FEB CUP Pardubice

This was my second competition and in dynamic apnea with fins (DYN) even first. It was also my first international competition.

First discipline – Static apnea. Nobody really likes it but what can you do. Warm-up, breathing exercises, instructing the buddy and then just hold a breath and wait and wait. The result was 6:45. First place and new personal best.

My favorite part of static apnea is coming out and then the feeling: “damn, I could have stayed down longer, I’m feeling totally ok.” This however is soon refuted by your buddy saying: “hey, you were on the edge, looking into nowhere, you couldn’t find your mask and you were waggling and 5 more seconds to BO.

The very first discipline and two new national records were set, Czech and Dutch, both in ladies category.
Alena Zabloudilová (Freediving Team Ostrava): 5:46

Karine Mouflin (Apnea team Amsterdam): 5:03

We had a light lunch at a nearby Irish restaurant in break before dynamic apnea competition. The scenario of it was quite standard. Competitors had only soup and water or beer and enviously watched the rest of the team glutting with chewy steaks, piles of dumplings, fries and cabbage. They also couldn’t help adding “adequate” comments.


Second discipline: Dynamic apnea with fins. I was quite worried about my performance in this discipline. I wasn’t very successful in training, it was my first competition in DYN and unfortunate experience from my previous competition in DNF. Same preparation as for static, inhale, a few packs and I almost missed the official top. Immersion was not as good as I would like it to be, first kicks were even worse and I didn’t calm down until the end of the pool. I managed to “deliver” myself to 134m mark. I was told off for my bad-balancing and poor technique and then I just stared at others.


And then it all came to the big final. We all knew that Jan Honysh (Freediver East Bohemia) would swim a long way, some even said 200 meters which would be a new national record as well as beating the magical mark. When Jan started he was followed along the pool by bunch of curious fellows. When he turned at 150 meters we all knew it would be huge. When he passed 170 meters most of us held our breath and after passing 180 meter mark even judges were holding their breath. He got out at 200 meter mark and everybody was cheering him up: BREATH! BREATH! BREATH!” And he did, saw a white card and made a new national record in dynamic apnea with fins.

Then we went to an after party and even there Jan Honysh proved he is an excellent freediver. At around 5 a.m. he had strong samba and almost a BO but he survived it.