Carolina Schrappe

Carol Schrappe started Freediving during her first scuba instructor course in 2001 when they tested her watermanship skills by having her retrieve anchors from the bottom on one breath of air. She started competing in 2001 in the World Championship when she first dove to 30 meters, but soon after took a break from diving with the birth of her third child. She returned to the sport in 2006 when she took the PFI intermediate course, where she progressed to 46 meters and then to 61 the following year. She now holds the Brazilian National Record with a 74 meter Constant Ballast Dive as well as several other national records.

Carol and her husband own a dive shop in Brazil called Acquanauta Dive Center. “I live for diving and dive for a living. Freediving is my life.”

Erin Magee

Erin Magee started freediving while living in the Florida Keys where she worked as a scuba instructor. She took her first freediving course from PFI in February 2008 and began teaching for them the year after. This upcoming year will be her fourth time attending the annual competition in Grand Cayman. Erin is a five-time US National Record Holder in constant weight and currently holds the record at 80m/262 feet. She hopes to push that record deeper this year.

“I just want to see what my body is capable of doing. I want to push the limit and see if there is one.”

Francesca Koe

When she’s not busy saving the planet, Francesca Koe is either in the ocean or thinking about it. An active scuba instructor, Francesca serves her community as the board President of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary and as a San Francisco Bay Baykeeper. Reporting on the amazing records of her freediving friends around the world is one of the many reasons she enjoys being the editor-in-chief of DeeperBlue, as well as the VP of the United States Apnea Association. Francesca is psyched for Deja Blue II and will be looking for team USA recruits for 2012.

Jenna McGrath

Jenna McGrath is a screenwriter, based in Los Angeles. In addition to writing for several production companies, she leads a team of five writers who create cross-platform media projects (books, graphic novels and tv shows) for children. She recently spent several weeks teaching screenwriting in Africa. She’s the sole graduate of the Benjamin Weiss Frenzel Academy.

Jen Balfour

Jen Balfour started as an ‘advanced snorkeler’ on family vacations to Hawai’i, and began freediving recreationally in 2008 after taking PFI’s Intermediate Course. Jen’s main interest is underwater photography, so training with PFI and the Vancouver Apneist Club has improved her bottom time and comfort levels so that she can pursue this interest. This will be Jen’s second Cayman competition and she’s looking forward to competing with friends new and old.

Ashley Chapman

If you find yourself in earshot of Ashley you will quickly learn that she has two passions; the 35′ Pearson she will be traveling the world on with her partner Ren Chapman, and freediving. Freediving took Ashley by storm in 2008 when she decided to participate in the PFI Intermediate course in the Cayman Islands. The only goal in mind, to reach 100′ she exceeded her expectations by maxing out the course at 132′. Intoxicated by the rush of success she has gone on to complete the PFI Instructor program. She is now an independant PFI Instructor and president of Evolve Freediving, teaching freediving courses in Wilmington, NC.

Other freediving accomplishments include selection for the 2008 US Women’s Team in the World Freediving Competition, where the US women clenched the silver medal. She has also reached a personal best depth of 201′ at the Deja Blue 2010 Competition, where again, she came home with a silver medal. Among her best dives include the one made to 50′ with Ren Chapman at Deja Blue 2010 where he asked her to marry him! She hopes to improve at Constant Weight No Fins at Deja Blue 2011 and live happily ever after on her boat.

Kerry Hollowell

Kerry began freediving two years ago and has been hooked ever since. She has had a lifelong love of the ocean that started with sailing near her home town of Edenton, North Carolina. She started diving with tanks but after a year of blowing bubbles she was looking to drop the gear. She took the PFI beginner course with Ashley and Ren Chapman thru Evolve Freediving in 2010, then took the intermediate course the following year with them as well. She is an athlete that needed an outlet. She ran cross country for NC state and continued to race as an adult. A couple of months after winning her age group in the OBX half marathon she got hit by a car, smashing her leg and landing her in the ICU for 3 days. Over the next couple of years she could not run but she could dive and dive she did. She cruised down to 30m in the intermediate class and did a 5:33 breath hold. This will be her first competition ever and she is going to push her limits.

