WILLIAM TRUBRIDGE, WORLD NO-FIN FREE DIVING CHAMPION, SETS RECORD DIVE OF 101 METERS OR 331 FEET WHILE HOLDING HIS BREATH

On the 13th December 2010, just before midday, using only his bare hands and feet, William Trubridge swam down 100 meters (328 feet) into the abyss of Dean's Blue Hole (Long Island, Bahamas) and back up to the surface on a single breath of air with a total dive time of 4 minutes and 10 seconds (photo ©Paolo Valenti)

"It was one of the hardest dives I've done, in less than perfect conditions, but the hectometer has officially fallen....It has been a long road to this magical depth, and I could not have done it without the support of an incredible team: deep divers Brian, Paul & Jason; safety freedivers Alfredo, Brian and Charlie; photographers Igor and Paolo; paramedic Tom; Nic, who traveled for 2 days from NZ to support me; and my loyal and loving wife and coach Brittany.Thank you also to the event sponsors Suunto and Orca - their support for myself and the sport of freediving has been incredible.

Thanks also to my other athlete sponsors Ex Drinks and Tenerife Top Training, and to Glorope for supplying the perfect freediving cord.

I have a relationship with the depths they beckon me beyond my means cold dark vacant pressure forever night, endless dreams"

Here's the YouTube video of that incredible free diving world record.  It's spiritual, transcendental and beautiful in its granduer, but yet painful to watch:

 

William Trubridge (born on May 24, 1980) is a world champion and world record holding  free-diver from New Zealand.

Trubridge currently holds the world record in the Constant Weight without fins discipline, and is the first human ever to break the 100m barrier unassisted. 

William Trubridge's Bio:

 

Born:   May 24, 1980

Nationality:  UK, New Zealand

Height:  185cm (6’)

Weight:  75kgs

Lungs:  8.1L

Education:   BSc (Physiology, Genetic

 Diving Training:  Apnea Academy Instructor

Languages:  Fluent English, Italian

William learnt to swim at the age of 18 months, and was freediving to 15m by the age of 8, however he did not begin serious training for the sport until 2003.  In 2004 he became the first non-Italian instructor at Umberto Pelizzari's prestigious Apnea Academy. Since then he has trained extensively with Pelizzari, and written the translations of 'Manual of Freediving' (Idelson & Gnocchi) and the Apnea Academy Instructors Manual.

William holds the world record in the discipline of Unassisted Constant Weight (no fins), and can dive to over 100 meters (330 feet) without the use of fins, rope, weight, or any other form of assistance. In 2010 he also broke the world record in the discipline Free Immersion, with 116m (380 feet). He currently trains in Tenerife, at Tenerife Top Training Center during the summer and Dean's Blue Hole in the winter.

William is the holder of the following deep diving World Records:

• 81 m (265.74 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 9 April 2007
• 82 m (269.02 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 11 April 2007
• 84 m (275.59 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 4 April 2008
• 107 m (351.04 ft) Free Immersion, 8 April 2008
• 86 m (282.15 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 10 April 2008
• 108 m (354.33 ft) Free Immersion, 11 April 2008
• 88 m (288.71 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 10 April 2009
• 90 m (295.27 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 3 December 2009
• 92 m (301.83 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 19 April 2009
• 116 m (380.57 ft) Free Immersion, 22 April 2010
• 95 m (311.67 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 26 April 2010
• 96 m (314.96 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 10 December 2010
• 100 m (328.08 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 14 December 2010
• 101 m (331.36 ft) Constant Weight without fins, 16 December 2010

William also held his breath in a STA (stationary breath hold) for an incredible 7 minutes 29 seconds.

So how is William Trubridge able to accomplish such incredible free diving feats?   Practice, lots of practice.  Mind over matter.  Just look at this video of him practicing his breathing:

 

William could not have performed these incredible free diving feats without Team Verticle Blue, a dedicated group of close friends and experienced divers.

Above (left to right):  Brian Pucella, Brittany Trubridge, William Trubridge, Alfredo Romo Hernandez, and Charlie Beede

Team Vertical Blue members includes:

• Mike Lott - Safety Freediver: Mike is an Apnea Academy Instructor and highly experienced safety freediver. He has trained extensively with Wiliam and assisted in almost all of his record attempts.
• Alfredo Romo Hernandez - Safety freediver:  Alfredo was a student in one of William's courses who went on to set several national record for Mexico. He now assists William in world record attemps as well as in VB courses.
•  Brittany Trubridge - Safety Freediver:  Brittany is vertical Blue's yoga instructor, and currently safetys William during his training in the Bahamas.
•  Charles Beede - Safety scuba diver: Charlie is a scuba diver, freediver and resident ofLong Island who often trains with William in the Blue Hole. 
•  Brian Pucella - Chief Safety Officer - Safety Freediver:  Brian assists as an organizer in the Vertical Blue events and has also assisted William in several World record attempts.  
• Michael Trousdell - Safety scuba diver: A PADI divemaster and close childhood friend of William, Mike works as an engineer in sustainable design in London.
• Brian Kakuk 

  - Chief Safety Scuba:

   A deep safety diver, a

  n ex-navy diver, Brian is 

  one of the topcave divers 

  in the world, having set 

  numerous records for 

  distance in cave systems 

  in the Bahamas.
• Paul Heinerth 

  - Deep safety diver: 

  Paul is a master cave diver 

  and instructor who lives in
  Tampa Florida, and dives in 

  Florida's mysterious springs
• Nic Rowan - Video & photography: A freelance photographer, and close childhood friend of William, Nic assists in surface video footage and photo-journalism.
• Igor Liberti - Photography: Most of the photos on the Vertical Blue site were taken by Igor Liberti, who photographs exclusivelywhilst holding his breath, and is an Apnea Academy Instructor

His website is www.verticalblue.net.  Trubridge is also sponsored by Suunto and Orca.

Though Trubridge's passion lies in the depth disciplines, he accumulated the highest total number of points for an individual at the 2010 Freediving Team's World Championships held in Okinawa, Japan.

On 18 January 2011, Trubridge won the World's Absolute Freediver Award (WAFA) naming him best all around freediver, with the highest combined score in six freediving disciplines: static apnea, dynamic apnea with fins, dynamic apnea without fins (pool disciplines), constant weight apnea with fins, constant weight without fins, and free immersion (depth disciplines).

Trubridge is an Apnea Academy instructor and he currently operates a freediving school and annual competition both called Vertical Blue at Dean's Blue Hole in Long Island, Bahamas from September-May. During the summer he teaches courses in Europe and trains at Tenerife Top Training Center.

COMMENTARY:  I had never heard of William Trubridge until now.  I am now a big fan.  It taks incredible skill and super-human ability to do what William does.  God speed.

You will find William Truebridge's Facebook page HERE.   You can also find him on Twitter.

As a side note, Dean's Blue Hole is the world's deepest known blue hole  with seawater. It plunges 202 metres (663 ft) in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island, Bahamas.  (8/9/11)

Courtesy of Wikipedia, Team Vertical Blue and Deeper Blue

 

 

Comments

[Debbie Pahina]

Everything happens for a reason, although you didn't make your goal target. I would thank you for introducing so many people to an awesome sport. I am a fan. Thank you again you may have failed the dive but you won the sport😀

[selling home quickly]

I am really comply with this article. It is a valuable and charming article for all. Everyone please visit this site and discus about this post each other.

[Graduate Diploma in Athletic Performance]

That was amazing! I can't even hold my breath for a single minute. You know what, you guys are amazing!