Static in Monaco

[todeep]

Next week there will be a unigue static competition in Monaco. There will be 12 very good breath-holders present, and they will fight for good prizes.

The competition uses direct elimination within pulls composed of two athletes.

But who will win? ...who will have the psyche to pull this off?

Help me out with the poll here, and we can have a little clue.

More info here:
http://www.pierrefrolla-organisation.com/index_en.php

:ko

 

[jome]

What happened to Sietas anyway? The last I heard there was talk of increasing the format to 14 athletes to allow Tom to compete, but this site still isn't mentioning him...

Out of these choices my strongest bets for winner are:
Karl Pernett or Timo Kinnunen

Mifsud and Severinsen are big question marks. We know they're capable of great results, but what is their shape right now? From somewhere I got the idea that Mifsud doesn't hold static in very high regard, even though he once held the world record (I guess AIDA never recognized it). Where is Nitch by the way? Stepanek?

Anyway, it also depends on luck. If in the first heat the "big names" are drawn to compete each other, half of them get automatically eliminated and some of these 6:30 guys will go further. That does not of course affect the winner, but positions from there after are greatly influenced by luck...

I also foresee a lot of sambas/blackouts. Most of these guys have to will power to black out. And you know, since it's elimination, you either try your "best" or you're out...You'll be "DQd" anyway if you don't go on.

 

[efattah]

Interesting poll!

It seems that the decision to invite Tom was either too late or not accepted by the sponsors....

While training for this competition, I have been practicing the '3 max' attempts in a row, to simulate it (since there are three rounds in Monaco, you have to do three max statics if you pass each round). During 'dry' attempts at '3 max', the best I did was 7'00", 7'00", 8'02". Today at the pool I did 7'15", 7'22", 7'00". It is very hard to stay warm for so long, without being too hot. For example, my sequence was:
3'30" (boiling hot)
5'00" (way too hot)
6'15" (way too hot)
7'15" (slightly too hot)
7'22" (perfect temp)
7'00" (too cold)

 

[OceanMan]

What a training !
I guess it last more than one houre.
How long do you rest between two breath holds ?

 

[watts]

Does anybody know the PBs of all the competitors. Are there 12 or is it 14 that will be competing. I dont think you can write anybody off yet as this format hasnt been tryed yet. I think Karl,Deron and Stig will be up there. All the best to all the athletes in this new type of competition. What will we see next dynamics and constant weight head to head?

 

[jome]

Let's see, these are what I'm aware of, correct me if you know better:
(not counting dry statics)
Karl Pernett: 8:56 (from memory)
Timo Kinnunen: 8:29 (7:54 in competition)
Stig Severinsen: in the 8:30s (judging from the "prequisite ok" status of his later cancelled WR attempt last year)
Stephane Mifsud: 8:24 (in competition, I believe)

I think the rest are about 7:00-7:30

About Eric's psyche...Funny, I was going to suggest that he might be a suprise winner because of that. To my knowledge, his wet pb's aren't the most impressive, but consistency, dedication and will power can take one far...

This competition will not be won just by holding one's breath the longest, but also with choosing the right strategy (and luck!). It's no good winning the first round, you gotta score in all of them.

Of course if it was Tom, he'd just hold his breath for 10 minutes each time and win

Oh, and remember, Mifsud has the "home advantage" so he might be strong...

 

[wolleneugebauer]

everbody from the twelve did more than 7´30 in training.
at moment, I heard everbody from the twelve did near 8 or more than 8 minutes.
nobody knows how often each of them is able to doo this all over again.
nobody can know who is winner in the end...
it´s exciting for everbody.

 

[Ale Andres]

Excuse me, but still nobody has given a good explanation of why Tom is not in the contest...Would you accept a race of the best drivers in the world without Michael Schumacher ? The excuse of the doping i think is not valid, everybody knows why, so i think that the organizers should give a good explanation for this, just to be serious...

 

[deepestbear]

maybe the same reason I didn't get invited....

3 hours would have made the others look a bit silly

DB
x

 

[efattah]

When placing your bets on the competition, here are some things to keep in mind:

- I have been told by Pierre Frolla that the pool is 1.70m deep in the competition zone. This is too deep to stand.
- Luckily for me, I think I'm the only person in this competition who does his whole warm up and breathe up and statics face down with a snorkel, so for me, I don't see the spectators, the judges, and I don't care how deep the pool is.

