19 August 2012
Organiser – Chris Marshall (Lazy Seal Freediving Club)
PRESS RELEASE
Breath-Taking New Record For Local Freediver
Palmerston North and Martinborough based freediver Kathryn Nevatt set a new World’s best in the Freediving discipline of
Dynamic without fins this weekend, swimming 163m breaststroke underwater on a single breath, adding 4m to her previous
National record and beating the World Record of 160m held by Russian Natalia Molchanova. 163m is six and a half lengths
of the 25m pool and the total dive time was 3 minutes and 1 second.
The National Indoor Freediving Competition hosted by Wellington’s Lazy Seal Freediving Club was held at the Te Rauparaha
Arena Aquatic Centre in Porirua over the weekend. Over three sessions competitors took part in the three indoor
freediving events of Static Apnea (breath hold time), Dynamic Apnea (horizontal distance swum under water with the use
of fins or a monofin) and Dynamic without fins (horizontal distance swum underwater without fins, doing a type of
breaststroke).
The National record will be an unofficial World Record since and International A level judge was not in attendance and a
doping test was not carried out. Kathryn is seeking sponsors to assist with raising the estimated $5000 to set an
official World Record. The result will be recorded as a world’s best in the AIDA World Rankings.
Nevatt described the dive as “a pleasure. I was so perfectly relaxed and close to sleep that I cannot remember a great
deal of it. I struggled with my technique and nerves in the first two to three lengths. I then just told myself to “get
over it” and “get on with it”. Due to some new training techniques I still felt strong at the end, without the usual
lactic build up and associated fatigue, and was overjoyed to find myself in the middle of the pool at the end of the
dive, several meters beyond the world record.”
Nevatt also completed a Static apnea in a time of 7 minutes and 22 seconds, just 12 seconds off her national record of 7
minutes and 34 seconds. She still aims to achieve 8 minutes in the near future. Nevatt is ranked women’s World Number
two in this event.
Second in the competition for the title of New Zealand Women’s Indoor Freediving Champion was Marine Pomarede from
France. The men’s competition was won by World Record holder Dave Mullins, with New Zealand representative Chris
Marshall coming in second. Beginner divers Odette Wood, Julia Cunneen and Adam Flaws set new personal bests in the
recreation grade.
Kathryn is a 33 year old architect working in Palmerston North and living in Martinborough. She trains in pools in both
Palmerston North and Masterton as part of the Breath Takers Freediving Club and teaches freediving/snorkelling skills
courses on weekends to fund raise for attending international competitions.
Photos Chris Marshall
ENDS