South African national team athlete Angelo Spada is preparing to compete at the 2026 CMAS Euro-African Spearfishing Championship in Montenegro. It will be the final international competition of a long career that has included 20 South African National Championships, numerous open competitions and 12 international events in different roles.
Born in Durban 60 years ago and now living in Sardinia, Italy, Spada spoke to Apnea Passion about his career, his preparation for Montenegro and the honour of representing South Africa one last time.
Carlo Forni: Where were you born, where do you live now and where have you done most of your spearfishing?
Angelo Spada: I was born in Durban 60 years ago. Around 90% of my diving has been along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, although I have never passed up an opportunity to dive elsewhere along the South African coastline. I have dived from Sodwana Bay all the way to Dassen Island.
I believe it is vitally important to broaden your horizons. Only by experiencing different locations and conditions can you develop into a well-rounded diver. This was a lesson taught to me by the great Tommy Botha, who travelled to KwaZulu-Natal almost every year and with whom I had the honour of spending time during his visits.
I recently moved to Lanusei, on the eastern side of Sardinia, Italy. Spearfishing here is characterised by crystal-clear water during the summer, with surface temperatures reaching 30°C and a cooler thermocline between 18°C and 22°C.
Carlo Forni: Which competitions have you enjoyed the most during your career?
Angelo Spada: There have been very few competitions that I did not enjoy. Distinctly I remember my first Natal trial, around 1990. I thought I was a good diver, at least compared with my friends, but I was completely outclassed. I think I caught two fish, while the winners had considerably more.
That was when I realised how much I still had to learn. It made me determined to improve by diving with stronger athletes. My progress during those years was rapid because I refused to give up.
I also remember my first South African National Championship at Struisbaai. Corrie, Garrett and I arrived without ever having dived the banks or Skipskop. On the Skipskop competition day, I had no idea where to go. We initially entered the water roughly where most of the other competitors were diving, but very little was happening.
We returned to the boat and headed east. When we saw the banks dropping to approximately 26 metres, we entered the water again. Visibility on the bottom was terrible, only two or three metres, but there were bankies and red stumpnose everywhere. We drifted across the banks and caught fish along the way.
During the same competition, a large bankie swam towards me near the wreck of the Wafra. Unfortunately, despite what would normally have been a perfect shot, I failed to land it. That fish ultimately cost us the team competition.
My first international event as an athlete will obviously always be one of the highlights of my career. The competition in Algeria, however, was enormously frustrating for me personally. A massive storm disturbed the seabed, and on the second day I remained in shallow water, searching in visibility of only two or three metres. I did not realise that clear water had moved into the deeper areas.
After 20 National Championships, countless open competitions, nine international appearances as an athlete and another three as captain or reserve, there are simply too many positive and negative memories to mention them all.
Carlo Forni: What do you expect from Montenegro, considering how different its waters are from South Africa?
Angelo Spada: Montenegro is a huge unknown for us. For the first time in my life, I have been able to dive frequently in preparation for the competition.
The end of October should be a period of change in the sea, so I do not know whether the fish will be found in deep or shallow water. I have prepared for both possibilities.
Carlo Forni: How does it feel to represent South Africa once again?
Angelo Spada: Representing South Africa will always be a great honour. This will be my final international competition, as it is time for younger divers to step in. However, I may still assist the national team in a management role in the future, if needed.
One final international challenge
The Euro-African Championship in Montenegro will close an important chapter in Angelo Spada’s competitive career. His extensive international experience, knowledge of very different marine environments and recent training in Sardinia could prove particularly valuable in the unpredictable late-October conditions.
Whatever the final result, wearing the colours of South Africa for the last time will make the championship in Montenegro a particularly significant event for the experienced South African athlete.