Iru Balic

Free diving became my passion since I was little because my father used to be a fisherman for living and we shared a lot with the ocean, but I started to taking it serious since 2005 when I assisted to VilleFranche World Championship and saw all that people together doing what I loved, Then I assisted to the World Team Championship in Hurgada in 2006. But I had to make a long pause to finish my University career in Business Management till 2010. In 2011 I decided to quit my boring office job and enjoy free diving one more time and do what I truly love… I excited about this event getting to know new people who share the same passion and free dive in such a beautiful place.

Ben Weiss

Ben lives in Santa Barbara, CA, where he writes computer graphics software for a living. After many years spent surfing, kayaking, and scuba diving, Ben was introduced to freediving in a PFI course three years ago. Since then, freediving has become a passion of his, culminating in a spot on the US freediving team for last year’s World Championships in Okinawa. This year’s will be his third Cayman competition, and he looks forward to outdoing his personal bests, and enjoying time with great friends along the way!

Ted Harty

Ted has been an instructor for PFI 3 years now and this will be his 3rd time at the Cayman Competition. He’s looking forward to this year because he’s excited to see the many fun people coming that he hasn’t seen in a long time. He currently lives in Fort Lauderdale and runs freediving classes through his own company, Immersion Freediving, which teaches PFI certification courses in the South Florida area. He also helps Kirk and Mandy with their courses. He’s looking forward to breaking past the 70M mark this year!

Grant Hogan

Grant Hogan grew up in California and has since lived in Hawaii and now in Florida. Over the past few years he’s spent more and more time in the water scuba diving and developing a serious love of freediving. For many years he worked on dive boats until he took the PFI intermediate course in 2010. Soon after he attended the Cayman competition for the first time in 2011, where he broke the US men’s record for constant weight no fins. After Cayman he became an instructor for PFI and has continued his journey to become a better freediver. The quest continues this year in Cayman.

Jake Bricker

Jake comes to Cayman from the cold water of Northern California. As a PFI instructor and lifetime freediver he sees competition as another step towards becoming a more complete waterman. In addition to his “real” job Jake founded Pacific Coast Freediving this year and teaches freediving and underwater hunting in California. He is thrilled about the opportunity to compete in a sport that has been a recreation for so long, particularly in a field as accomplished as this. His first PFI experience was in 2009 and this is his second time competing. He’s looking forward to hitting bigger numbers this year.

Steve Benson

Steve has been freediving since he was a landlocked kid in Colorado diving in the muddy reservoir chasing crawdads the size of baby lobsters. After experiencing the tropical waters of Mexico as an adolescent he knew diving would be a big part of his adult life and it was for twenty years. However freediving took a backseat to scuba until he met Ren and Ashley. He thought the idea of a class on freediving was kind of silly but his girlfriend Kerry wanted to get better at freediving and had found a class to take. That class, through Evolve freediving opened doors for Steve he did not know existed. With a 7:44 static during the PFI intermediate course Steve blew away anything he had ever done before and got real excited about doing more. This will be his first competition in freediving and he is going to see how deep and how far he can go. Those grouper better watch out.

Greg Fee

Greg took his first Freedive course in 2000. Since then he has been on Team Canada several times and is very active in both the recreational and competitive sides of the sport in Vancouver Canada where he lives.

Wes Lapp

Wes lives in Oregon with his daughter Zan.  He has taken part in many Freediving competitions and has held some USA National records.

Nick Mevoli

Sean Osner

Instructs competent and comfortable freedivers in essential safety and problem management with a high emphasis on proper technique development, training and equipment for diving in depths up to 40 meters/132 feet. Instructors will thoroughly cover the physics and physiology of freediving along with training programs to better further the freedivers physical and mental performance.

• Intermediate Safety and Buddy Procedures
• Equipment for Performance Freediving
• Proper Ventilation for Gas Saturation and Volume
• Psychological Aspects of Freediving
• Physics and Physiology of Freediving
• Confined Water Static Apnea Development
• Open Water Constant Ballast Development
• Techniques for Intermediate Freediving

Is this course for you?

