Experience the beauty of our fragile underwater world with Tomoka Fukuda, Fernando Stalla and others. Freedom – The beauty of our underwater world

For the last two weeks he’s been adjusting to the different water conditions in Cyprus, the location of the AIDA Depth Diving World Championship happening this weekend. Is world champion freediver William Trubridge now ready to battle his great rival Alexey Molchanov? When Will Trubridge arrived in Cyprus two weeks ago to prepare for the AIDA Depth Diving World Championship, he got a surprise. He discovered he’s about 300g lighter in the water of Cyprus than in the Caribbean, his home turf.  “The waters of Cyprus are the saltiest in the Mediterranean,” Will explains. Saltier water means denser water, which is made denser again due to the water in Cyprus being cooler than the Caribbean. “This means I am more buoyant than I am in Dean's Blue Hole at the same depth,” Will says. “This makes my descents a lot longer here, 14 seconds longer for the same depth.”During one recent dive, Will was 20 seconds slower than he would have been in the Caribbean and, as a result, he had his first surface blackout since April. But, after some mathematical calculations – something Will enjoys – he worked out that diving with an extra 300g lead weight on his neck balances out his extra buoyancy – problem solved. He’s now ready to battle his great rival, Russian freediver Alexy Molchanov. Click here to read more about Will Trubridge and his love of the ocean Alexy has just arrived in Cyprus after training for some time in Croatia where the water condition is similar to Cyprus. “I’m sure Alexy is going to give me a good run for my money,” Will says. “We get on very well, but we definitely want to beat each other.”Despite wishing he had more time to train before the competition this weekend, Will’s confident he will do well in FIM and CNF, the Free Immersion and Constant Weight Without Fins disciplines of freediving.“My fundamental goal is to do three clean dives,” Will says. “If I do that, then I’m guaranteed three medals. I would like to win gold if possible.” Aside from winning, Will’s most looking forward to seeing how he responds to the extra pressure of diving in a high profile competition. “In training, my dives are discovery of my potential,” he says. “In competition it’s more about staying focused and steady in mind and stepping up to the plate to win under tough psychological conditions. “In most other sports, the adrenalin you get from performing in front of spectators and media can be used to your advantage, whereas in freediving anything that lifts your heart rate isn’t helpful. “That’s the big psychological test of competing at this level.” The AIDA Depth Diving World Championship is from September 11 to September 20. Stay tuned for the competition results!  

It’s been a busy summer for the Badewanne diving team. The Finnish group of underwater explorers have dived a number of deep wrecks in the Gulf of Finland from the first and second world wars and also discovered an unnamed wreck from the 19th century. In this team report they give the lowdown on their finds so far: Operating from the Estonian and Finnish side, we have made dives during which history has again revealed itself before our eyes.Near Osmussaar Island, Estonia we visited the wreck of Russian mineship Yenisei, another victim of victorious U26 from summer of 1915. The mighty ironclad rests on the seabed at 45 m listing to port, with the Obuhov cannons in their casemate stations defiantly pointing towards the green light above. U 479 lies at a depth of 95 m. ©Badewanne.fi Next we headed out further into central Gulf of Finland and revisited the wreck of WW2 era wreck U 479. She rests on the seabed at 95 m after hitting a mine in the late fall of 1944. Dropping down through the water, we can see that the water is very layered, and eventually pass through the halocline at 75 m. There is a distinct boundary layer where water is optically distorted as we enter the more saline deepwater. Visibility at the wreck is good, and we utilize our short bottom time to shoot video of this uniquely well preserved WW2 U-boat wreck. Continuing our journey through time, we dived another deep wreck, a WW2 “Torpedoboot” T18. It wasn’t a small “motor torpedo boat”, as many would think about, but in German classification it’s a 900 ton small destroyer of “Torpedoboot 37” class. The wreck is broken in the middle, laying at almost 100 m. Visibility is very good, and we obtain a good series of still images before undertaking the ascent, and the subsequent and inevitable almost three hours of decompression. The Torpedo boat T18. ©badewanne.fiNext we move back to Finnish side, and establish our base on Hanko peninsula at Tvärminne Zoological Station, a scientific facility operated by University of Helsinki. From Tvärminne we again head out to the mouth of Gulf of Finland. We visit the wreck