This week on April 22nd 2016, 36 world-class athletes from 20 different countries will join dual World Record holder, William Trubridge, to compete in the 2016 Vertical Blue Freedive Challenge at Dean’s Blue Hole, Bahamas.
This freediving depth-competition is “the” sporting event of the year for elite competitive freedivers – the “Wimbledon of Freediving”, as dubbed by the NY Times.
Organizer William Trubridge had this to say:
“VB 2016 looks like it will be our biggest year yet, with the top athletes in the world registered. We have capped the number and invited all the top-ranked athletes from the previous calendar year, so that Vertical Blue maintains its standard as the most elite competition in freediving”
Comprised of three depth disciplines: Constant Weight (CWT), Constant No-Fins (CNF) and Free Immersion (FIM) this AIDA judged competition offers competitors six official dives to challenge themselves and their rivals to obtain the coveted Vertical Blue Championship title. Performances will be filmed on the surface and at depth using GoPro cameras to give the viewer a first-hand perspective on how deep these dives really are, amazingly all on breath-hold.
Another first for VB2016 will be athletes in the roster from China, among the many accomplished record-holders in attendance. Pursuing his own goals, Trubridge (who currently holds the world record at 101 meter in what most say is the purest form of freediving, constant no-fins) may also reveal a World Record attempt.
DeeperBlue.com Editor-at-Large Francesca Koe is on location and will be provide regular updates.
