This is a letter from Karl Pernett, participant of the IWC World Static Apnea Contest held in Monaco, it’s directed to all the people that attend the contest, but he wanted that I put it to every freediver in the world. And this is the best place.
The letter:
"Hello Freediving friends.
I want to thank Pierre Frolla for having the idea of the IWC WSAC and for make it real, making an historic advance in Freediving. I want to thank also all the people involved in the contest, sponsors, masseurs, editors, camera man, and everyone. It’s with a team that you realise this kind of feat…of course without a very good director it’s condemned to fail. Congratulations to Pierre and his friends (boys and girls).
I also thank to Frank (my brother) because he made the contact with Pierre and he believed in me. To my Father (Felipe) and my Mother (Clarita), for going to Bogota just to said Good -Bye. To my wife, for all her sacrifices for my only goodness. In general to all my friends that gave me their support trough the internet and to all that express their affect and admiration at Monaco.
The IWC was a well directed party, that changed in all ways the focus of silence in a competition…we all knew that the music and the emotions of the spectators was toward us, this kind of noise don’t make you lost concentration, but encourages you to perform. This new concept is good for the sponsors, and I don’t know how long it takes, but I believe that this approach will give more strong to freediving competitions.
About the performances, there is not much I can say, I think that everyone faced situations that improved or limited their performances in the critical moment. In my case was a very bad headache, maybe because I made the wrong decision of only ate 2 slices of bread at breakfast after my morning training and fast for the rest of the day, just my pills of vitamins…when I started the first round I had it, that’s why my warm up static was only 5 minutes (I usually made 6′). As I didn’t want that it increase I talked to the masseurs, that very kindly gave me their help with a massage..but in the place we where, nobody heard the final countdown and when the organizers found me they told me about the time, when I get into the pool, I just had 2’36" and it takes me 25" just to pack, that means that had only barely 2′ to breath and put my heart rhythm down..when I started the apnea felt uncomfortable with the amount of air in my lungs, but keep it until 3′ and let some air out, I was thinking in keeping the hold, but I remembered that Pierre didn’t want any "scenes" during the event and to beat Eric I had to make at least 7′ (because all the problems he had)..but if I tried that, can end with a Black-Out, so I decided to abort the breath-hold at 4’15", with all my sorrow because I knew from a lot of people of Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and even Monaco, that want to see me in the Podium.
In the first round it was important that I didn’t come out, when everybody was telling me to do it, because I could show my competitive level…I don’t want to speculate if I could beat Timo or Stephan or anybody else, it’s just underwater, and at the final moment that you will know that…not at this moment, because there is a lot of sensations that come to your mind that induce to continue or to stop, and I don’t know what kind of sensations will appear if I compete against them…I knew that I could did more that my last training time in the morning, but that has to be proved the next year or in other competition before the IWC.
All of the participants were very good persons, very happy persons… there was some athletes that I wanted to meet in person because of their performances: Stig and Mifsud..There where also a person that I want to meet because of his controversies and performances that is Eric..Seeing again Timo was good, he always look awake and in harmony with life. I didn’t come to know very well to all of them because, despite that I want to talk (and already did it) I didn’t speak English very well. It was nice to share with all of you: Bill-Ryuzo-Wolle-Dominique-…Ah, Arnaud was one of the happiest ever and I’m very sorry for the end of his performance…but, as my brother said: There will be new chances.
About Tom and the IWC, I believe in both. I don’t believe that speculation is the answer to all this. Tom knows that He is the World Record holder and can give more. To all of us there is only training to gain that record. The IWC had there reasons, and, in my believe, there was no intention to favour any of us. To criticize and to speculate is very simple. To train and to organize events don’t. I hope that for the next contest, Tom will be in, the athletes that attend will give their best performance and focus on training, organizers focus to make events as good as the IWC and every one should give a right and productive opinion trough the internet.
One last thing, if Pierre or any of you knows to Foliad of AIDA Morocco please give a way to contact him.
And if any of you know about a job for a Freediving and SCUBA Instructor (Me :)) please contact me. Thanks to Deron for his kind offer to Hawaii.
With peace and tranquillity
KARL PERNETT
Colombia"
