Gianluca
Genoni has been a Mares testimonial since 1996, has established 18 world records in numerous freediving specialties and is now International Training Director for Freediving with SSI. We're happy to announce he's also on board with our blog and will be sharing more of his experiences and travels with us here, look out for his posts!
We recently caught up with him to find
out more about the wonderful world of apnea, what attracted him to the sport and why he loves it! See our interview...
How did you discover freediving?
I first discovered freediving in 1990 when I had just finished my
swimming career. Living far away from the sea, I started in a pool, challenging
my friends to see who could stay underwater for the longest. I still remember
today that the second time I tried, I managed to stay down for 4’21’’,
following this I moved closer to the sea and to deeper waters, and the 17th
August 1996 I set my first World Record for Variable Weight Apnea going to a
depth of 106m. After this I improved on my record 18 times until reaching a
depth of 160m.
What is it that you love about freediving?
Freediving brings me inner peace and
serenity, exploring the depths takes me away from earthly life. I love freediving
because it trains both the body and the mind. It allows you to explore the
ocean floor and yourself in complete freedom. Nothing gives me freedom like freediving.
When I dive, the deep blue which envelopes me, the absolute silence surrounding
me and my weightless body make me feel at peace with myself.
What does your training involve?
Apnea is a sport in every sense of the word so, as with all
sports, everyone can try it without any particular problems. To reach a certain
level, however, you need to train daily. A freediver’s training involves
specific exercises: real freediving in a swimming pool or at greater depth, and
further training on dry land working on breathing and relaxation, movement of
the thorax, diaphragm and joints.
Can you tell us a bit about the new Mares Freediving product range?
Mares’ new freediving range, which for the first time is also
complete with accessories, is comfortable and elegant, allowing divers to
perform at a high level in absolute comfort.
See more in our video here.
Check out Mares’ Freediving range here.
Mares
14th July 2016