of U26, vanquisher of Pallada and Yenisei before her own fate in the fall of 1915. This wreck is very tricky to dive as it’s in a very busy location on the westbound shipping lane. Cooperation with maritime traffic controllers, Helsinki Traffic and Tallin Traffic is essential for safe and successful diving. We shoot video and stills for our documentary purposes, before we leave the U26 to her rest, which has lasted for 100 years this year. The wreck of the Yenisei, sunk by U26. ©badewanne.fi Next target is something we don’t know – something that according to sonar images could be even a submarine. However, when we drop through 75 m of water, we arrive at a wreck of a mail ship from the 19thcentury. Her bows are buried in the glacial clay, and deck cabins have suffered from inevitable trawl damage, but it can be clearly seen that this ship has transported mail – and people. Fancy cast-iron lattice in railings, beautifully crafted wooden benches can be seen on upper deck, together with the ships’ wheel still standing, and the engine telegram and compass bowl on the deck. The identity of the ship is yet unknown. Further out, during a lucky weather break, we again drop down to wreck at 80 m looking for a real “motor torpedo boat”. This turned out to be German Kriegsmarine Schnellboot S106 from the WW2 era, as we hoped. She’s broken in two by a mine explosion, but in very good condition. This is another new discovery, which adds a significant piece into the puzzle of naval warfare in the Gulf of Finland during WW2. After shooting images we again undertake the long ascent towards the green light. Kriegsmarine Schnellboot S106 ©badewanne.fi These are some impressions from our expedition this summer. However, there are still many weekends left of the diving season. Stay tuned, we may bring you more interesting stuff before the winter closes in! For more info on the Badewanne team, head over to their website.

When you imagine Caribbean islands, images of unsullied golden beaches come to mind. But out-of-control plastic pollution means this isn’t always the reality. Suunto ambassador and world champion free diver William Trubridge is on a mission to change this. When William Trubridge first moved to the Bahamas for free diving, he found himself developing an unexpected obsession. To his surprise a near carpet of plastic pollution covered some of the beaches on Long Island, the location of Dean’s Blue Hole where Will regularly trains. Will tries to keep one or two beaches clean. © Willian Trubridge“I just couldn't help myself from at least collecting a few bags of it and then once I started doing that it almost became an obsession or an OCD (Obsession Compulsive Disorder) thing,” Will says. “It's difficult to find time to clean the beach regularly, but we do organize clean ups to keep at least one or two beaches tidy.” Will teaches free diving on the island at his Vertical Blue School and does plastic clean ups with his students. He says they are always shocked by the huge amount of plastic on the beaches. Will's students always fill bags and bags with plastic. © Willian Trubridge“It's impossible to be a person who really enjoys free diving and not be affected by the sight of all the plastic,” he says. “One of the reasons I promote free diving and enjoy teaching people is because I know strengthening their contact and bond with the sea will change their behavior and make them more aware of this issue.” However, clean ups barely scratch the surface of the problem, Will says, so he began researching the issue more closely. During the clean ups he noticed one of the most common types of plastic trash he was collecting were small plastic sachets. They are used to hold 250 to 300 ml of drinking water and are sold in poorer countries such as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. “People chew off a corner from the bag and slurp the water into their mouths,” Will says. “They then get thrown on the road or off a boat and one way or another they end up in the sea. “Probably more than half of the plastic washing up is these little bags. There's millions and millions of them.” It's impossible to be a free diver and not care about this issue, says Will. © Willian TrubridgeWill began looking into solutions and tried to find alternatives. He found companies that manufacture biodegradable plastic substitutes, but none can hold drinking water without biodegrading. “My latest idea is to try and crowd source enough money to supply most families in Haiti with one big five gallon jug each so they can then refill them with water rather than buying sachets,” Will says. “The problem is these families don't have the free cash to even put a deposit down on one so they just go for the easy option and buy the sachets for a few cents.” The next step, Will says, is to find people within Haiti and the Dominican Republic who could help organize the project once funds have been raised.

