Vertical Blue 2008

[Will]

One week out from the first day of Vertical Blue and all the freedivers look like they will be peaking right on time.

Stay tuned to the news page for daily updates on the athletes and their progress. You can also make your picks for whether world records will be broken, and if so by whom and how much. The closest entrant wins an official Vertical Blue long-sleeved team shirt.

Nerves, narcosis and never-ending ascents in the underwater cathedral that is Dean's Blue Hole...

 

[BennyB]

You know I was just wondering that this afternoon. Is everyone out there now? Are the athletes listed on your website all attending and diving (ie. all currently fit), and is that the definitive list?

I've moved this thread to the Freedive Competition section - thanks for the updates Will!

Cheers,
Ben

 

[Will]

The only non-attendance is Theo Ivanovic - back problems.
We are still waiting on Eric Fattah & Dave Mullins - everyone else is here and diving well.
15 is the final number...

 

[cebaztian]

The closest entrant wins an official Vertical Blue long-sleeved team shirt.

I have heard that those UN-official shirts are even more sought after

I hope nathalie stays healthy - then it will be intresting to see what she can deliver. And also Mullins. Will is probably too stressed out being organizer, but since skipping the mask it will be interesting to see what this might have produced.
Guillaume is probably moderate and sensible as usual, but the maveric Winram may put on a show.

Ooh and Fattah - (at last in a comp again) how will he rect to warm water.

This is a freediving feast!! It is resembeling my proposition from last individual WC - throw out the amateurs from WC:

SUGGESTION:
1) Only one person per country (sex/discpline).
2) Add on all persons CWT 80+ (65+ women).
3) Maximum 50-60 athletes.
4) Each diver has three dives.
5) In the end they only count their deepest.

Freedive news from f.biz

Sebastian

Stay vertical next week

 

[sucinimad]

Just a few more days, can't wait! Best of luck to all the divers. It would be insane if Eric breaks one of the records on FRC. >.<

 

[efattah]

It's snowing in Vancouver today, and I leave tomorrow evening for Vertical Blue. Too much work to do much wet training, but yesterday I did a 5'33" FRC static, which using my personal conversion table could yield around 91m, but unfortunately I will need to borrow a monofin as my custom Leaderfins Flyer Pro was destroyed during shipment.

Lately I have been working on wet extensions to the mouthfill to extend my FRC equalizing over 80m. The big challenge is going to be the warm water, which I'm not used to.

Laminar and I will be introducing a new style of freediving at Vertical Blue -- Feet First no-fins diving. Just wait for the video!

 

[Kars]

Awsome, Eric Awsome! keep up your inovative spirit, I'm very much looking forward to your and Laminar's new approach!

Love, couragen and water*!

Maybe you're lucky to discover that at depth the temperture is colder than on the surface? From the stories about narcosis I get the impression it's not so hot down there.

And offcause you could do it without suit!

Kars

 

[TRITON]

Eric,how do you cope with contractions on empty lungs?I find them very uncomfortable.....

 

[fcallagy]

Laminar and I will be introducing a new style of freediving at Vertical Blue -- Feet First no-fins diving. Just wait for the video!

cant wait to see that best of luck to all concerned anyway

 

[thetamster]

Hello Will, Kathryn, Kerian, Fran and everyone at the Blue Hole

I cant wait for records to start being broken, I am a bit jealous off you all, not being able to to be there myself, but hey at least NZ has been very sunny and windless. Best of luck to all....

Tam

 

[chrismar]

Hello Will, Kathryn, Kerian, Fran and everyone at the Blue Hole

I cant wait for records to start being broken, I am a bit jealous off you all, not being able to to be there myself, but hey at least NZ has been very sunny and windless. Best of luck to all....

Tam

Tam,

I hope Dave got round to packing and booking his flight to Long Island! I'll also be keeping a close eye on things...

And Kars, I'm afraid the blue hole is supposed to be a one degree temp change, top to bottom. Good for everyone except Eric. It'll be interesting to see such a wide range of top athletes in a great place to set records. Seeing what new stuff everyone is trying (Eric especially!) will be very exciting.

 

[watts]

Has anyone dived frc in an AIDA comp before? If so what depths and who? Cant wait to hear how you go Eric.

 

[pat fish]

It's snowing in Vancouver today, and I leave tomorrow evening for Vertical Blue. Too much work to do much wet training, but yesterday I did a 5'33" FRC static, which using my personal conversion table could yield around 91m, but unfortunately I will need to borrow a monofin as my custom Leaderfins Flyer Pro was destroyed during shipment.

Lately I have been working on wet extensions to the mouthfill to extend my FRC equalizing over 80m. The big challenge is going to be the warm water, which I'm not used to.

Laminar and I will be introducing a new style of freediving at Vertical Blue -- Feet First no-fins diving. Just wait for the video!

holy cow! that is gonna be exciting. good luck to you and all the other athletes!
pat

 

[trux]

Laminar and I will be introducing a new style of freediving at Vertical Blue -- Feet First no-fins diving. Just wait for the video!

Very interesting! Looking forward to see it. If it is efficient (which I suppose it is, otherwise you wouldn't use it), then I wonder if it would be of any interest for DNF too?

 

[fabrice]

Feet first cnf is actually a very pleasant experience, especially when diving FRC since it helps with equalization. I do it also, even in the shallow detphs I'm reaching.

Good luck to all Vertical Blue divers, I hope the video footage will be great !

 

[Ale Andres]

any news from Dean's Blue Hole? today's the first comp day...i'm getting nervous !!!

 

[Will]

Update from the first day just posted at William Trubridge News

National records to Ryuzo (95m CWT) and Kathryn (56m FIM)!

 

[BennyB]

Awesome, well done guys!

Can't wait to hear about the others, this is going to be an intense week (for both athletes and spectators)!

 

[Ale Andres]

Thank you Will!!
Well done all!! GO KAROL !!!!

 

[sambro]

I introduced CWJ (Constant weight in jandals) a couple of years ago when I was in the Blue Hole, and am sad to see that it has not yet been picked up by the freediving community with very much enthusiasm...

Best of luck to all the amazing athletes. I hope you get good conditions and great results!!!!

* jandal: see also 'flip-flops' or 'thongs' in other parlance.
** Current world record? I did 7m... It's harder on the ascent because they drag away from your heels and operate much like airbrakes do on a jetplane. Maybe with the new Cressi jandals I might get better results. Or a monojandal even!