Performance Freediving Team Break Two World Records
Cayman Islands, April 5, 2004
Mandy-Rae Cruickshank and Martin Stepanek set world records in the sport of freediving this past month in the Cayman Islands.
Athletes from the Performance Freediving Team were training in the Cayman Islands to break world records between March 21st - 27th. Mandy-Rae Cruickshank (Canada) and Martin Stepanek (Czech Republic) attempted world records in the disciplines of constant ballast and free immersion.
Freediving is where athletes descend and ascend from depth without the use of scuba equipment and with the simplest of equipment such as mask, fins and wetsuits. Freediving history dates back at least 4500 years to pearl divers of the south pacific and today enjoys a wide popularity both recreationally and competitively.
On March 21st, Mandy targeted a depth of 78m / 256' in constant ballast, a discipline where athletes swim down and up with fins under their own power. She broke the long held depth of 70m / 230' by world record holder Tanya Streeter. "This depth achievement is unprecedented", said Kirk Krack, coach and trainer of Mandy-Rae. "No freediving athlete has ever achieved such a large jump in depth in this discipline and Mandy is only starting to touch a bit of her potential as a freediving athlete."
 Mandy-Rae Cruickshank |
 Mandy on the way down |
 Mandy at target |
 Mandy ascending with 78m tag |
Mandy-Rae Cruickshank's a 29 year-old, now four time world record holder from Vancouver, Canada. Her first record, September 2001, was in Grand Cayman in the 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 of 2002 she set her second world record in static apnea, holding your breath for time at the surface, achieving a time of 6:16. In September 2003 she set a record of 41m / 136' without fins, breast-stroking to depth and back.
Joining Mandy is her team mate Martin Stepanek from the Czech Republic. Martin is 26 years-old and now also a four-time world record holder. In May 2001 Martin set his first world record in static apnea achieving a time of 8:06. In September of that year he set the free immersion world record to 90m / 295', pulling down and up from depth without fins. In June 2003 at the Sony Freediver Classic in Cyprus, Martin set the world record in constant ballast, swimming down and back from depth with fins, to a depth of 93m / 305'.
 Martin Stepanek |
 Martin ascending from 102m |
On March 23rd, Martin achieved a depth of 102m / 335' in the discipline of free immersion, surpassing fellow competitor Carlos Coste of Venezuela's record of 101m. "There was never any question that Martin would be able to achieve this record", coach and trainer Kirk Krack relayed. "He has historical roots to this record as he was the first person to make the discipline of free immersion deeper than constant ballast back in September of 2001."
Both Mandy and Martin are working with coach and trainer Kirk Krack, founder of Performance Freediving. Kirk is also the President of the Canadian Association of Freediving and Apnea (CAFA) and Vice-President of the Association for the International Development of Apnea (AIDA), the world governing body for the sport of freediving. Kirk is also organizing the 4th AIDA Freediving World Championships in Vancouver, Canada this August 4th - 12th where 132 of the worlds best freediving athletes will be competing.
The members of Performance Freediving teach educational clinics around the world and are involved in both team and athlete development.
For daily logs, pictures and video clips on the PFD Cayman 2004 event, go to www.performancefreediving.com.
For media specific enquiries, please contact Kirk Krack at 604-862-5868 or email at kirk.krack@performancefreediving.com.