What is the best way to recover after a race, adventure or just a hard effort on your own? We asked our ambassadors how they do it. From eating pancakes to paragliding, from secret smoothie recipes to stretching, their answers will help you get back on form more quickly. KILIAN JORNET Stay fresh by doing other sports I like to do some mountaineering activities to feel different feelings than just running. I ran less than 200 km in the build up to Hardrock because I was climbing instead. I was keeping myself fit through mountaineering so when I came to the race I was mentally fresh and physically prepared. Kilian stretches ©jordo canamerasAvoid over-trainingIf you focus too hard on one thing for too long you can get tired of it. You see people who are doing a lot of long races and who keep this up for one or two years and then, boom, they’re down and injured. It’s important to never do too many long races every year because after one, two or three years it can be really hard to recover. For me, 200 or 300 miles a year is the limit. Kilian Jornet is a multiple record breaking trail runner, endurance athlete and world champion ski mountaineer. EMELIE FORSBERG Rest! Normally I rest the day after or if it is an ultra at least. If I do a 2-4 hour race I normally go for a small run just to get the circulation going. I also like to treat myself after a race, like foot bath, compex [electrostimulation] take time for yoga, things that are easy and good for the body. Then my mind feels recovered and is soon ready for another hard training week or racing. I think the mind is very important for recovering. Emelie likes to practise yoga and eat pancakes. ©Emelie Forsberg Eat pancakesAfter an ultra, where you empty your body quite a lot and also eat chocolate or gels, I like to eat fresh and healthy, at least the first and second day. But pancakes is a standard the morning after, and yes I think pancakes can be pretty healthy..! Specially if I make banana pancakes :) Emelie Forsberg is a European and world Skyrunning champion CONRAD STOLTZ Forget ice baths I don’t go in for compression or ice baths. I used to jump in a cold rivers after training but I'm over it! Compression socks don’t fit well and science hasn’t really proven that ice baths work. Old school fan: Conrad Stoltz doesn't go in for ice baths or compression. ©zooom.at/markus berger Refuel properlyBut there are things that are proven to make a difference, fueling and rehydrating properly. Within the first half an hour of training you need to have so many grams of carbs and so much protein to start the recovery. [Advice varies but many sports nutritionists recommend following the for 3:1 carbs to protein ratio.] Conrad Stoltz is a four-time XTERRA World Champion triathlete ÅSA LUNDSTRÖM Easy rideGo on a very easy bike ride. It helps the circulation going and speeds up the recovery. If the weather is bad or biking is too much trouble (mentally), I sometimes go for an easy walk or stroll. © Åsa LundströmMassage In big blocks of training, a massage every now and then is very good for recovery, muscle relaxation and preventing injury. It can also be considered a treat for your body after some hard work and helping you relax. I get the massage after a big day of training, as the thing of the day. UELI STECK ElectrostimulationI use compex electrostimulstion and try to stretch a lot. Rest days are also good. I just had a rest day so I ran easy the vertical km up to Brevant in Chamonix. I had a drink with a friend then went paragliding. Ueli Steck during his mission to climb all 82, 4000 m mountains. ©PatitucciPhotoWarm down after exercise I move between 7 and 14 h per day. You start easy the first 30 min and you end the same way. So you have your warm-up and cool down. If possible I try to get my feet in a cold stream. MATTHIAS SCHERER Respect your body I really have to say that in the adventure world at the moment recovery and nutrition is not taken seriously. People are strange about hydration. They wear a Suunto Ambit, have the best equipment and then they drink snow water and don’t take things like this seriously! Take electrolyte capsules with minerals to rehydrate properly. Matthias front lifting weights. ©Tanja SchmittAvoid processed foodsTry to go as long as you can on normal food and then you can start to eat energy bars etc. People push the limits of eating concentrated food which can cause stomach problems. Eat a peanut butter sandwich. Bring it down slowlyFor recovery it’s important not to stop right away after an ice climbing season. I used to become ill in April when I stopped. Now I continue with skiing and in June and July I keep going to the mountains. I've found cycling helps me to mentally digest everything I've done over the winter. In a week I try to do at least 20 hours on the bike. I work on my films. That's my way of recovery. Matthias Scherer is a professional ice climber GREG HILL Smooth operatorAs a ritual I always have a smoothie after my sporting activities. As quick as I can I am at my blender mixing in my ingredients. Bananas, blueberries, protein mix, raw cacao, milk. That is