FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Long Standing US Freediving Record Broken

West Bay, Grand Cayman.  United States Apnea Association (USAA) is pleased to announce that Erin Magee of Fort Lauderdale, FL set a new United States Women’s Freediving National Record while holding her breath and swimming with her mono fin to a depth of 71 meters (233 feet).  Her performance took place during the Performance Freediving Invitational Competition Deja Blue being conducted in the blue waters off the west coast of Grand Cayman.

Erin has broken Tanya Streeter’s long-standing record of 70 meters (230 feet) that was set as a world record in 2001.  This was the longest standing US record.  Constant Weight is one of the most respected freediving disciplines requiring the athlete to swim to depth with fins or a mono fin and return to the surface, all under their own power.  Many attempts have been made to break this record, all resulting in failure. 

Erin’s dive took two minutes and eighteen seconds to complete.  Her return to the surface was relaxed and she completed her surface protocol quickly.  The judges said, “She made it look easy.  You would think it was a warm up dive.  This athlete has a lot more in her.”

Erin said, “Finally! I have had this number in my head for a long time.  I finally got it.  The dive felt great, it was the best dive of the competition.  I want to go deeper.”  This performance caps off a weeklong competition that has seen Erin make new personal best in her dives repeatedly.  Erin is relatively new to the sport of freediving only becoming serious about her training a little over a year ago. 

The Performance Freediving Invitational Competition is an annual event that has taken place in Grand Cayman since 2006.  For more information checkout http://www.performancefreediving.com.

Grand Cayman is a diving mecca in the center of the Caribbean, better known as a scuba diving destination; it has recently seen an influx of freediving activity, competitions, and courses.  Cayman’s clear, blue, and warm waters make it ideal for all water activities.  The submerged walls with their sheer drop offs make it ideal for deep freediving. 

Constant Weight (CWT) challenges the athlete to swim to depth and back with the use of fins or a mono fin under their own power while holding their breath.  The athlete is not allowed to contact the competition line other than to recover their tag at depth while turning.  Upon reaching the surface the athlete must perform a surface protocol within fifteen seconds of their return to the surface.

The USAA is a nonprofit association founded on the democratic representation of freediving within the United States and internationally.  Founded in 2003, the USAA consists of an active membership dedicated to furthering freediving in the United States and abroad. For more information about the USAA, the U.S. National Freediving Team, and membership please visit http://www.usfreediving.org.

The International Association for the Development of Freediving, AIDA, is the international sanctioning body for freediving, individual and team competition, and freediving world record attempts.  For more information about AIDA please visit http://www.aidainternational.org.

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Images available upon request. 

Contact Information:

Grant W. Graves, President
United States Apnea Association, USAA

3642 Seahorn Dr.
Malibu, CA 90265
Email: makog@aol.com
Phone: 310-560-6104

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