Today was the turn of the deeper boys (the deepest start tomorrow at 8.30 am) and 23 other competitors from 14 different countries. It was always going to be interesting, with two Japanese guys going for the National record of 76 metres and seven men going over 70 metres. Again, these are provisional results.
Ryuzo Shinomiya was aiming to break his own record and returned with the tag only to suffer a loss of motor control (LMC). Following him, Timo Kinnunen of Finland did a great 80m, and then it was Kaz Ichikowa going for 77m only to have to turn at 69m for a clean performance after ear problems. Walter Steyn gave us our first serious blackout after trying for 75m to beat his own record of 71m, and then the surprised star of last year, Deron Verbeckm did a great 67m, just missing the 70m he had subscribed.
This year’s major new face, Ant Williams (Ant Whooooo?!) did an awesome 70 metres in his first competition, a PB and the cleanest recovery I saw so far this morning. Fred Buyle suffered LMC going for 70m and Joseph Tufts, Tanya Streeter’s protegee, did a clean 61m to the delight of Tanya, her team, the film crew from Discovery, the Dive Inn guys and all the rest of the barge!
In the Women’’s comp Ruth Flores of Venezuela did a very easy 45m to take her own national record. Laura Tuominen of Finland and Jessica Wilson of the USA did 47m and 46m respectively, but Anne-Marie Kitchen Wheeler turned at 37m after trying for 48m and Tomoko Yamanouch suffered a brief black out after returning from 45m metres.
Here are the rest of the provisional results: (Subscribed / Actual)
- Victor Qundon Sweden 46m/ 46m
- David Morgan UK 44m/ 44m
- Panicos Panayioutou Cyprus 43m/ 43m
- Mario Leonida Cyprus 43m/ 43m
- Gregory Piazzola France 43m/ 43m
- Simon Reid UK 42m/ 42m
- Antti Makela Finland 42m 42m
- Marcus Greatwood UK 41m/ 41m
- Jaromir Foukal Austria 41m/ 41m
- Claudia Rollero Switzerland 41m/ 41m
- Naomi Kent UK 40m/ 40m (lost weight belt DQ)
- Daniel Wieser Switzerland 39m/ 39m
- Sam Kirby UK 38m/ 38m
- Joanna Massacand Switzerland 38m/ 38m
- Olga Stepanische Russia 37m/ 37m (no lanyard)
- Suzanne Pugh UK 36m /36m
- Mahmoud Abdelah Egypt 35m/ LMC
- Oliver El-daly Austria 35m/ 35m
As you can see the rest of the divers save one had clean performances. Marcus Greatwood of the UK was wearing a purple warlock’s hat until just before his dive and surfaced with a smile, as did Joanna Massacand of Switzerland, partly helped by having Herbert Nitsch as a safety diver…
Penalties from yesterday include the Cyprus national record holder Costas Kyriakou and Swedish record holder Lotta Ericson for touching/holding the rope. With the non- appearance of the ill Natalia Molchanova and Lotta’s penalty, the leader board for the women stands so far at:
- Annabel Briseno/ Hannah Stacey 54 points
- Megumi Matsumoto 52 points
- Junko Kitahama/ Nikka Morinaga/ Birggitte Banegas 50 points
- Aurore Asso 49 points
This is one of the closest competitions I’ve ever seen for the women and it will all hinge on the static come Saturday. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow for the men, as they have yet to all dive…
Other news: The last piece of the puzzle for my DeeperBlue.net photo quiz disappeared into the mountains yesterday and hasn’t been seen since. Obviously some altitude training going on there… I’ll try and catch them tonight and then find a computer that actually connects to the internet. All systems went down in Limassol yesterday and haven’t properly come back up until you read this.
Other news is the kidnap of The Deepest Bear! A ransom note has been posted- no demands as yet but Sam Kirby is promising divine retribution from Huggy, Mommy, Daddy and Baby Bear if he is not returned by tonight. She returned from an excellent dive to 38 hoping he had been placed at the base plate but alas no! Keep an eye on DeeperBlue.net for all the latest!
