Slovenia: 2007 AIDA World Indoor Freediving Championships

Day 4

Results are being posted almost live to the event site. Click http://en.wch2007.h2oteam.com/results2/

Wow, what a day.

Static Finals in the morning. Our own Jessica Wilson was in the A Final. In Spite of barfing her guts out only ten minutes before her start (I was wondering why she was face down in the swim gutter of the pool prior to moving to the comp zone. Strange new training technique? No, nerves.), she manage to win third overall! She is in the medals! Her time, 6:00. The amazing thing in the final was once again the Russian dominator, Natalia. She broke her own world record of 7:30 with a time of 8:00. It was clear once she left 7:30 behind she was not stopping till 8:00. Truly an amazing thing to witness. Her time was the best of the day, men or women.

Jessica and Natalia embrace after the Static Final. Natalia first with a new world record of 8:00 and Jessica third with 6:00.

Natalia after 7:30 in her static performance.

Our own Deron Verbeck managed to win the B Final with a time of 7:02 placing him in 9th place overall. The Men's A final was a big surprise. Nicolas Guerry of Switzerland and all around good guy, managed to shock the world with a 7:34 to take the world title. Both Stig and Herbert stopped before him. It shows that on a good day almost anyone can be the best if they just do their best. He also set a new Swiss National Record.

Deron after winning the Men's B Finals

Nicolas celebrates his victory with Deron, Ales, Wil, and Herbert.

Nicolas with his winning time.

A very exciting morning.

The evening began with qualification heats in Dynamic No Fins (DNF). Deron had the surprise of the evening. Having declared 50 meters as his announced performance, he swam early in the evening. Final distance, 117 meters! NEW AMERICAN RECORD. He made it look easy, although he said it did not feel that way. At least he has some solid technique these days, as he admits the days of being a no fins spaz are long gone.

Deron pushes off in mid performance in his DNF record of 117 meters.

Jessica actually performed at the same time and managed a personal best of 102 meters. She is on to the Women's B Final tomorrow.

Jessica and Junko after their races.

Junko, USAA member, set a new Japanese National Record today of 115 meters. She is on to the Women's A Final.

Junko celebrates her new Japanese National Record performance of 115 meters beating the old record by 15 meters and her personal best by 17 meters.

With Deron's big swim the pressure was on for Glen and Kevin for their swims. Glen went first drawing a great deal of attention for his unique upside down style. He performed really well with a mark of 114 meters. A new masters record.

Glen upside down during his performance. His unique approach to no fins drew a great deal of attention from his fellow competitors. Glen was the oldest competitor in the competition. He just missed placing in the top twenty amonst the world's very best.

Glen celebrating his performance.

Kevin was up next. He had his sights on recapturing his own National Record from Deron. Kevin had a great swim and manage to swim 116 meters. Missing the mark by two meters. But, a great swim none the less.

Kevin glides into the turn.

Wil Winram of Canada went in the very last heat and swam 141 meters. Solidily fixing a spot in the Men's A Final. Should be one hell of a show with eight athletes all going for the title at once. Wil and Stig will be two lanes apart. Stig tends to finish very fast, so it will be up to Wil to see if he can match Stig's distance. Sure will be an interesting Final.

Canada'a Wil Winram on his way to the Men's A Final with a performance of 141 meters.

Will is happy to be moving on to go after the world title.

Also have to see what Natalia decides to go for. As she did two years ago she has won everything with a new world record in each event. The buzz is that she is going to go for 150 meters looking to push her own record of 131 meters out there with the same level of increase she did for static.

Natalia celebrates with her coach after adding thrity seconds to her own world record.

So, for the US today it was a very good day. A bronze in static, a win in the B Final of staitc which would have tied Deron for fifth in the A Final. All US athletes over 100 meters in DNF. Very impressive. Jessica has one more for tomorrow.

Deron coaching Herbert Nitzch of Austria (former static world record holder 9:04) for the Men's A Final. US athletes and staff help everyone no matter what country they are from.