Freediving on YouTube

[trux]

Originally Posted by BennyB

Trux, as I said earlier at no point did I touch the wall during the performance. I can see that my hands are concealed from the video just before I surface, but this is due to the camera angle and i'm still nowhere near the wall. If it was remotely questionable then the 2 judges, the official video and the 20 people standing around me would have picked up something. I'm afraid you're going to have to take mine and their word for it.

Benny, I do take your word for it, but I still see you touching the wall and grabbing the edge before clearing your face from water very clearly. And as I told, I admit I may be wrong. And I also explain that the subjective opinion, and the space for it the rule creates, is the very problem of it. The rule creates more space for subjective judgements and injustice, than it compensates for unequal conditions. And that's my point - I do not want to discuss or doubt your performence. I could not care less if you really grabbed the edge before or after. For me it is very valid regardless if I see well or not. What I am attacking is not you performance, but the rule that I consider very damaging the sport and allowing for manipulation of results and speculations.

[Jorg]

Benny, nice performance! I looked at the video several times, especially the last part. Trux, it's easily to think that he touches the poolside, but after looking at it very well I really think he isn't touching, besides of course believing benny on his word.

It's funny to know that not to long ago there were several situation with AIDA that 2 judges on site okay'd a world record, then the tape of the performance was sent to AIDA, somebody looked at the tape from his home together with a pizza and a beer and decided that the performance wasn't valid because he 'saw something'. Glad that period is over. Point of this story; never base your decision on what you see on video, but only base it on real life observation.

[trux]

Originally Posted by Jorg

Point of this story; never base your decision on what you see on video, but only base it on real life observation.

No, sorry, Jorg, I do not really agree with this conclusion at all. The real life observation may be as subjective as watching video, and often even much more because you have no way to push the replay or slow motion button. The only way how to handle the problem is abolishing this stupid rule that only allows for this ambiguity and subjectiveness.

[BennyB]

Ok, I understand that you're trying to make a point about the subjectiveness of the pulling rule, but to me (and everyone i've shown this to) I can't understand how you think i'm touching the wall. If you were standing there looking down it was obvious my hands were nowhere near the wall in my last stroke and when I came up. The perspective is always better from the viewpoint of a judge standing right in front of the athlete rather than an amateur video taken from several metres away.
Which is why the judges decide first, and if there's any uncertainty they then look at the video, not the other way around.

[trux]

Originally Posted by BennyB

I can't understand how you think i'm touching the wall.

As I wrote, I believe you and have no intention to dispute what you tell and what the judges decided. I simply see you touching the wall and grabing the edge, but it may be really the angle. Maybe I would change my mind if I saw the surfacing sequence in full quality, but as far as I can judge from the YouTube clip, I see no big difference between this and Wolle's surfacing. And even if there were a tenth second difference, I do not see any reason why it should be penalized by -20m.

[Jorg]

Some more video stuff, don't know if it was already posted:

Mifsud: Shark Freediving » Blog Archive » Stephane Mifsud Documentary

Loic to 171: Shark Sport » Blog Archive » Freediving with Loic Leferme

[watts]

Trux your trippin Bennys hands are no where near the wall. It looks like he is about to grab it first then pops his head up and then plants his arms. Top effort Benny on the dive, Vid and killer track.

Come home Benny Nat

[SanderP]

Hanauma Bay Freediving

Some simple snorkeling/shallow freediving scenes. Gotta love the background music by Jack Johnson.

[Walrus]

I looked at Benny's video several times, it's still very clear his head comes out before he touches the wall. I even tested under different scenarios, including looking at it from 20 cm away, standing 5 metres away from the screen, squinting, standing on my head, after drinking a few good Aussie beers and then all of the above....
in each case it's still a white card but hey that's just me

Nice dynamic technique Benny !

Cheers,
Wal

[watts]

YouTube - deepest blue

Wreck freedive Sydney Australia.

[ADR]

White card for sure....lots of arm movement towards the wall as he prepares to surface but airway well and truly clear before he grabs the wall. Nice swim benny!

[Apnea_Addict]

Another movie of apnea diving under ice (in sweden)

YouTube - Apnea under ice

Enjoy !

Holger

[Apnea_Addict]

It´s Herbert (Nitsch) himself:

Herbert Long Self Shot - Google Video

Enjoy !

Holger

[Apnea_Addict]

Journey of Pierre Frolla through micronesia:

YouTube - Pierre Frolla en Micronésie...

Enjoy !

Holger

[trux]

Originally Posted by Apnea_Addict

Journey of Pierre Frolla through micronesia:

YouTube - Pierre Frolla en Micronésie...

There is the second part of the set with Pierre Frolla in Micronesia, together with some other videos, many photos, and other information, on Pierre's blog:
Le blog de Pierre Frolla - http://pierrefrolla.zeblog.com/