Whilst I totally accept and agree with your point about the fact that not all Americans are on the path to a dumbed down media and society, the specific..... <snip> .........tabloid press[/I]) this doesn't absolve American society of it's responsibility.

Cheers, well said and qualified. The ethic (or lack of) that you're talking about is close to my heart and drives me to look to a better future for the world. However, I do like Blaine and admire his ability. The medium (no pun intended) is unhealthy though.
Peace,
Erik Y.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

chojan,

I suspect they could have (as the water level went up and down depending on what was happening) - however it isn't as dramatic to drain the tank as to have him rescued.

This is a show after all!

 

[BennyB]

I reckon someone running in with a sledgehammer would have been pretty dramatic rofl

Does anyone know what Blaine's condition is now? I'd be guessing he's still asleep.

Tell you what though, the most famous freediver in the world at the moment has to be Kirk Krack, he's on the front page of many of the papers in the world today as well as the internet articles. Mind you he's holding Blaine's head out of the water but that's a moot point.

Cheers,
Ben

 

[Haydn]

Lets not be appalled by David pushing his limit to having an LMC any more than we are of any athlete falling within yards of the finish, or a marathon runner limping past the finish with cramp. Expectations to beat the world record are well justified by any person with ability. David did fantastically well, a valiant effort and I'd bet if he had perfect conditions, he could have got very close. I have seen 5:00 statics on the very first maximum effort and 5:30 with LMC in Cyprus by the same 'ordinary' freediver with no training whatever. At that time only 20 secs short of the UK record on his 2nd ever max effort. David brought unusual attributes to his attempt and excelled quickly. Just like Natalia who has broken 'every' available freedive world record in under two years becauase of her pre history. We dont know what training David has done in the past ten years, but his physical shape makes me wish I was gay, I want his body so much. Ah well, back to the diet.......

 

[smellsfishy]

Apparently there were lots of big shots there - I wish I knew who they were. Is there some way to study up on this stuff ? How is it everybody else knows who these people are ??

Paul,

You need to run for president. Then you get an assistant who whispers in your ear before you're about to meet somebody. Hell, I doubt Bush recognizes his own family at this point

 

[fcallagy]

Sanderp
Wasn't that the Guinness record? I heard it from the radio, when they were talking about Blaine's attept a week ago or so. Can you provide me with a link or something? It sounds really amazing but I couldn't find any info from google.

I presume what Trux is talking about is Tom Sietas record static on oxygen he did for a TV programme and may ( we don,t know for sure but it was a show after all ) be closer to what David Blaine tried albeit without the chains and saturation period

 

[Erik]

Lets not be appalled by David pushing his limit to having an LMC any more than we are of any athlete falling within yards of the finish, or a marathon runner limping past the finish with cramp. ......

Agreed. Most people are surprised to hear about the blackouts Mayol had that were still considered records. I've seen video where he surfaces unconscious and everyone in the water is cheering and pumping fists in the air. rofl
Peace,
Erik Y.

 

[featherland]

To heck with the static... that tooth stunt freaked *me* out <shudder>

Yes, a sphere was the perfect stage for this stunt on oh so many levels and Paul's observations were excellent. But I agree with him that the outcome could not have been more perfect for the sport.

Meanwhile, this outsider now knows what things like "packing", "samba" and "contractions" look like thanks to the Deeper Blue chat room color commentary during the event. I have a deeper appreciation for the challenges of the sport. I don't think the PAIN part had sunk in before now.

I hadn't seen "the footage" before. I was warned by this forum that it was going to be there, but it really hit me hard. Harder than I expected. I was shaking at the end of it. Each one of you needs to have a talk with your mothers, wives, and daughters today who saw that footage. I need to hear from the lips of my father that I'm not going to see footage like that about him one day.

I was furious that they presented the footage with the voice-over: "She died after being underwater for eight minutes and David is going to attempt nine. " This whole event has been an exercise in "apples vs. oranges", but that was simply disrespectful to a top-class athlete.

Of course, I'm glad he failed in a humbling, but not life-endangering, manner. When people came up to me at work today and asked, "So how long can your father hold his breath?", their response to my answer of "7 minutes and 21 seconds in competition WITHOUT blacking out and having to be rescued" got a reaction that it never had before. My father's sport is now real to them... and to me... in way it wasn't last week.

But the most important lesson I learned is that when my father does this, he is surrounded by people like Mandy and Kirk (and even my well-trained and very brave mother who has brought him back from a pool blackout herself!) who aren't going to let my father be "drowned alive".

Talk to your family today. Trust me on this one.
--Lorraine, respectful daughter of Bill, "Deeper Blue Old Guy"

 

[Observer]

Overnight US TV ratings for this are now in.

from http://www.zap2it.com/tv/ratings/zap-ratings050806,0,2187914.story?coll=zap-tv-ratings-headlines

In each listing, the first number is the raw rating in millions of households. (There's more actual people watching each show as in some households there will be more than one person in the room with the TV.) The second number is the percent share of TVs that are on in the nation at that time that are tuned in to the show.

"Deal or No Deal" scored a better-than-average 9.6/15 to win the 8 p.m. hour for NBC. FOX took second with the penultimate episode of "Prison Break," 5.6/9. "The King of Queens" and "How I Met Your Mother" put CBS in third. The first hour of "David Blaine: Drowned Alive" didn't do that great, drawing a 4.8/9 for ABC, tying with the series finale of "7th Heaven" on The WB. UPN went with "One on One" and "All of Us."

CBS took the lead at 9 p.m. with "Two and a Half Men," 9.8/14, and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," 8.1/12. FOX stayed in second with "24," 8.3/12. Hour two of "Drowned Alive," in which Blaine actually attempted his stunt (and didn't quite get there), jumped up to a 7.5/11 for ABC. NBC dropped to fourth with "The Apprentice." The WB stayed in fifth with "Everwood," beating UPN's "Girlfriends," 2.4/4, and "Half & Half," 2.6/4.


Personally, I was channel flipping between this and a baseball game, and managed to see the bits I was interested in (the stunt itself, and anything the PF team members were saying) and avoid the bits I wasn't (the Audrey segment, and the street magic stuff). From my living room, it certainly didn't look like a real record, but you could tell the jeopardy was real just from Kirk Krack's voice while he was coaching, as it seemed to be pitched up half an octave from where it normally is.

 

[tylerz]

One thing that did surprise me is that they didn't have a fast dump valve at the bottom of the sphere in case rescue was necessary.
...
For safety reasons, wouldn't it have been better to simply dump the contents out the bottom? (at least down to head height)

1 for Cal!

That was 1 of 9 on my quickly made list. More to be added as I recall the events I am sure.

Keep up that way of thinking of the event and you may have seen the show I saw. A few comments have almost hit some other points but it seems most of you watched it just like the general public was meant to. :friday But then I do recall a good amount of freedivers claiming the movie, "The Freediver", was spellbinding, which suggests they were far from relating to the general public. :t It seems freedivers can be biased in either direction. Critical without cause at one end and unwavering devotees at the other. Where is the balancing point for this event? :head

 

[fcallagy]

Just saw a video of it on the other thread he had his eyes open pretty much all through it until the struggle I know he must not have been able to see much but I would have found it a lot harder to relax like that

 

[Jorg]

Well in the end David did what he announced; he drowned alive... so well done!
Before making any further judgement I would really like to see the whole show. So if anybody has it taped or digital, please let me know. I've got webspace enough to make it public to everyone...

 

[Veronika]

The thing I wonder the most about the whole show: How much did it cost? And who the heck paid for all this?
Jorg, would be great if someone could give you the video to put it online...!

Veronika