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[News] Martin Stepanek Resigns from PFI

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
DiverTodd said:
Anyone wanna buy a slightly used "Teach Yourself Czech" book? Somehow, I don't think I'll be needing it any more...
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Don't hurry with that. Martin always did courses for Czech freedivers in the Adriatic and the Red Sea, and I think it is quite likely he will continue. Hence the book may still come handy. And visiting Prague is also worth of it
 
Prosim Martin, just one more clinic. Just this one more. The one I am going to in two weeks... Dekuji
 
Sven is Mr Sven Anderson or more commonly known here as Icarus Pacific. I have it on authority that he is a very nice guy :inlove. Shit!! there I go, even I'm falling for him rofl
 
Reactions: icarus pacific
laminar said:
Sara, are you sure that's Sven....look more closely.

Like I said...no one has a chance.
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rofl rofl OMFG

Was that from Hello magazine? Wait til I sent the photos of Emma Farrell and I on our jaunts here in Dubai - now THAT will be news rofl
 
Sigh...

BatRay said:
It's okay, Pastor. No one can resist the allure of Sven
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It's Hell sometimes, people. It really is. :blackeye

Not to take away from the secondary topic :hmm , but I will admit to being disappointed by Martin's absence if for no other reason than to have another top notch diver to observe and mentally compare my style, or lack thereof, to.

Kirk had mentioned right from the get-go that Martin was back in FL traing to better Herbert's efforts, that's it. Fine by me then and now.

What I will comment on is this, and in bold type- this is my opinion only- I really feel that PFI is on the track to becoming a major league, big time deal. Not only just the clinics and the T shirts, but guided tours are now in the offing, and I really see no end to the exotic as well as practical marketing they could evolve with. If they have bigger logos on the T shirts next time some idiot illusionist tries to live in a bubble, so be it, I still will think it's crap, but... I think they're the best at what they do, and Martin was/is certainly to thank for that.


Being quite a few years older than Martin, I'd be looking at a career with PFI as the golden ticket. Being a salaried(?) employee with benefits that include a bunch of weeks in different locales, spent diving? Where do I sign up? :head But I also completely validate Martin's choice if he figures he can do both himself and thus the sport better on his own. He's still young enough and God knows he's got game for a number of years so he'll hopefully be able to cash in at some point along the way.

My best wishes to him, really.
 
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Reactions: Pastor

I can't believe you think gossip is an important thing even though you compare it to speculating.

I DO agree with respecting the privacy and if you read my note carefully you'd see I'm motivating people to wait for official source declaration instead of talking about
silly things.
 
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I was suprised by Icarus' opinion that Martin was to thank for PFI's success. There have been many people involved in PFI over the years, but Kirk has been the common denominator. Kirk brought Martin into the fold, and trained him. I have no axe to grind on either side. Kirk is certainly the one with the vision and drive behind PFI, and CAFA. While I'm sure PFI will miss Martin, the quality of PFI's offerings has always been about Kirk. My two cents worth.

g.
 
sheesh.

Martin is just one of the reasons that PFI is doing as well as it is. In no way did I say that it's only Martin responsible, and indeed it's Kirk's insight and vision that deserve the lion's share of the credit.
 
Pete - i didn't realize you had such large forearms. Sara - as I'm sure you know the secret to getting out of that one is in the hip and elbow. I wonder if that facial radiance is an adaptation from deep diving?
 
Dang! I was looking forward to meeting and diving with him on the Miami PFI free diving course in Septemper.
 

Nothing silly between friends
 

I don't believe gossip is a helpful or important thing. People love to do it though. Speculating is the same as gossip when it's on a public forum such as this one, in my humble opinion. One person's speculation, presented convincingly, can become another person's gossip and judgement.

My post was more about my own decision not to speculate or gossip since I have known the members of PFI since 2000 and enough of their history beyond Martin to stick my foot in my mouth and the ears and eyes of people reading this thread. And there are others who know them far better than I do.

The silliness between friends is simply done in honour of harmless fun. This thread won't really progress on its listed topic until we hear news from Martin and/or PFI, which may never happen.

PFI in its current incarnation is a group effort, IMHO, as follows:
-Kirk's vision of teaching freediving world wide and pursuing it despite challenges along the way (his own and external)
-The sheer motivation and love of competition of Mandy Rae and her support of the business
-Martin's talent and sportsmanship
-Early successes with Tanya Streeter and Brett LeMaster
-Volunteer help from CAFA members and friends, Cayman friends
-Doc's support in the last few years
-Kirk's involvemen with AIDA, CAFA, and many other diving related organizations, often at the top level
-Kirk's talent for staging events so tha they actually happen

Martin will no doubt face the same challenges that any person starting a business will face. He is a great person and he'll have as good a shot as any.

I do hope he is able to continue setting world records. He is an exciting freediver to follow.

Pete
 
-Kirk's talent for staging events so tha they actually happen

That's the number one reason for their success in my opinion.

I spent over two years trying to pin Pipin down on a time, and place, to take one of his freediving courses. After many emails, phone calls, and even talking to him at DEMA, I finally gave up after I bumped into Kirk, and PFI, about 6 years ago.

Kirk had actual course dates planned- that he followed through on! :friday He also had lots of experienced divers with him- including Eric Fattah, Martin, and Karoline.

I learned more in my week with them than in the two months I spent in my IDC or all of the technical diving courses that I've taken over the years- which were more like hoops to jump through rather than actual learning experinces.:head

There are many reasons people decide to go their own way- Living a few thousand miles away from where I grew up, and where people spoke another language would be more than enough reason for me to want to go back home and try something on my own. Whatever the reason I am quite sure that there will be more high quality courses run, on the dates planned, for some time to come.


Jon

BTW: I saw the pictures and Sven does nothing for me; however, his niece in the red cowboy hat is welcome to dive with us whenever she wants.

Jon
 
Reactions: Spaniard

Why should Martin have to give any explanation or declaration? It's his life after all, and it's his personal business.

Wish him well and success.
 
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