Alessia Zecchini

Summary

Alessia Zecchini (born 30 June 1992) is an Italian freediver who has set world and Italian records in freediving.[1][2]

Alessia Zecchini
Born (1992-06-30) 30 June 1992 (age 31)
NationalityItalian
OccupationProfessional Freediver

At the age of 13, Zecchini completed her first federal apnea course in A.s.d. "Apnea Blu Mare". In 2009 she changed clubs and became an athlete of Dive Free Roma and Nuoto Belle Arti.

Since 2012, Zecchini has been part of the indoor and outdoor Italian national freediving team, so far winning 16 gold medals, five silver and two bronze at the World Championships[3] and three golds, six silvers and one bronze at the European Championships.[3]

On 18 October 2019, Zecchini became the first woman to have reached a depth of −100m[4][2] exclusively with the use of her arms (free immersion), during the "Nirvana Oceanquest" in Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean.[5]

Zecchini became the subject of the 2023 biographical documentary film The Deepest Breath directed by Laura McGann.[6]

Career edit

From 2007 to 2010, Zecchini attended in rallies with the national team, although she could not compete in the top category due to her young age.

In 2011, she participated in her first Italian championship in Turin, taking second place, behind Ilaria Bonin. The placings achieved also in the following year earned her the call to be part of the national team. In 2012, she participated in her first Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) European Championship[3] in Antalya, Turkey, achieving good placings (fourth place in Jump Blue and sixth in static apnea).[3]

In 2013, during the CMAS World Championship[3] in Kazan, Russia, she won the gold medal in static freediving (STA) with a time of 6' 23", then obtained a medal in every discipline, including a silver in dynamics without fins (DNF) and a bronze in dynamic with monofin (DYN). The same year, Zecchini used the guide rope to pull herself down to a depth of −81 m (−266 ft) without using ballast or fins and thereby set a new world record in the free immersion discipline recognized by the CMAS.[7] At the Italian Depth Championship in Ischia, she achieved her first CMAS world record in constant weight with the monofin (CWT) with −81 m (−266 ft).

In 2014, she participated in her first AIDA International competition, the Team World Championship in Cagliari, winning three silver medals in dynamic apnea with the monofin with 223 m (732 ft), in static apnea with the time of 6' 39", in constant weight with a depth of −84 m (−276 ft) and setting two Italian records. At the CMAS European[3] Championship held in Tenerife, she won the silver medal in dynamic apnea with monofin (DYN) with 218 m (715 ft), and third place in the static apnea competition with a time of 6' 08". During the Italian depth championship in Ischia, she achieved her second CMAS world record[3] in constant weight with the monofin (CWT) with −86 m (−282 ft).

In 2015, Zecchini took part in the CMAS Indoor[3] World Championship in Mulhouse and, together with her partner Ilaria Bonin, they won five gold and silver medals.[8] Zecchini won the competition in dynamics without fins (DNF) with 165 m (541 ft), also setting the CMAS world record. In that same competition, she also won two silvers (DYN with 234 m (768 ft) and STA with a time of 6'35"). During the Outdoor World Championship in Ischia, organised by the Italian Federation of Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities, she won three gold medals with relative world records: in constant weight with monofin (CWT) with −93 m (−305 ft), in constant weight without tools (CNF) with −58 m (−190 ft) and in jump blue (JB) with 190 m (620 ft). Once again, in June 2016 in Lignano Sabbiadoro, during the CMAS Indoor World Championships: three golds and three CMAS world records with 171 m (561 ft) in dynamics without fins, 204 m (669 ft) in dynamics with fins (DYNBP) and 250 m (820 ft) in dynamics with monofin (DYN).[9]

In 2017, the Italian began her outdoor training with international coach and safety diver Stephen Keenan and beat the AIDA world record with −104 m (−341 ft) depth in the Vertical Blue competition on 10 May on Long Island in the Bahamas. During the last days of the competition, Natalia Molchanova's record in constant weight (CWT) of −101 m (−331 ft) (which had been held for six years), was beaten three times. On 6 May, Zecchini was the first to go down and take off the tag at −102 m (−335 ft); breaking the world record. Four days later, Hanako Hirose dropped to −103 m (−338 ft) but minutes later she went on to detach the tag at −104 m (−341 ft), setting another world record.[10]

