Freediving World Record Event
Cayman Islands, March 21-27, 2004
For the month of March, two athletes from the Performance Freediving team will be training in the Cayman Islands working up to four world record attempts between March 21st to 27th. Mandy-Rae Cruickshank (Canada) and Martin Stepanek (Czech Republic) will both be attempting world records in the disciplines of constant ballast and free immersion.
In freediving the athletes descend to and ascend from depth without the use of scuba equipment but with the simplest of equipment such as mask, fins and wetsuit. Freediving history dates back at least 4500 years to the pearl divers of the south pacific and today enjoys a wide popularity both recreationally and competitively.
Mandy-Rae Cruickshank is a 29 year-old, three time world record holder residing in Vancouver, Canada. Her first record was in September 2001 in Grand Cayman in the depth category of No-limits where she achieved a depth of 136m / 447'. In no-limits an athlete rides a weighted sled to depth and then an air bag back to the surface. In May 2002 she set her second world record in static apnea, holding her breath at the surface, achieving a time of 6:16. In September 2003 she set a record of 41m / 136' in constant ballast without fins by breast-stroking to depth and back. Joining Mandy is her team mate Martin Stepanek from the Czech Republic. Martin is 26 years old and also a three-time world record holder. In May 2001 Martin set his first world record in static apnea, simple breath-hold for time at the surface achieving a time of 8:06. In September of the same year, by pulling down to and up from depth without fins, Martin set the free immersion world record to 90m / 295'. At the Sony Freediver Classic in Cyprus 2003 Martin set the world record in constant ballast, swimming down and back from depth with fins, to a depth of 93m / 305'.Both Mandy and Martin join up once again with coach and trainer Kirk Krack of Performance Freediving to attempt world records both in constant ballast and free immersion. Each has been training extremely hard over the past five months and looks forward to the warm, crystal clear waters of the Cayman Islands. Here they will explore the limits of human capability.
The members of Performance Freediving teach a number of educational clinics around the world and are involved in both team and athlete development. A clinic will be offered March 29th - April 1st.
