Kiwis dominate Freediving world rankings list.

Kiwis dominate Freediving world rankings list.

For immediate release
26 January 2009

New Zealand freedivers have dominated the world rankings list for 2008, with 4 divers holding 6 of the 12 available number one spots between them.

Kathryn McPhee, David Mullins and Guy Brew from Wellington along with William Trubridge based in the Bahamas, have been named by AIDA International, who maintain the world rankings, as topping the 2008 ranking lists.

McPhee last year secured her first world record in the discipline of Dynamics without fins, propelling herself underwater with out the aid of any fins or equipment for 151m on a single breath of air. She also holds all but one NZ Freediving record and finished the year ranked second in the Dynamics with fins and Static apnea disciplines.

Mullins hit the top spot in two disciplines for 2008, diving to a depth of -108m in the Constant weight discipline, and equaling the men's Dynamics without fins world record of 213m. At the world championships in Egypt he set a new world record of 248m in Dynamics with fins, which was recently exceeded, finishing the year with a world ranking of second. Mullins is also ranked second for the "Static apnea" discipline, first place going to fellow Wellingtonian, Guy Brew.

Brew, was the previous NZ record holder for the Static apnea discipline, before Mullins extended this record at the world Championships held in Egypt in September, however during the Ocean Hunter Freediving competition held in Auckland last November, Brew re-claimed the title that he had held for so long back from Mullins with an impressive breath-hold of 8mins 31 seconds placing him first in the 2008 world rankings.

Trubridge who set the world records for Constant weight without fins and Free immersion in April last year, not once but twice, has also claimed the top spot in those disciplines. Trubridge's world records of -86m for Constant weight without fins, which requires the diver to dive without the aid of any propulsion equipment and on a single breath of air , and -108m for Free immersion, where the diver pulls themselves down on a rope and back to the surface, were both achieved at Deans Blue Hole in the Bahamas.

"Obviously we are extremely happy with the achievements of these divers, and the pressure will be on in 2009 as other countries look at the progress New Zealand freedivers have made and strive for similar results" says Joy Cottle, AIDA New Zealand Public Relations coordinator. "Freediving in New Zealand is growing slowly, and is hindered by misconceptions that this sport is extremely dangerous. There are many strict regulations in place to ensure that competitive freedivers in New Zealand and around the world practice the sport in a safe manner."

Last Month, McPhee and Mullins were announced as winners of the ICARE trophies, to be recognised as the world's best female and male freedivers respectively.

"The successes we have seen in 2008 give us a huge amount of confidence in the potential that the sport has here, and we are keen to see our other kiwi freedivers, 6 of whom are in the shadows of our #1 ranked divers with rankings inside the world top 20 for '08, and other developing talent continue to achieve great things in '09.

ENDS

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