the base for the majority of my shakes, each food is strong in its own way, combining for a strength building, body recovery, tasty beverage. Greg making a smoothie at home ©zooom.at/Markus Berger Cross TrainingAnother bit about an ageing body is balance. If over the course of your life you have created imbalances, they become more problematic in later years. To counter act I have been going to the gym to create an overall body fitness not just one designed for peddling a bike or skinning up mountains. Back problems, IT-band issues, all come from unbalance, so cross training is key. Take some time outAlso to truly have days off. Not partial days off. But couch surfing, suntanning, doing nothing days. You can get away with just one but at least every two weeks to take 2-3 days completely off. This truly helps my body as well as my mind. I come back and feel so much better than if I had pushed through on that extra day of exercise. Greg Hill is a pro skier. In March 2014 he skied 100,000m in a month WILLIAM TRUBRIDGE Sleep and eat right “Recovery is as equally important as training. In freediving when you hold your breath it generates a huge amount of carbon dioxide which makes your body very acidic and means all those free radicals cruising around doing damage. Being able to target that with diet that's very rich in antioxidants and making sure you're sleeping right is important.” Drink this: Will Trubridge's recovery smoothie My go-to recovery drink after deep training is a green smoothie, with the following ingredients: 1 frozen banana (makes the smoothie cold and creamy) 1 cup almond milk + water added to get the right consistency 2 tbsp Manitoba hemp protein (the best vegetal protein source) 1 tbsp cacao powder (great antioxidant qualities) 1 tbsp Hawaiian spirulina (nature's multivitamin, with many other superfood ingredients like chlorophyll, omega 3,6,9 fatty acids and more) 1 tsp beetroot extract powder (great for blood-building)Everything is blended together, and topped with a dusting of granulated bee pollen. Will Trubridge is a multiple record breaking freediver Still need tips on how to recover? Well go explore the recovery options available with the Ambit3

Will Trubridge explains the importance of psychological strength in freediving competitions – and why having a poker face is a very useful skill. To the observer, freediving is all about serenity and calmness – a peaceful interaction with the underwater world. It is exactly all these things, which is why competition freediving presents such a unique challenge, says Will Trubridge. “The conditions of a competition are slightly different to a world record attempt. In a competition you have an official preset time and there's a lot more people around – spectators and media. It's not as controllable as with a world record attempt,” he says. Trubridge surfaces after a competition dive at Dean's Blue Hole ©zooom.at/Samo VidicThe key ingredient to success is to be relaxed he says, which is much harder to achieve in the contest environment. “With other sports you can use the nerves and the anxiety which generates adrenalin to your advantage. In freediving it's completely detrimental.”The reason for this is the affect it has on heart rate. Stress and anxiety raises the heart rate. To be successful, freedivers need to have the lowest pulse possible to conserve oxygen. Trubridge is currently preparing for the AIDA Apnea Depth World Championship in Cyprus this September after a successful spring in which he won all titles and set a new competition No Fins personal best (PB) of 98m in Colombia. He says he’s getting better at handling the stresses of contests. “I’m feeling really motivated for [Cyprus]. The lesson I've been learning a lot this year is the importance of being patient and taking my time and not feeling obliged to do a dive.”He also says that mind games play a part. When going for a world record or when competing at his own Suunto Vertical Blue contest, a freediver can have multiple attempts over several days. But in the world champs, they get just one chance. And that involves some psychological battles. “You announce your dive on that day. If something goes wrong, then you don't have a second chance. It creates more of an element of chance. There is also a lot of sleuthing and spying to find out what other freedivers have done in their training to gauge how they're performing, and using that information to make pronouncements.” Watch as Will Trubridge attempts to break his own 102m record. He says that if he underestimates a competitor’s ability and sets himself a target that’s too low, he risks losing, but set the target too high and the risk is to over-stretch and fail. “It creates an element of a poker game in the announcements themselves!” he adds. Trubridge says he’s can’t wait for the contest to begin. “I've never been to Cyprus. My goals are to do well in all three disciplines. I have the world records in no fins and free immersion. I would like to do my best at winning gold in those two disciplines and do as best as I can in constant weight.”We wish him the best of luck.