Your knowledge of safety, rescue or problem management is limited. You’re comfortable with basic freediving and achieve depths anywhere from 6 – 30m / 20 – 99 feet with relative comfort and have a breath-hold time of around 1 minute or longer. You’re not sure of extended freediving physiology or the physics that affect you during your freedives. You have experience in Scuba, Freediving and/or Spearfishing. If so then this is the course for you!

Download and review the PFI medical form. If you say YES to any questions you may need to get doctors approval to take part in the course. Email us if you have any questions about the medical form.

Check out gear recommendations for this course.  Nanaimo Dive Outfitters has a selection of Freediving equipment for sale.  Contact them directly at info@nanaimodiveoutfitters.ca .  Owner Shirley has completed this course and is more then happy to help you with selecting the proper gear.

Format / Duration – 4-Days

The course will be held over two weekends.  The first weekend consists of class and pool sessions (9am-6pm each day) and the second weekend will consist of three ocean session (two Sat and one Sunday).

Prerequisites

• Basic Freediver or equivalant experience with Freediving, spearfishing or scuba diving (general comfort in the water)
• Good health and fitness (must compete the PFI medical form)
• 12 years of age with guardian permission
• Static Apnea (breath-hold) of 1:00 minute dry
• Constant Ballast (unassisted freedive) of 6 meters / 20 feet

Cost – $695

Includes the following:

• Personalized instruction from world record holders & trainer
• 1 instructor/assistant :  5 student divers ratio (inwater)
• ‘Intermediate Freediver Student Manual’
• Pool and Classroom sessions
• Open Water instruction
• Hands on experience with specialty freediving equipment
• Clinic DVD and PFI T-Shirt
• Certification card
  *Boat and other travel related fees may be an additional charge where applicable

Registration and Payment Details

To secure your spot in a course, we need to receive both your registration and either a 50% deposit or full payment. Any outstanding course balance is due by the start of the course. See our course schedule to register.

Click here to view our Refund and Cancellation Policy,Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

This intro class will give you a taste of what our full program is all about.  This is essentally our Safe Buddy program where you will particapate in a class and pool session where you will learn:

• What Freediving is and why you would want to do it
• Basic Freediving pool safety
• You get a chance to try your hand at a breath hold session where you will be blown away by what you can acheive

 The May 17, 2012 session will follow the following schedule:

• 6:30-8:00pm – Class in the classroom at nanaimo Dive Outfitters
• 8:30-10:00pm – Pool
• REGISTER NOW!  There are only 8 spots available.

What equipment do you need?

• Mask or goggles (and if using goggles a nose clip would be great)
• Wet Suit – The pool is cool and the warmer you are the better you will do so a wetsuit with a hood is recomended
• Fins -  Time permitting we may do some finning practice so bring fins if you have any

Cost for the session is $25 + HST.  To register and pay for your spot now click here.

While living in the FWI, he started freediving because of spearfishing when 15 and is now a longtime spearo; but this did not came without some close calls and Eric is the very lucky survivor of a blackout who turned out quite bad.

Thinking after a few years of diving out of a club or an organized structure: “I could take a freedive course, refresh my skills and learn one thing or two”… he joined Performance Freediving as a student in the Miami April 2007 Intermediate course, taught by Mandy and Kirk…. what an experience it proved to be”. He learned, improved and enjoyed it so much that since then, Eric took all the PFI available courses up to Freediver Instructor.

Eric is proud to support PFI scheduled classes in South Florida, occasionally in other regions and can offer the PFI Freediver courses in either, English, Spanish or French. On the rig, he is easy to stop with his orange-head wetsuit. He also is the US importer of the H.Dessault spearfishing and freediving equipments, as well as the President of the Longfins Spearfishing Club, in Broward (Fort Lauderdale) County, where he participate in coaching new spearos.

You can get more information of the Longfins at: www.longfins.net or review the H.Dessault equipments at: www.dessault-america.com

Eric can be contacted by email at: epinon@serviceaqua.com

Performance Freediving has just wrapped up our annual event, Deja Blue III.  This is an event for anyone from long-term competitors to new freedivers, Deja Blue III has something for everyone!

Click here to see the current competitor In-List!

Want to learn more about each competitior?  Check out their video interviews.

Results!

