WC Slovenia official result update

PRESS RELEASE

8th july 2007 – Maribor Slovenia

Aida world championships in pool freediving hosted by H2O team and the town of Maribor in Slovenia.

This World championship in the pool disciplines was dominated by the Danish claiming 9 places in the A-finals. After them Russia Sweden and Check republic with 6, 5 and 4 places.

Every second year the world federation AIDA hosts a world champion in the following pool disciplines: with and without fins as far as possible on one breath, and the last discipline is called static and is pure breath holding without moving.

270 performances with athletes from 26 countries were made during four days in Maribor.

Old champions held on to their medals, new stars emerged and veterans were beaten (see results below). As expected the world record holder Natalia Molchanova from Russia dominated among the women claiming all three gold medals.

Many new talented women fought for the second place in the prestigious swimming with fins discipline, leaving young Elisabeth Kristoffersen from Norway in second place.

With old champion Tom Sietas not present Danish Stig Severinsen returned from long phd studies and defended his DNF gold from two years back. Also in the fins discipline Stig claimed the gold – Alexey from Russia giving him a battle all the way to the end.

With Russian Natalia Molchanova so dominating, the drama in the no fins discipline was around the silvermedal where Alena Zabloudilova (CZ) beat Karla Fabrio (CRO).

The mens breathhold saw all new and surprised faces as old stars bailed out early. Among the women Lotta Ericson set new personal best and took a silver in breathholding, in a discipline that was generally weak for the women this championship.

The championship was among the athletes considered as one of the most well organized thanks to the ambitions of Sandi Bitenc and his H2O team. One appreciated detail was the over and underwater video shown on screens and the live commentating.

Facts on freediving.

The freediving federation AIDA has held three individual championships. Maribor was the second pool championship.

There are three depth disciplines and three pool disciplines. In the pool: as far as possible on one breath, with or without fins. The last discipline is called static and is pure breath holding without moving.

DYN (dynamic) with fins,

DNF (dynamic no fins),

STA (Static) non moving breath holding.

Facts from the Maribor championship:

WINNERS

Dynamic men

1st – Stig Severinsen (DK) 216 meters

2nd – Alexey Molchanov (RU) 213 meters

3rd – William Winram (DK) 203 meters

(the last two national records)

Dynamic women

1st – Natalia Molchanva (RU) 205

2nd – Elisabeth Kristoffersen (NO) 174

3rd- Karla Rabrio (CRO) 169

(The last two national records)

Static men

1st – Nicolas Guerry (CZ) 7.34

2nd – Tomek Bryl (PL) 7.15

3rd – Peter Boivie (SWE) 7.10

(all new national records)

Static women

1st – Natalia Molchanova (RU) 8.00

2nd – Lotta Ericson (SWE) 6.49

3rd – Jessica Wilson (USA) 6.00

(all national records and a world record)

1st – Stig Severinsen (DK) 186 meters

2nd – Alexey Molchanov (RU) 157 meters

3rd – Naozuki Tominaga (JP)157 meters

(all national records and a world record)

Dynamic no fins women

1st – Natalia Molchanova (RU) 149 meters

2nd – Alena Zabloudilova (CZ) 133 meters

3rd – Karla Fabrio (CRO) 125 meters

(all national records and a world record)

Data from the performances

Since the last Pool championship in Renens (Switzerland) the athletes performances have improved. To claim one of the eight places in the final the demands have increased as follows:

STA MEN: 6.45 to 7 min sharp

STA WOMEN: 5.24 remaining on the same level

DYN MEN: 153 to 178 meters

DYN WOMEN: 124 to 153 meters

DNF MEN: 114 to 134 meters

DNF WOMEN: 87 to 110 meters

The number of failed performances since the last championship has increased, specially among the men. In Renens 2005 11% was (DQ) disqualifications. Usually for failing control (surface protocol) after the dive, in some cases lack of motor control and short blackouts (No injuries has ever happened so far in competitive freediving). In Maribor 18% of all qualification dives led to disqualification.

Since the last championships the rules have evolved and less judge rulings are under discussion. In the Maribor championships 270 performances only led to two serious protests that changed initial ruling.