RMC 2005 pool freediving competition
Wiesbaden, Germany
From 28th till 30th October the first official Apnea Team Amsterdam (ATA) trip was a fact. We went to Wiesbaden to attend the yearly Rhein Main Cup. (RMC) This, I know from past experience, is a well-organized competition and attracts lots of good free divers from all over.
ATA was there represented by Peter Wurschy, Patricia Ribas, Gonnie Roekevisch and Glenn Venghaus.
We were all in good shape as Peter had just done a very nice 119 meters dynamics (unfortunately DQ because of surface protocol error), Patricia a new PB of 84 meters and Glenn Venghaus a new national record of 137 meters the week before at a local competition in Dordtdrecht (Netherlands). Gonnie had not competed for a while but felt good.
The day before the competition we spend relaxing in one of Wiesbaden’s famous natural spa centers the Kaiser Friedrichs Spa, featuring Roman style hot and cold natural spring water pools.
This and specially the alternating hot/cold baths, turned out not only to relax us but also drain us from a lot of energy, so that night after an unfortunately bad meal, we literally crashed in our beds ;-)
We were a bit worried how this would affect our performances the coming day, but at least the team spirit was as high as could be.
This and specially the alternating hot/cold baths, turned out not only to relax us but also drain us from a lot of energy, so that night after an unfortunately bad meal, we literally crashed in our beds ;-)
We were a bit worried how this would affect our performances the coming day, but at least the team spirit was as high as could be.
Gonnie started of the competition day with a very clean static performance of 3:30min.
Then it was Patricia’s turn. During her warm-ups we discovered that here contractions, which normally start accurate as a Swiss made clock at 2:30, now started one minute earlier. Possibly some ill effects from the day before. The same happened in the competition, but she showed us all how you could fight your way thru everything with willpower. After an amazing show looking like a death struggle, where her whole body undulated like she was swimming with a monofin, she finished her performance at 3:24. Leaving me, as her in-water coach, and the rest of the audience and judges with heartbeats in the 200 range while she just smiled like nothing had happened.
Next was Peter, who beat his competition PR by doing a very clean 5:37. The man is on a role here and getting better every time. (although he had hoped for more in this competition already).
Glenn Venghaus beat all static times by doing a nice 6:27. Would be difficult however to keep this first place, since he would perform dynamic without fins in a field with some strong fin swimmers.
After the static’s we felt empty and it looked like the effects of the day before started to take its tole.
But after an our of sleep like a baby, Gonnie proved she got over it by setting an easy looking 75 meters and sealed her comeback.
Patricia (also after some sleep) did the same trick and also finished with a clean 75 meters and was happy (very unusual for her). During her warm-up she still had the 1 minute earlier contractions effect, otherwise she might have done some more.
Peter proved his continuing improvement by doing PR of 125 meters dynamics with fins and happily received a loud applause from the audience.
Glenn had planned to try and beat his own national record no fins of 114 meters by doing 120-125 meters, which theoretically he is definitely able to do. He felt relaxed but a bit weak after the static, the long pause without food and probably the day before effects still lingered in his system. After the initial easy 75 meters something changed in his head, which he did not trust and at 90 meters decided not to risk a blackout and aborted the dive. Still a nice distance, but far from his mission and also loosing lot of competition points. He was still happy to be able to read his body good enough to always come up clean.
In the end it turned out Peter took 6th place overall, so was very happy. Well done !!
Glenn had planned to try and beat his own national record no fins of 114 meters by doing 120-125 meters, which theoretically he is definitely able to do. He felt relaxed but a bit weak after the static, the long pause without food and probably the day before effects still lingered in his system. After the initial easy 75 meters something changed in his head, which he did not trust and at 90 meters decided not to risk a blackout and aborted the dive. Still a nice distance, but far from his mission and also loosing lot of competition points. He was still happy to be able to read his body good enough to always come up clean.
In the end it turned out Peter took 6th place overall, so was very happy. Well done !!
Looking back we definitely proved to ourselves that operating as a team on international competitions has a definite advantage with regards to planning/coordination/budying etc. We ran like an efficient well-oiled train without one hiccup.
Next event in 2 weeks time in Hungary to close of the competition year.
Until then..........
Until then..........
Greetzzzz and love,
Apnea Team Amsterdam
Check out the foto gallery at Apnea Team Amsterdam freediving gallery for lots more pictures of this competition.