This method (using the snorkel) I think is why I always get a pb in wet static during the competition. Most of the other competitors get less than their best during the competition. For me it is the opposite! For example, in 2004 when I did 7'06" and 7'12" at the two Canadian competitions, I had never made 7'00" clean in the water before that! And even after that I still couldn't! In fact, at the May 2004 competition, the best I had done in the water in training was 6'35", and then I got 7'06" in the competition and it felt like I had lots of air left. It was strange. I think I have started to develop what I call the 'seal reflex.' When a seal gets scared, it experiences huge blood shift, and its heart slows down. For me, the more scared I am, the more my apnea increases.

 

[quasimoto]

Eric-

maybe they should put some alligators in the pool for your competition statics!

 

[SanSan]

wow this should be a great competition.

I wonder if Kike will have the guts to show up to get his but kicked. If he only wouldn't have been growing on his mouth so much...

Good luck Eric.

 

[jome]

In fact which of any of the 12 will be in Renes? Only confirmed ones (according to http://www.immersion-profonde.ch/Renens2005.htm?Participants.php) are Neugebauer, Severinsen, Kinnunen and Verbeck.

I remember Eric mentioning he will not be at the worlds because he couldn't attend the CAFA Nationals (in which the selection was made), do I remember right?

 

[pheydebreck]

Good point, Ale Andres!
Why isn't Tom competing???

Look what I 've found:

"Dear Tom,

I am sorry to inform you that the Organizing Committee of the competition has decided not to retain your application.

Your performances of the past months have created a debate with regards to the integrity of your results, after several doping controls with very controversial outcomes.

We would like to organize a friendly competition, without any suspicion and debates, and in this light your case is insolvent. After numerous meetings with our partners and after hearing the athletes' point of view, it was decided that you cannot be invited to this years World Static Apnea Contest in Monaco.

Believe me, I am sorry for this decision. I strongly advise you to clean up your image and to re-establish a positive and healthy image of our sport.

deeply, Pierre Frolla"

This is a scandal! It seams that it was not enough what Tom went through after a doping test error, now he is forced to hear some good advises as: "I strongly advise you to clean up your image and to re-establish a positive and healthy image of our sport."

Should AIDA recognize any record at a competition with subjectively chosen competitors?

Shouldn't the other competitors boycott the comp???

I really thought that this "french mafia" kind of thinking was from the past...

deeply disappointed
Philipp

 

[pat fish]

hey Philipp
read through this one:

[ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=60538"]IWC World Static Apnea Contest, Monaco 21-23.07[/ame]

cheers Pat

(but: watch out for the 06.-14.08.05 "Weltrekordversuche in Hamburg" )

 

[Merlin]

Philipp, I agree 100% with you. It's a damn shame, and has made me lost complete respect for the organizers, sponsors, and the competition as a whole (NOT referring to the athletes which have no real say in this).

 

[land shark]

Like you said Merlin

It's the sponsors that are gonna take the brunt of this one.
I really liked the Mares line of fins but its the last time I go out of my way to get a pair.

Also when I was younger I sold booze. So you think those sponsors really care about weather Tom's piss test was questionable?/comeon really.
so whos that leave. You figure it out.

jim

 

[efattah]

Last pool training session before monaco:
5'00" (warm up)
Max #1: 7'27" (5'15")
Max #2: 7'28" (5'20")
Max #3: 7'57" (5'30")

I leave Wednesday morning 11AM.

Interestingly, training for this competition has had a dramatic effect (!) on my recreational dives, even though I haven't been diving. I will post more details upon return from Monaco (including the training I was doing), but here was the result of my last 'fun' dive session a few days ago:

(all these dives were done in loose-buddy recreational style along a deep wall with ledges, no descent line, vis about 8m, 17C surface, 10C below surface, gear was 6.5mm top with 5mm bottom, 14lbs weight, monofin + sphera)
- a few warm up dives
- 35.6m 1'47"
- 47.7m 1'58" (joke easy, unreal!)
- 18.0m 3'29"
- 33.3m 3'48"
- 15.0m 4'08"
- 12.6m 5'12"
- 50.0m 2'36" (probably covered more than 50m horizontal distance descending the wall...!)

These dives were amazingly FUN, well worth all the training for the competition. So, who cares about what happens at the competition, when I get back I can go DIVING and have FUN !!!


Must start packing now!

 

[jome]

I take it the second number is time of 1st contraction? Surprisingly late I think...If I get one that late I'll get nervous I've hyperventilated...

Isn't 7:57 something like a wet pb? Anyway, very impressive!

 

[pat fish]

Must start packing now!

Hi Eric
very impressive updates from your training... very impressive.
I wish you good luck for Monaco! I think your lungs will be really full at Saturday 23th of july 21:18h if you start packing now...

yours
Pat