Stephen Keenan died in July 2017 during a recreational dive across The Arch of the Blue Hole with Alessia.[11][12] It was not regarded as a dive that would push Zecchini to her limits, but an accumulation of mistakes and difficulties during the attempt would lead to disaster. Safety diver Lily Crespy, who was on duty that day, later gave a detailed summary of events.[11] The official AIDA report stated that reasonable precautions had been taken; however, it noted that there was no on-site specialist doctor, insufficient medical equipment, no safety boat, and no ambulance[13] on stand-by at the dive site.[11] Zecchini was inexperienced in open water, was unfamiliar with the Blue Hole, and wanted to tackle it without fins rather than with the usual, more powerful mono-fin. As her safety, Keenan agreed to meet her at −50 m (−160 ft), though the standard limit for safety divers is −30 m (−98 ft).[14]

In 2017 she also participated in the CMAS European Indoor Championship in Cagliari swimming pool where she won three medals out of the three competitions (first place in DYN, second in DNF and second in DYNBP).[15] In August of the same year, she participated in the AIDA World Championships in Roatan where she became world champion in free-immersion setting a new Italian record at −88 m (−289 ft) and vice world champion in constant weight with monofin with −98 m (−322 ft).[16] A disqualification denied her the silver medal even in constant weight without fins. In October, at the CMAS European Championship in Kaş, Turkey, she won two silver medals in CWT and CNF with −93 m (−305 ft) and −63 m (−207 ft), a new Italian record. Also in the same year, during the Dungoncup in Milazzo, Sicily, she achieved the world record in dynamic apnea without fins with 181 m (594 ft).[17][18][19]

Zecchini then came under the guidance of Martin Zajac, which lasted until the conclusion of the 2018 competition season. In 2018, Zecchini set the new AIDA world record in constant weight (CWT) on 10 May in San Andrès in Colombia in the Nirvana Oceanquest Freediving Competition. A month later, at the Indoor World Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, she won two silver medals in DYN and DNF and a gold medal in the bi-fin discipline where she set the new world record with 221 m (725 ft). In July, in Long Island, in the prestigious Vertical Blue competition, she confirmed herself as the strongest freediver by winning overall and setting four world records AIDA in all depth disciplines: – Constant weight without fins with −73 m (−240 ft), Free immersion with −93 m (−305 ft) and then −96 m (−315 ft) and Constant weight with monofin with −107 m (−351 ft).[20] In September of the same year, she participated in the Dugoncup Outdoor in Milazzo setting two other world records in CWT (−101 m (−331 ft)) and FIM (−89 m (−292 ft)) but this time under the aegis of CMAS, before flying to the first edition of the Molchanova Gran Prix in memory of Natalia Molchanova, winning the competition. She participated in the CMAS Outdoor World Championship by winning three golds in the three competitions held, CWT, CNF and FIM where she set four CMAS world records, bringing the WR in constant weight with CMAS and AIDA to the same depth of −107 m (−351 ft).[21]

In April 2019, during the Dungoncup in Milazzo, she again set the world record in dynamic free diving without fins with 193 m (633 ft). In June 2019, she participated, together with the Italian National team, in the CMAS Indoor European Championship in Istanbul, winning two gold medals with relative world records, 228 m (748 ft) in dynamics with fins and 253 m (830 ft) with monofin, and a silver medal in dynamics without fins. On 7 August 2019, during the CMAS Outdoor World Championship in Roatan, Honduras, at a depth of −113 m (−371 ft), she set the new world record in constant weight freediving with monofin at the same time as Slovenian Alenka Artnik.[20] During this event, she won three gold medals in CWT, CNF and FIM and set four world records during the competition and the competition that preceded it, the Caribbean Cup 2019.[22]

During the Nirvana Oceanquest 2019 event in Curaçao, she set two world records in the discipline of free immersion under the aegis of AIDA with −98 m (−322 ft) on 16 October 2019.[23] Two days later, with −100 m (−330 ft) approved by CMAS, she became the first woman to touch this depth using only her arms.[4]

In July 2021, Zecchini participated in the Vertical Blue on Long Island, Bahamas, winning the overall again and setting three CMAS World Records: −115 m (−377 ft) CWT, −74 m (−243 ft) CNF, and −101 m (−331 ft) FIM.[24]

