The visibility in Deans Blue Hole was nearly picture perfect on Day Four of Suunto Vertical Blue 2017. And so was the position that Michael Board of Great Britain found himself in. The man who became the first Brit to ever reach 100m, propelled himself down to an astonishing 106m under constant weight on this the fourth day of the competition (and the first day of the second Act.) The truth is Board actually achieved a personal best dive of 107 meters on this dive, but he only gets to count what he announced, in any event, it was a celebratory white card day for the former Royal Marine.
Misuzu Okamoto christened the day with a white card and her elegant movement as the inaugural diver of the morning. Her steady grace and consistently good diving is a model for everyone else.
It was also a great day for Alex Davis of Barbados, who nabbed his third national record at the comp to complete a tidy hat-trick. Davis is the first male record holder ever, for Barbados.
Luke Maillis of the Bahamas added to his stash of records by successfully completing a constant weight dive to 50 meters using bi-fins.
“I am most comfortable in bi-fins,” shared Maillis, “they are what I use when I go spearfishing.”
Frenchman Stephane Tourreau was beaming after his speedy dive to 103m CWT.
“This is the best dive I have ever made in a competition! I feel so fresh – it was an amazing dive!”
Stephane’s joy is a good reminder of the whole point of freediving.
Anna Von Boetticher offered a different side of the coin, finishing a no-fins dive to 55m (which deepened her own national record.) As she climbed onto the platform after receiving a white card from the judges she gleefully shouted
“I am ready for coffee and chocolate!”
and given her strong performances, we think she deserves both.
Watch a wrap-up video of the first Act here below, check out all of the day’s results in the chart and stay tuned for the rest of Act II #VB2017.
