Run by Vertical Blue at Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island, the invitational event starts on Saturday 17 April, and features 15 of the world’s top freedivers, from nine countries.
The divers will compete in the disciplines of Constant Weight, in which a diver descends and ascends by fin only; Constant Weight No Fins, involving a free swimming action; and Free Immersion, where the diver pulls down and back up the dive rope.
The competitor who returns the best overall score for all three elements will be the Suunto Dive-Off champion. But records in individual disciplines are a clear possibility, given that the 15 competitors hold 58 world or national records.
Amongst them is Austrian Herbert Nitsch, accepted by many as the best-ever freediver. Over the years Nitsch, 40, has set 28 world records.
He has gone deepest in two of the competition's categories, at 123m in Constant Weight and 112m in Free Immersion.
Also diving is New Zealander William Trubridge, 29, who holds the world record of 90m in Constant Weight No Fins.
Other competitors are Eric Fattah (Can), Carla-Sue Hanson (USA), Misuzu Hirai (Jpn), Robert King (USA), Dave Mullins (NZl), Guillaume Nery (Fra), Niki Roderick (NZl), Alfredo Romo (Mex), Jared Schmelzer (USA), Carolina Schrappe (Bra), Ryuzo Shinomiya (Jpn), Walter Steyn (Aus) and William Winram (Can).
Related links
Vertical Blue
AIDA
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