After winning silver in Laredo in 2023, Luigi Puretti is ready to lead the Italian national spearfishing team once again, this time in the Atlantic waters of Brazil for the 2025 World Championships, at the end of November. An important commitment for one of the most consistent and prepared athletes on the international scene. We interviewed him to learn about expectations, strategies and feelings just a few months before the international event.
Apnea Passion Magazine: The Italian national team that will be competing at the World Spearfishing Championship in Brazil has been made official by FIPSAS channels, although known for some time now. As a starting athlete, what do you expect from this World Championship?
Luigi Puretti: Yes, the official announcement came recently, but we athletes had already been informed some time before. I am very happy with the group that has been formed. I have to acknowledge the great work of our TD, who managed to build a compact and united team, rare qualities in a sport that, in fact, remains individual in the most important classification, the personal one.
Nevertheless, our team spirit is truly remarkable. There is an eagerness to collaborate, to share information and approach this challenge as a collective. And that is something that, believe me, you don’t often see even among opposing teams.
Personally, this will be my fourth consecutive participation in an international competition. I am coming in as the reigning Vice World Champion, and inevitably expectations are high. However, I am also very realistic: the average level has risen so much. Today, every competing athlete is extremely well prepared, and winning a top result is increasingly difficult.
AP: The ocean is generally very different from the sea we are used to. Have you studied the fields? What seabed will you find?
Luigi Puretti: Yes, we started studying the fields quite some time ago. The Brazilian ocean has very different characteristics than what we are used to in the Mediterranean. The southernmost field, for example, leaves me a little perplexed: it is relatively small, extending about two miles by two and a half, with a maximum depth of about 15 meters.
The fear is that we may find ourselves in a situation similar to what we experienced at the World Championships in Turkey: little really fishable areas and so many athletes competing-men and women together-in a small area. We are talking about almost 100 spearos in the same field. In a World Championship one expects larger spaces, instead this situation could complicate the competition.
AP: What fish will they be able to find? And with what technique will they have to be hunted?
Luigi Puretti: On the valid fish there really is a very long list. Unfortunately, groupers will not be allowed, which changes the strategy quite a bit. A few weeks ago the Brazilian national championship was held right there, and I carefully observed on the social pages of Apnea Passion the carnieri of the first two days: it was won with 6-7 fish in the first heat and about ten in the second. Pretty low numbers, especially for those who expect an abundance typical of oceanic seas.
Among the most frequent species are the mackerel, pelagic fish that live in midwater, to be hunted with targeted glides and drops. It will be essential to locate shoals and target the largest specimens. There are also some fish that look a lot like our bream, but of a more generous size. In short, it will be a very different fishery from the Mediterranean.
AP: What Cressi equipment will you take with you to Brazil?
Luigi Puretti: As for the wetsuit, I plan to use the new Cressi Posidonia, lined on the outside. Should we find colder water than expected, I will also bring with me the Cressi Ricciola, smooth on the outside, which is very performant in those conditions.
As for spearguns, from the information gathered, the most suitable sizes should be between 75 and 100. So I will carry the whole range of Cressi Cherokee, which are very versatile. I don’t think it will be necessary to resort to long rifles like the 110 or 130: from what has also been seen in the videos of local spearos, there doesn’t seem to be any situations that require it.
AP: What strategy will you deploy?
Luigi Puretti: Unlike here in Italy, where often the preparation is long and based on very precise signals, in Brazil I think the strategy will have to be much more dynamic. The priority will be to understand the behavior of the fish, which could change rapidly depending on environmental conditions.
During preparation I will focus a lot on this: studying the field, analyzing changes in prey behavior and adapting the fishing technique accordingly. It will be crucial to identify the areas where fish are most frequently stationed and what are the most effective strategies to bring them into range.
AP: Which are the strongest teams that will compete and who has the best chance?
Luigi Puretti: The team to beat, in my opinion, is still Spain. They have athletes of the highest level and considerable international experience. However, as we have already seen in Turkey, we also have to be very careful with local teams. They often manage to exploit regulations and competition fields to their favor, sewing them to themselves. They should definitely not be underestimated.