In October, she took part in the CMAS Outdoor World Championship 2021, in Kaş, Turkey, winning a gold medal in CNF and one silver medal in CWTB. During the "CMAS TSSF Kaş Baska Freediving WC (competition before the world championship), she set a new world record in her first competition in CWTB with the depth of −105 m (−344 ft), 10 m (33 ft) more than the previous record.[25]

In October 2022, during the CMAS Outdoor World Championship 2021 in Kaş, she won a silver medal with −109 m (−358 ft) in CWT.[26][27]

On 27th March 2023, during the Secretblue Competition in Moalboal, Philippines, she set a new world record in CWTB with −107 m (−351 ft). After two days, she went deeper and set a new world record with −109 m (−358 ft) in 3'36".[28]

On 24 May she became again the deepest woman in the world, setting the WR in constant weight with monofin to -123m, during the AIDA Oceanquest Competition in Camotes Island, Philippines.

Honors edit

Asteroid 300124 Alessiazecchini, discovered by Italian amateur astronomer Silvano Casulli in 2006, was named in her honor.[1] The official citation was published by IAU's Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature on 21 March 2022.[29]

Accomplishments edit

Medals won, beginning from the first international competition in Kazan' in 2013:

Year Place Competition Discipline
2023 Camotes Islands  AIDA Oceanquest Constant Weight with monofin   -123 m WR AIDA
2023 Moalboal   Secret Blue Competition Constant Weight with bifins   -109 m WR AIDA
2023 Moalboal   Secret Blue Competition Constant Weight with bifins   -107 m WR AIDA
2022 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   -109 m
2021 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Bifins   -98 m
2021 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight without Fins   -69 m
2021 Long Island   Vertical Blue Freeimmersion   -101 m WR CMAS
2021 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight without Fins   -74 m WR CMAS
2021 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight with Monofin   -115 m NR CMAS
2019 Curaçao   Nirvana Oceanquest Freeimmersion   −100 m WR CMAS
2019 Curaçao   Nirvana Oceanquest Freeimmersion   −98 m WR AIDA
2019 Roatan   Outdoor World Championship Freeimmersion   −92 m
2019 Roatan   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −113 m WR CMAS
2019 Roatan   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight without Fins   −72 m
2019 Roatan   Caribbean Cup Constant Weight with Monofin   −112 m WR CMAS
2019 Roatan   Caribbean Cup Constant Weight without Fins   −73 m WR CMAS
2019 Istanbul   European Championship Indoor Dynamic with Monofin   253 m WR CMAS
2019 Istanbul   European Championship Indoor Dynamic with Bifins   228 m WR CMAS
2019 Istanbul   European Championship Indoor Dynamic without fins   179 m
2019 Milazzo   Dugoncup Dynamic without fins   193 m WR CMAS
2018 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Freeimmersion   −94 m WR CMAS
2018 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −107 m WR CMAS
2018 Kaş   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight without Fins   −70 m WR CMAS
2018 Ibiza   Molchanova Gran Prix Constant Weight without Fins   −69 m
2018 Ibiza   Molchanova Gran Prix Constant Weight with Monofin   −100 m
2018 Milazzo   Dugoncup Constant Weight with Monofin   −101 m WR CMAS
2018 Milazzo   Dugoncup Freeimmersion   −89 m WR CMAS
2018 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Bifins   221 m WR CMAS
2018 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Monofin   227 m
2018 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic without fins   163 m
2018 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight with Monofin   −107 m WR AIDA
2018 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight without Fins   −73 m WR AIDA
2018 Long Island   Vertical Blue Freeimmersion   −96 m WR AIDA
2018 Long Island   Vertical Blue Freeimmersion   −93 m WR AIDA
2018 San Andrès   Nirvana Oceanquest Constant Weight with Monofin   −105 m WR AIDA
2017 Kaş   Outdoor European Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −93 m
2017 Kaş   Outdoor European Championship Constant Weight without Fins   −63 m
2017 Roatan   Outdoor World Championship Freeimmersion   −88 m NR AIDA
2017 Roatan   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −98 m
2017 Cagliari   Indoor European Championship Dynamic with Bifins   194 m
2017 Cagliari   Indoor European Championship Dynamic without fins   157 m
2017 Cagliari   Indoor European Championship Dynamic with Monofin   232 m
2017 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight with Monofin   −104 m WR AIDA
2017 Long Island   Vertical Blue Constant Weight with Monofin   −102 m WR AIDA
2017 Milazzo   Dugoncup Dynamic without fins   181 m WR CMAS
2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Monofin   250 m WR CMAS
2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Bifins   204 m WR CMAS
2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro   Indoor World Championship Dynamic without fins   171 m WR CMAS
2015 Ischia   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight without Fins   −58 m WR CMAS
2015 Ischia   Outdoor World Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −93 m WR CMAS
2015 Ischia   Outdoor World Championship Jump Blue   190 m WR CMAS
2015 Mulhouse   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Monofin   234 m
2015 Mulhouse   Indoor World Championship Static   6'34"
2015 Mulhouse   Indoor World Championship Dynamic without fins   165 m WR CMAS
2014 Ischia   Outdoor Italian Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −86 m WR CMAS
2014 Tenerife   European Championship Dynamic with Monofin   218 m
2014 Tenerife   European Championship Static   6'08"
2014 Cagliari   Team World Championship AIDA Static   6'39" NR AIDA
2014 Cagliari   Team World Championship AIDA Dynamic with Monofin   223 m
2014 Cagliari   Team World Championship AIDA Constant Weight with Monofin   84 m NR AIDA
2013 Ischia   Outdoor Italian Championship Constant Weight with Monofin   −81 m WR CMAS
2013 Kazan'   Indoor World Championship Static   6'23" WR CMAS
2013 Kazan'   Indoor World Championship Dynamic without fins  
2013 Kazan'   Indoor World Championship Dynamic with Monofin  

