3 December 2014
Nation Holds Its Breath as Trubridge Misses World Record
New Zealanders nationwide held their breath in anticipation as fellow Kiwi William Trubridge attempted to break his own
unassisted free dive world record. The 15-times world record holder’s existing record was 101 metres. William reached
his target of 102 metres, but got into trouble 20 metres from the surface, missing out on the new world record. William
recovered quickly and despite missing his target is philosophical about the result.
William Trubridge said not long after his attempt, “I am honoured and humbled with the support I have received from New
Zealand and while I am disappointed about not achieving my goal, this is just a plot twist and I am not put off
attempting it again in 2015 – I feel like I owe New Zealand a world record.”
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However, his extraordinary effort is still worth celebrating. Putting it into perspective, the bungy jump off the
maximum height of the iconic Skippers Canyon in Queenstown is the same depth. At this point underwater, there’s no
longer light, sound or gravity as we know it – everything is stripped away, leaving just the diver and his mental
strength, stamina and resilience.
Michael Taylor from Steinlager, comments: “We admire William’s awesome feat today. He showed us an extreme example of
what the human body and spirit is capable of, and he is still the world record holder – a champion that New Zealanders
can be proud of!”
Steinlager Pure partnered with TVNZ to broadcast nationwide coverage of the dive so that New Zealanders could watch one
of the world’s top extreme athletes. Trubridge has said he felt the support of the nation behind him and knowing the
dive was being broadcast here made him all the more determined.
Steinlager has long been a vocal champion for the indomitable Kiwi spirit that refuses to accept limitations. In
William, Steinlager Pure identified an incredible New Zealander who defies the physical and mental pressures of what is
normal for a human body.
Trubridge, who has a lung capacity two litres larger than the average adult, attempted the dive at Dean’s Blue Hole - a
200m deep cavern - near his home base in the Bahamas. The pressure at the depths William dives could easily crush
untrained lungs and around 40 people die each year from free diving accidents.
“William captured the hearts of the nation along the way, in some ways an even greater feat than a new world record,”
says Taylor. “His extraordinary effort is still worth celebrating and it sends a pretty strong message to us all – win
or lose – it's the giving it a go that gives William his edge and we should all feel pretty proud of him today.”
ENDS