Rounthwaite second in world after 133m dive

Wanganui free diver Tania Rounthwaite is delighted to have become the second-highest ranked woman in the world for her sport in 2012.

Competing with her Breathtakers Freediving Club in the Genesis Recreation Centre pool in Masterton, Rounthwaite finished the event on Wednesday with a personal best 133-metre dive in the dynamic no fins (DNF) event.

The effort blitzed her previous best mark of 126m and erased her disappointing start to the competition last week when she pulled out of her first dive at 56m.

"This dive will now have me ranked AIDA women's world No2 for 2012 in DNF; second to Kathryn [Nevatt]," Rounthwaite said.

AIDA International is the worldwide federation for breath-hold diving, overseeing and managing recognition of records.

Rounthwaite had managed a 104m dive on Tuesday, so put off entering the static event floating on the surface to have a final go at the DNF.

"I really wanted a better result than I had produced. Turns out it was a good move," she said.

"130m had been my goal for a while so to do it at a competition was great."

Martinborough-based Nevatt is Routhwaite's friend and training partner, who again suffered disappointment in her quest for the world record this week.

Previously Nevatt reached 164m on a single breath to better the 160m mark, but was disqualified despite appeal after the judge ruled a brief loss of consciousness.

She reached 160m on Tuesday but was disqualified again.

"How she managed five huge dives over five days with the pressure she had shows the calibre of athlete she is," Routhwaite said.