World Records:

During her career she set 38 World Records in the indoor and outdoor disciplines of freediving, 27 homologated by CMAS CMAS and 11 by AIDA.

CMAS HOMOLOGATION
N Discipline Performance Date Place
1 CWT −81 m 04/10/2013 Ischia  
2 CWT −86 m 04/10/2014 Ischia  
3 DNF 165 m 27/07/2015 Mulhouse  
4 JB 190 m 09/10/2015 Ischia  
5 CWT −93 m 06/10/2015 Ischia  
6 CNF −58 m 08/10/2015 Ischia  
7 DNF 171 m 08/06/2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro  
8 DYNBP 204 m 10/06/2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro  
9 DYN 250 m 11/06/2016 Lignano Sabbiadoro  
10 DNF 181 m 11/03/2017 Milazzo  
11 DYNBP 221 m 15/06/2018 Lignano Sabbiadoro  
12 FIM −89 m 01/09/2018 Milazzo  
13 CWT −101 m 02/09/2018 Milazzo  
14 CNF −70 m 03/10/2018 Kaş  
15 CWT −107 m 02/10/2018 Kaş  
16 FIM −94 m 06/10/2018 Kaş  
17 DNF 193 m 06/04/2019 Milazzo  
18 DYNBP 228 m 21/06/2019 Istanbul  
19 DYN 253 m 22/06/2019 Istanbul  
20 CNF −73 m 03/08/2019 Roatan  
21 CWT −112 m 05/08/2019 Roatan  
22 CWT −113 m 08/08/2019 Roatan  
23 FIM −100 m 18/10/2019 Curaçao  
24 CWT -115 m 13/07/2021 Long Island  
25 CNF -74 m 15/07/2021 Long Island  
26 FIM -101 m 17/07/2021 Long Island  
27 CWTB -105 m 30/09/2021 Kaş  
AIDA HOMOLOGATION
N Disciplina Performance Data Luogo
1 CWT −102 m 06/05/2017 Long Island  
2 CWT −104 m 10/05/2017 Long Island  
3 CWT −105 m 04/05/2018 San Andrès  
4 FIM −93 m 16/07/2018 Long Island  
5 CNF −73 m 22/07/2018 Long Island  
6 FIM −96 m 24/07/2018 Long Island  
7 CWT −107 m 26/07/2018 Long Island  
8 FIM −98 m 16/10/2019 Curaçao  
9 CWTB - 107 m 27/03/2023 Moalboal  
10 CWTB - 109 m 29/03/2023 Moalboal  
11 CWT - 123 m 24/05/2023 Camostes Islands  

