Arctic breath
The project
The project is conceived as an attempt to break 5 world records and establishing one new record. These records are validated and verified by the Guinness book of records – a global record keeping agency. The planned categories are:
- Furthest(longest) freedive under ice with fins(W) – 113m
- Furthest(longest) freedive under ice without fins(W) – 65m
- Furthest(longest) freedive under ice with fins(M) – 153m
- Furthest(longest) freedive under ice without fins(M) – 100m
- Furthest(longest) freedive under ice without fins and suit(M) – 84m
- Furthest(longest) tandem freedive under ice – 100m
The location of the dives is conditioned with rigid propositions which, among other, require the minimum ice thickness to be 30 cm with stabile conditions. In order to meet the criteria and allow perfect photo/video conditions we have chosen Weissensee, Austria, December 2016. To fulfill the strict requirements for record validation and endorsement, as well as enabling the safety of the event and producing high quality footage, the freedivers will be accompanied by technical divers of the DISKF Dinaridi. Roniti se mora (www.ronitisemora.hr) diving club will also support and accompany the team bringing that final touch of professionalism to the story. They will drill the holes, mark the connecting horizontal ropes used to orientate the divers, deal with other necessary prearrangements and record high quality material.
Freedivers and ice diving
The records will be attempted by Lidija Lijić (www.lidijalijic.com), multiple world record holder, European and World freediving champion and Vitomir Maričić (www.vitom.ir), a versatile athlete whose last years have been marked with global extreme sport and adventurous projects. Preparation of this project is highly complex and uncertain due to the virtual impossibility to simulate external conditions during the attempt. This will be the first under ice experience for both divers. Freediving is distinct for the fact that the dive is done in a “single breath”, which creates a great psychophysical stress to the organism, and is therefore considered one of the most extreme sport ventures. Freediving under ice is moreover strenuous for the confined space, darkness, extremely low temperature (meaning rapid loss of energy) and the inability to surface at any time. This all together produces even higher mental fatigue and psychic pressure, along with actual menace in the case of misfortune.
Visibility and monitoring
Numerous materials gathered from the project will be available on the websites and social media pages which will promptly follow the attempts. Other than that, the results will be backed up with photos and videos on the official Guinness book of records homepage. News, statements and materials will be available and provided to all interested world media interested in diving, freediving and similar topics. Interviews, reviews, reports and stories are arranged with relevant national media
Sponsors
Those interested in partnering up with the divers will be able to present themselves on the diving gear, official pages of the project and pages following the project and during the public presentations of the project. There is an option of marking the photographs taken during the dives and incorporating them in the documentary following the project. Of course, individual arrangements and agreements are available, like personal presentations of the projects to the sponsor. Because of the remote location and very high technical demands of an attempt like this, the expenses are a big factor in the success equation of the whole story – which means the sponsors are in the position to actually make a difference in the results and the materials following the project.
The divers will use TopStar and Sub Craft diving suits. Sub Craft also designed hi end carbon fiber fins, which will be used in this project. DiveIn masks, snorkels, weights and gloves will be used in training and record dives. Lotos Hymer campervans will be used for warm up and pre dive preparation. Decathlon and Oakley will support the team with accessories, and all the materials and presentation of the project will be visible at the Erste Club Rijeka branch upon the completion of the project.
See you in the darkness.