Claire Paris of Miami, Florida broke the USA Women’s National Freediving Record in the freediving discipline of Dynamic No Fins with a swim of 128 meters / 420 feet on a single breath. Claire added three meters / ten feet to the record previously held by Shell Eisenberg of Hawaii.
Claire’s swim took three minutes and seven seconds. Her performance took place during the California Cup freediving competition at the Culvery City Plunge Community Pool. She was competing with twelve other athletes participating in the first annual event.
Claire is the head of the prestigious Physical-Biological Interactions Laboratory at the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science; the graduate school in marine biology of the University of Miami. The lab focuses on investigating coupled biophysical processes during the early pelagic larval phase of marine species.
Claire said of her record, “I am very happy and grateful with this National Record accomplishment. It is a reflection of my connection with water and the ocean. I have dedicated my life to the study and conservation of the ocean and freediving makes me feel one with the water. I am very grateful to my husband and coach Ricardo of Vortex Freeding/PFI who got me started in freediving and makes me practice regularly. He got me where I am today. I am grateful for my daughter Jehane who shared this record with me today and to my son Etienne for his support from across the country, I love you!”
Claire continues, “There is a long list of people that I would like to acknowledge: First and foremost, WR Antonio Del Duca of Freedive Gravedad Cero who shared his expert knowledge in competitive freediving. My Kundalini teachers Sadhu and Ramdesh at Kundalini Yoga Miami for the spiritual strength to reach my potential. Big thanks to my WR and NR teachers, Goran Colak, William Trubridge, Sarah Cambell and Rob King. I want to thank everybody in CAL CUP, including the organizer Vanessa Kudrat and the judges Grant Graves and Nick Fazah. Many thanks to my supportive Freediving family! Most importantly, Natalia Molchanova who motivated me at the Worlds and made me realize that age is not a limitation in the sport of freediving. She was with me today.”
Dynamic No Fins (DNF) is performed by swimming without fins in a pool with the athlete holding their breath swimming as far as they can. Distance is measured with the use of a metered tape measure.
USA Freediving is a non-profit association founded on a democratic representation of freediving within the United States and internationally. Founded in 2003, US Freediving brought together a diverse group of 21 founding members, all interested in the development and growth of freediving. In just six months, this highly dedicated group was able to create an association recognized as the voice of freediving in the United States by the international community. The association has grown to over one hundred members with continued growth expected. http://www.usfreediving.org
The International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA) is the international sanctioning body for freediving, individual and team competition, and freediving world record attempts. AIDA nationals are individual associations that represent freediving and AIDA in their country, similar to Olympic Organizing Committees. For more information about AIDA check outhttp://www.aidainternational.org.