News
Great Northern and BFA UK National Pool Competition Report
The Great Northern Freediving Competition and the BFA UK National pool championship results are now in. There were two days of competition. Day one was Apneists UK Dynamic No Fins Day (DNF) and was a small National competition with guests and a great way of involving a few new volunteers and newbie athletes into a very relaxed and easy session at Wright Robinson pool in Manchester. Day two was the BFA UK National pool competition and the 8th Great Northern International Pool Competition. Winners for these competitions were combined point score for Static apnea added to a choice of dynamic with fins, or dynamic with no fins (DNF multiplied by 1.3).
The Easter weekend gained a few people who may not have made it, and lost a few who were taken up, so next year it will be on a neutral weekend with no significant calendar event. I was very happy to see a few new faces – we had 9 new divers out of the 31 entered starting over the two days and many of them put in pb or close to pb performances which was nice. It was good to see Lucy Hannell podium as she has been out for a while – nice swim. And Lucelle Simms was solid all weekend despite having a very short warm up just before her static.
There was a lovely DNF swim by Borys Bajorek to beat the current Hungarian National record holder Mike Benke. Mike had his arm bent to enter as he was out of form, and after he podiumed he asked then if he could enter the second day as all of a sudden his motivation had suddenly come back. Eoin Clarke did a massive swim, but he woke up in the arms of friends after singing ‘keep on swimming keep on swimming’ until the safety decided he had swam far enough – 34 metres longer than planned – but I’m definite we will see another Irish National record very soon.
The static event saw lots of white card performances, but it seems the best dives were left for the dynamic with fins / dynamic no fins event. Alice Hickson came back into the room and put a very solid, and very clean 161m DNF in which immediately put her out of reach of any mortal that had entered. Great swim also by Lucelle at 150m who was there really to put numbers on the board, but the numbers were good. In the Men’s event Phil Fennell put in a big 169m swim, and only missed first spot because of Adam Drzazga having a bigger static earlier.
Below is a run down of now official podium places. The two days’ results in full can be found here.
Apneists UK Dynamic No Fins Competition
Male
1st place Borys Bajorek
2nd place Mike Benke
3rd place Phil Fennell
Female
1st place Lucelle Simms
2nd place Lucy Hannell
3rd place Claire Elwood
The second day on April 16th was a joint competition – the 8th Great Northern Freediving competition and the BFA UK National pool championships running alongside it. We saw some great performances even though many of the athletes were out of full pool training this time of the year.
BFA UK National Pool Competition
Male
1st Place Adam Drzazga
2nd place Phil Fennell
3rd place Tom Elliot
Female
1st place Alice Hickson
2nd place Lucelle Simms
3rd place Nancy Gibson
8th Great Northern International
Male
1st Place Adam Drzazga
2nd place Phil Fennell
3rd place Tom Elliot
Female
1st place Alice Hickson
2nd place Lucelle Simms
3rd place Nancy Gibson
Best Newbie Overall
Male
Mika Meskanen
Female
Alexandra Mikheeva
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Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers, and also to our sponsors:
See you all next year!
Blogs
Discover Curaçao with the Ultimate Dive Vacation Guide – 2024 DEMA Special Edition
Dive Travel Curaçao is thrilled to announce the launch of the Curaçao Dive Vacation Guide – 2024 DEMA Special Edition, an expertly curated resource that unveils the unparalleled dive experiences and vacation possibilities awaiting you in Curaçao. Produced exclusively for the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) Show 2024, this special edition guide is packed with exclusive insights, travel tips, and limited-time DEMA offers that make it easier than ever to explore Curaçao’s stunning underwater landscapes and vibrant culture.
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Immerse Yourself in Curaçao’s Culture, Culinary Delights, and Adventure
Curaçao offers a vibrant Caribbean culture rich in history, music, and culinary fusion. The guide reveals Curaçao’s hidden gems, including culinary hotspots, historical sites, and eco-tourism opportunities that will appeal to both divers and non-divers. Visitors can explore the island’s iconic architecture, savor a diverse range of dishes influenced by Caribbean, European, and South American flavors, and embark on land-based eco-adventures, such as hiking, cave exploration, and visiting national parks.
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News
Santa Divers take the Plunge for Charity
Ho Ho Ho! Vobster Quay’s recording-breaking charity Santa diving event returns on Sunday 15th December 2024 for another round of festive fundraising frivolities. Run in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes, this ever-popular annual fundraising event aims to raise sack-loads of cash for these two very deserving charities.
Divers of all levels are invited to grab their Santa outfits – and as much festive cheer as they can muster – and head down to Vobster Quay near Mells, Somerset for a mass sponsored Santa dive in aid of charity. In previous years, the event has attracted divers from the far corners of the UK to join in the festive merriment for a final festive dive before the Christmas and New Year break. Back in 2015, the event smashed the world record for the most Santa divers with 188 divers taking to the waters donning their festive finery – a record that remains unbeaten to this day!
Vobster Santas isn’t just about setting records – it’s also about raising some serious cash for charity. Vobster Quay encourages all divers to get into the spirit of the season to raise much-needed funds for two very deserving charities – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Help For Heroes.
Through individual sponsorship and online donations, divers can invite their friends, family and work colleagues to sponsor them to plunge into the balmy waters of Vobster Quay dressed in full festive finery. Since the very first Santa dive in 2007, the event has raised over £52,000 for charity. “It’s been over 17 years since the very first charity Santa dive took place at Vobster Quay and every year the event just keeps getting bigger and better” enthused Vobster Quay owner, Amy Stanton.
“Vobster Santas is a great way for divers to say a massive thank you to the both the RNLI and Help For Heroes – two very deserving charities close to our hearts. We’re immensely proud of all that Vobster Santas has achieved and hope that even more divers will join this year’s event on Sunday 15th December. I’m confident that we can make Vobster Santas 2024 the biggest yet!”.
Divers wishing to participate can get involved by simply registering their attendance at
www.vobster.com/event-vobstersantas.php.
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