And the final rsults from the 2012 Deja Blue III event are:

Check out the videos of all records set at this years Deja Blue III event!

*Be sure to check out our annual scooter freedive race, Formula3Freediving too! The racing starts May 12! 

Disciplines at this year’s event include the following:

Constant Weight – Diving down and back up under one’s own power wearing a fin
Free Immersion – Using the line, one pulls themselves down to depth and back up
Constant No-Fins – Without the use of fins or the line, one swims down to depth and back again
Static Apnea- In the pool the diver flats face down holding their breath as long as possible
Dynamic Apnea- In the pool with a fin on one sees how many lengths they can swim underwater on a single breath
Dynamic Apnea without Fins – One a single breath and without the use of fins, one sees how many lengths of a pool they can swim.

During the seven day competition competitors will be able to make attempts during 5 ocean days and 5 pool days. They earn points as follows and the winner will be the diver with the overall highest point score in all disciplines.

Scoring:

Depth Disciplines:1 point for every meter of depth achieved
Static Apnea: 1 point for every 5 seconds of breath hold time
Dynamic and Dynamic No-Fins: 1 point for every 2 meters of distance

Approximate Schedule:
All pool times are 6pm-9pm and all boat trips are in the morning. This schedule is subject to change.

Thurs, April 19- Arrive Grand Cayman
Fri, April 20- Shore
Sat, April 21- Training- Shore
Sun, April 22- Training- Shore
Mon, April 23- Training- Shore
Tues, April 24- Training- Shore
Wed, April 25- Training- Boat 1
Thurs, April 26- Training- Shore

Fri, April 27- Training- Boat 1
Sat, April 28- Training – Boat 2
Sun, April 29- Training - Pool
Mon, April 30- Training – Boat 3
Tues, May 1- Training – Boat 4
Wed, May 2- Training – Boat 5 and Pool
Thurs, May 3- Training- Pool

Fri, May 4- Comp Day1 – Boat 6 / Eve Pool
Sat, May 5- Comp Day2 – Boat 7 / Eve Pool
Sun, May 6- Comp Day3 – Pool
Mon, May 7- Comp Day4 – Boat 8 / No Pool
Tues, May 8- Comp Day5 – Day pool
Wed, May 9 Comp Day6 – Boat 9 / Eve Pool
Thurs, May 10- Comp Day7 – Boat 10 / No Pool

In past years we have seen athletes from all over the world compete and break both National and World records during the Cayman events. That being said this competition is for Freedivers of all experince levels. Everyone from those entering their first ever competition to those with records are welcome.

Watch videos, read updates and relive last years competition by clicking here.

AIDA Judge Course

During the Grand Cayman event there will be a Judge in Learning Course offered by Grant Graves.

The course will allow you to become an AIDA International Judge Level E.  This makes you open to apply to all AIDA requests for judges.  The course will include judging theory and practical application.  The competition that follows will allow a unique opportunity to either complete the competition prerequisite to be a judge or earn credit as a judge in an actual competition.  This is a great chance to learn to be a judge and be able to use those new skills immediately after.

The course is open to any reasonably competent freediver.  There are a few other prerequisites to consider.

4. TRAINING OF INTERNATIONAL JUDGES

4.1 All persons wanting to become an International AIDA Judge (Level E) must complete the basic prerequisite course, which is given by a competent, recognized Judge Instructor by the AIDA Executive Board.

4.3 The basic course in order to become an International Judge Level E consists no less than the following conditions:

Requested conditions to finish the course

• Minimum age of 21
• AIDA Level Freediver * *
• First Aid and CPR Certificate
• Experience as a competitor, coach or safety-freediver at an official AIDA competition
• Frogman Level Diver CMAS * (or equivalent) highly recommended. Mandatory for Judge’s levels A, B and C

If it is needed, we can conduct a CPR and First Aid Course during the event.  Details of that course will be arranged if required.  Not included in this course.