Clarification:

  • STA = Static Apnea – Holding the breath as long as possible.
  • DYN = Dynamic Apnea with monofin – Diving as far as possible with the use of a monofin.
  • DYNB = Dynamic Apnea with fins – Diving as far as possible with the use of fins.
  • DNF = Dynamic Apnea without fins – Diving as far as possible without fins.
  • CWT = Constant weight with monofin – Diving as deep as possible with the use of a monofin.
  • CWTB = Constant weight with fins – Diving as deep as possible with the use of fins.
  • CNF = Constant weight without fins – Diving as deep as possible without fins.
  • FIM = Free Immersion – Diving as deep as possible by pulling down and up the rope.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "300124 Alessiazecchini". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Apnea Records". www.cmas.org. CMAS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Apnea Championship Archives". www.cmas.org. CMAS. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Seven Records in seven months: an amazing 2019 for Alessia Zecchini". www.swimbiz.it. Swimbiz. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Free Immersion From CMAS Records For Alessia Zecchini". www.fipas.it. CMAS. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  6. ^ Koe, Francesca (31 January 2023). "'The Deepest Breath': What You Need To Know About The Sundance Freediving Documentary". Deeper Blue. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Alessia Zecchini". TÜV SÜD | Geschäftsbericht. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  8. ^ "🇫🇷 CMAS World Apnea Championship Indoor Mulhouse France 2015 – Results". SPORTALSUB.NET. 30 July 2015. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  9. ^ "9th CMAS Apnea Indoor World Championship Kicks Off With 2 World Records In DNF - DeeperBlue.com". www.deeperblue.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Team of Ulysses". www.ulysse-nardin.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Pelios, Nick; Crespy, Lily (22 October 2022). "What Went Wrong?". alchemy. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  12. ^ Bower, Edmund (26 August 2017). "Top diver's death casts long shadow over deep beauty of the Blue Hole". The Observer. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  13. ^ Keenan was taxied to an ambulance before being taken to hospital; see Crespy's account.
  14. ^ "Safety Diver Stephen Keenan Dies During Rescue in Dahab's Blue Hole". 25 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. ^ Kft, dotindot. "1st CMAS European Apnea Outdoor Championship and Open International Competition Kaş, Antalya – Turkey 2017 Results - Photos". www.cmas.org. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  16. ^ Koe, Francesca. "Constant Weight Women's Leaderboard At The 2017 AIDA Individual Freediving World Championships - DeeperBlue.com". www.deeperblue.com. Deeper Blue. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Alessia Zecchini - Beauty of the Depths". www.ulysse-nardin.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  18. ^ Redazione (10 May 2017). "Alessia Zecchini World Record - 102m". Apnea Passion Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  19. ^ "🇮🇹 Cristina Francone from Italy sets two new CMAS dynamic freediving world records". SPORTALSUB.NET. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  20. ^ a b Skolnick, Adam (26 November 2020). "She Dived More Than 300 Feet Under the Sea. Can She Go Deeper?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 27 March 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Alessia Zecchini Sets CMAS Constant Weight Freediving World Record - DeeperBlue.com". www.deeperblue.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  22. ^ Arcobelli, Stefano. "Zecchini in apnea, continues to win and to go down (-113)". questionedistile.gazzetta.it. Questione di Stile. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  23. ^ Liang, John. "Alessia Zecchini Sets New Women's Free Immersion Freediving World Record - DeeperBlue.com". www.DeeperBlue.com. Deeper Blue. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  24. ^ "5th CMAS FREEDIVING OUTDOOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP". Molchanovs. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  25. ^ "CMAS Freediving Outdoor World Records – CMAS 5th Free Diving Outdoor World Championship 2021". Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  26. ^ Kft, dotindot. "CMAS World Outdoor Freediving Championship". www.cmas.org. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  27. ^ "CMAS World Champs results".
  28. ^ Santangelo, Roberto (30 March 2023). "Apnea, doppio record del mondo in assetto costante con pinne per Alessia Zecchini". OA Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  29. ^ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022. (Citation Archived 22 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine)

External links edit

  • Official site