AIDA Press Release
The International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA) is set to Corsica, France for the 33rd AIDA Freediving World Championship. This prestigious competition will bring together nearly 200 participants from 52 countries in the beautiful seaside city of Ajaccio from 3-15 September 2024. The event will feature intense competition, live training sessions and much more.
The championship will take place approximately one mile offshore from the coast of Ajaccio, where the water conditions are expected to be ideal, with temperatures ranging from 22-25°C and a depth of 160 meters. This conditions provide the perfect setting to push their limits and achieve remarkable results.
A highlight of this year’s championship is the return of last year’s world record holders, Petar Klovar and Alexey Molchanov, who are back to defend their titles as the best in the world. Petar Klovar, who set the world record in Free Immersion (FIM) with a depth of 135 meters, and Alexey Molchanov, who achieved double world records in Constant Weight (CWT) at 136 meters and Constant Weight Bifins (CWTB) at 123 meters during the 2023 AIDA World Championship in Limassol, will be competing once again. Their presence adds an extra level of excitement and anticipation to this year’s event.
In addition, the competition will feature Brigitte Banengas from France, a seasoned athlete who has been competing in AIDA World Championships since 2000. Her continued dedication to the sport serves as an inspiration to the freediving community.
This year’s event also marks a significant milestone in the global representation of freediving, with athletes from Cape Verde, Syria, and Costa Rica competing in the female category and athletes from Bolivia, India, and Costa Rica competing in the male category for the first time in the history of the Freediving World Championships. Their participation underscores the growing reach and inclusivity of the sport on the international stage.
(Photos by Maxime Souverain)
Throughout the world championship, athletes will compete in one or more of the four freediving depth disciplines:
Constant Weight (CWT): Freedivers descend and ascend, attempting to reach a targeted depth by swimming with fins/monofin and/or their arms. Pulling on the rope and/or propulsion aids other than fins/monofin are prohibited.
Current Men’s World Record: 136m – Alexey Molchanov (International)
Current Women’s World Record: 123m – Alessia Zecchini (Italy)
Constant Weight No Fins (CNF): Freedivers descend and ascend, attempting to reach a targeted depth using only their arms and legs, without any propulsion aids or pulling on the rope.
Current Men’s World Record: 102m – William Trubridge (New Zealand)
Current Women’s World Record: 77m – Sadurska Kateryna (Ukraine)
Constant Weight Bifins (CWTB): Freedivers descend and ascend, aiming to reach a targeted depth using bifins and/or their arms. Pulling on the rope and/or propulsion aids other than bifins are prohibited.
Current Men’s World Record: 123m – Alexey Molchanov (International)
Current Women’s World Record: 111m – Artnik Alenka (Slovenia)
Free Immersion (FIM): Freedivers descend and ascend by pulling on the rope, without any propulsion aids.
Current Men’s World Record: 135m – Petar Klovar (Croatia)
Current Women’s World Record: 102m – Korok Fatima (Hungary)
Besides traditional partner, Korean premium freediving gear producer DoubleK, AIDA has partnered with local organizations to ensure warm welcome for athletes, staff, journalists, and teams. Thanks to our collaboration with Air Corsica, participants can enjoy the best rates on flights. Additionally, the Ibis Styles Ajaccio Napoléon is offering a special discount, placing guests just a 10 minutes walking distance from the Check-In zone.
Official trainings will be held on September 4th-5th, with the competition being streamed live on AIDA’s YouTube Channel starting 6 September 2024.
The complete schedule of events, start lists, and results can be found on the official AIDA Depth World Championship Corsica 2024 website.
Find the complete list of AIDA Official World Records https://www.aidainternational.org/WorldRecords/History. Find video replays of past AIDA World Championships here.
About AIDA
Founded in 1992, the International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA) is an international freediving federation based in Switzerland. AIDA is dedicated to the advancement of freediving through organization of the competition and education, and is the federation of all freediving nations, bringing together over 50 countries. AIDA has officiated over 30 freediving world championships and more than 300 freediving world records.