The course includes:

Course Content (16 hours minimum)

• Introduction to AIDA philosophies (1/2 hour)
• Theory on AIDA Team Competition regulation (1 1/2 hours)
• Theory on AIDA Individual Competition regulation (1 1/2 hours)
• Theory on AIDA regulation for Recognition of Records (1 1/2 hours)
• Theory on the surfacing/end of performance – Black-out/Loss of Motor Control (2 1/2 hour)
• Theory on dispute resolution and the AIDA Disciplinary Commission (1/2 hour)
• Theory on disqualifications, penalties and sanctions (1/2 hour)
• Theory on the organization of a competition and technical issues (1/2 hour)
• Practical application on time, distance and depth determination (2 hours)
• Practical application on the judgement of time and distance disciplines (2 hours)
• Practical application on the judgement of depth disciplines (2 hours)
• Practical application on in-water rescue procedures (1 hour)

The course is open to anyone interested.

The course cost is $395.00 which includes current rules and AIDA Judge Registration fee.  You must be a member of an AIDA National to become an active judge.

If you are a judge and want to sit in on the course to receive credit for an additional JIL, the cost of the course will be $100.00.

If you have any questions please contact Grant Graves directly at: makog@aol.com

Click here to register

We have designed this Breath-hold Survival Course for big-wave surfers, kayakers and other aquatic specialist to not only encompass basic breath-holding skills, but also that of breath-hold propulsion, safety and problem management, basic life support skills when training in remote areas and lastly training regimes once the course is completed.

The main areas of training fall into the following categories: 

• Safety & Problem Management
• Breath-hold Concepts and Physiology
• Breath-hold Training / Breath-hold Stress Training
• Gearless Propulsion Techniques
• Psychology of Stress
• Breath-hold Training Programs

Safety & Problem Management

Understanding the concept ‘PROTECT THE AIRWAY’ means the difference between an easy recovery and near-fatal or fatal.  How do partners work together when practicing, what essential in-water rescues should be employed, what does a blackout underwater look like and how should you respond, when to say ‘no’ and start again?  Train for effectiveness and safety not failure and injury.

Breath-hold Concepts and Physiology

How does someone hold their breath for over 4-6 min and not get brain damage?  Why does the heart slow down and blood in the peripheries constricts?  What is a breathing contraction and does it mean I should stop?  When breathing up I feel light-headed and dizzy, should I see a doctor?  How did David Blaine hold his breath for over 17 min?  Knowledge is power, gives confidence and helps avoid injuries.  Learn the secrets during this session.

Breath-hold Training / Breath-hold Stress Training

Time to put theory into practice and this session will kick-start it.  Develop breathing techniques when you have minutes to prep and when you only have a second before your underwater.  Feel contractions and learn to feel comfortable with that urge to breath or ‘air starvation’ feeling.  Daily practices will include ideal sessions while gradually working towards stress and immediate breath-holds. 

Gearless Propulsion Techniques

Whether a big-wave surfer struggling for the surface from 30 feet of depth or an extreme kayaker caught in a hydraulic, remaining calm and utilizing efficient life saving propulsion techniques, avoiding panic and wasting energy are essential.

Psychology of Stress

Again, knowledge is power.  Understand not only the psychology of stress but also the physiological responses that create it.  Meditation and focus techniques, time-clock exercises, ‘why does my air starvation feeling get worse or better in different circumstances and how can I create my situation’? ‘Whatever gets you up for the game’ Nike says, so let’s also put basic sports psychology in here as well.

Breath-hold Training Programs

Want to get better or simply maintain valuable breath-hold/comfort skills to survive a 60 foot fall off a big wave or a drop off a waterfall in your kayak?  Learn how to partner up for safe and effective training as maintenance during the down season or in preparation for that extreme adventure just around the corner.  Automatic online breath-hold training programs will be discussed and trained as well as how to adapt ‘Co2 and O2 tolerance training’ into a daily regime as standalone training or as part of a wider cardio program.  Get bang for the buck.

TRAINING DETAILS

• Student to Instructor ratios 5:1
• Students need to come prepared with mask, fins, snorkels, wetsuits, weight belts and 20lbs plus timing devices.
• Students are provided with ‘PFI Intermediate Freediver’ student manual and workbook.
• The course includes Class, Pool and Open water training sessions
• Participants will need to complete PFI Liability and Medical paper work

Duration and Cost

• This course is held over 4 days
• Cost is $745

Pre-requisits

• Be comfortable in the water
• Able to swim 400m/yards with only swim suit and goggles
• Able to tread water for 5min
• In good health with no counter indications as per the PFI medical form.

