New Zealand free immersion diver William Trubridge has attained his 16th World Record, breaking his own record by diving 122 metres today.
The four minute and 30 second dive took place at Dean's Blue Hole, in the Bahamas, where he set his previous record of 121m, in a dive time of four minutes and 13 seconds, on April 10, 2011.
Freediver William Trubridge will today attempt to break another personal record after he attained his 16th World Record, breaking his own record by diving 122 metres yesterday.
The four minute and 30 second dive took place at Dean's Blue Hole, in the Bahamas, where he set his previous record of121m, in a dive time of four minutes and 13 seconds, on April 10, 2011.
According to website deeperblue.com, Trubridge's parents and brother looked on as the 35-year-old began his descent, reaching the bottom plate in two minutes and 15 seconds.
William Trubridge has attained his 16th World Record! Pushing his own FIM record to 122m 🎉 (400ft)! We're all so inspired by this astonishing feat. Congratulations Will 💙
Photo by Daan Verhoeven
Free immersion is a freediving discipline in which a person dives underwater without propulsion equipment, by pulling on a rope during descent and ascent.
"I'm very happy with the result," Trubridge told deeperblue.com.
"But the ascent from that dive was terrible. At the bottom I was fumbling with where to place the tag on my leg, and eventually had to start upwards with my tag in my hand. A few seconds into my ascent I knew I could not hold that tag in my hand and so I spent a few more seconds trying to place it securely. With my focus off, I was not in the right head space, not in the place I like to be, to complete my dive with ease or confidence, in fact as I neared the surface I thought I might have a big black out at the top."
Trubridge also holds the record for constant weight without fins diving, at 101m. In the discipline, the diver descends and ascends by swimming without the use of fins, or without pulling on the rope or changing their ballast; only a single hold of the rope to stop the descent and to start the ascent is allowed.
At 202m, Dean's Blue Hole is the world's deepest known salt water blue hole with an entrance below the sea level.
In January 2015, Trubridge announced he had beaten his personal breath-holding record, after lasting nine minutes with "empty lungs".
The former Hawke's Bay man operates a free-diving school at Dean's Blue Hole in Long Island, Bahamas. He is also Suunto Vertical Blue champion and 2010 and 2011 World Absolute Freediver.