Location Info

Classroom and Pool Sessions (Day 1)

Calypso Divers Incorporated, 401 East Bearss Ave., Tampa, FL 33613 (813) 969-3483

Open Water Sessions (Day 2)

40 Fathom Grotto, 9487 NW 115th Ave, Ocala, FL 34482

***Because of the regulations set by the Grotto only students aged 18 years and up are allowed in this location. Anyone under that age registering for this course can only participate in the classroom and pool portion of the course in this location.***

The last two days of the course will be all diving sessions and will be held at 40 Fathom Grotto. We will finish the class and pool sessions on the second day of the course and then travel up to 40 Fathom that night, where we’ll be staying until the course ends. The cost of diving the grotto is $50/day.

Equipment Requirements

• Mask, fins and snorkel – Preferably low volume mask and long blade fins or mono fin.
• Wetsuit with gloves and boots – 3mm-5mm freediving suit is required for pool and ocean sessions. Good freediving suit with attached hood is perfect. If your hood is not attached please bring a separate one.
• Weights and weight belt – Having a rubber weight belt with an assortment of smaller weights to adjust for proper buoyancy.
• Depth and/or timing device – A waterproof watch at the very least, better yet a freediving computer is perfect.
  Check out general gear recommendations.

Don’t worry about lines, floats and those sorts of things, we’ll bring that. We also travel with an assortment of freediving computers for you to try out as well. Along with all of this we’ll video your clinic so you can review each day, your skills in the water as they improve.

Clinic Schedule

The following schedule is subject to change. The course starts at 8am sharp. Full course payment is due at this time.

Day 1

8:00am – 2:00pm: Classroom
Introduction & Registration
Emergency Procedures
Equipment
Breathing / Proper Ventilations
4:00pm – 6:00pm: Pool session (4 hrs)
Rescue Skills
Technique Development
Static and Dynamic Evaluation

Day 2

8am-12pm Open Water Session 1
2pm-6pm Open Water Session 2

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A native of Venezuela, Ricardo has always had a great love for the ocean.  As a kid he spearfished and snorkeled off the islands of Venezuela, and at 13 he got his PADI Scuba license.   After college in Florida he joined the US Peace Corps and went to the Kingdom of Tonga as a Fisheries Extension Officer. Over the years his career shifted to directing strategy planning and business development efforts at major media and technology companies dealing with Latin America, but he continues his efforts to support ocean conservation assisting his wife, UM Professor Dr. Claire Paris, in her underwater research.

The PFI experience has been very rewarding, strengthening a desire to share the wonders of the ocean and freediving. Ricardo is a PADI Scuba and PFI Freediver Instructor teaching classes in English and Spanish in Miami.

You can reach Ricardo at Ricardo@vortexspearfishing.com

Below is a sample course schedule.  Things may change slightly but this will give you an idea of what will be happening and when.  Boat fees are in addition to the course fee and will be paid directly to the boat operator.
DAY 1
8:00am – 2:00pm Classroom Session
Introduction
Registration
Safety & Problem Management
Proper Breathing Techniques
Equipment for Freediving
3:00pm – 6:00pm Pool Session
Surface and U/W Rescue Skills
Static Apnea Development
Technique Evaluation

DAY 2
8:00am – 10:00pm Pool Session
Proper Weighting
Negative Pressure Diving
Static Apnea Development
Entry Techniques
11:00pm – 1:00pm Classroom
Physics & Techniques of Freediving
2:00pm – 6:00pm Open Water session
Warm-ups
Constant Ballast 20m
Rescue Scenarios & Evaluations

DAY 3
8:00am – 1:00pm Classroom
Physiology of Freediving
Psychology of Freediving
Freediving Training Programs
2:00pm – 6:00pm Open Water session
Warm-ups & Free Immersion Techniques
Constant Ballast 30m
Rescue Scenarios & Evaluations

DAY 4
Board the boat at 7:30am.  We should be finished up at the dock by 12 noon.