The Gulfstream Open Freediving Competition is scheduled for July 25 to 26 off the coast of Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach. The event is being organized by Fort Lauderdale-based Freediving Instructors International.

Athletes will compete in up to three disciplines: constant weight (in which the diver moves on human power), constant weight no fins, and free immersion (in which the diver pulls himself or herself down and up with a rope and no leg propulsion).

Constant weight is considered by many freedivers to be the most athletic discipline. Martin Stepanek, a principal at FII, is the current world record holder in this discipline and in the free immersion discipline.

Participants will include spearfishermen, hobby or sport freedivers, and competitive freedivers. Each participant will leave the boat and dive down to his or her announced depth where he or she will retrieve a tag. On clear days, spectators can watch the diver swim down 40 meters before disappearing into the depths.

According to organizer Jared Schmelzer, “There will be deep safety divers on mixed gas, a counter ballast safety system, and safety freedivers to exceed normal safety standards and provide redundancy in the system.”

Schmelzer said that he is expecting a lot of interest from both competitors and volunteers.

“The goal is to have competitions and events that bring different aspects of diving together, and also have an event that will help American freedivers gain international points for future competitions.”

For more info contact Jared Schmelzer at jaredschmelzer@mac.com.

Fort Lauderdale freediver Martin Stepanek has broken two more world records to reclaim his spot at the top of the death-defying yet beautiful sport. He is competing in the Red Sea off the Sinai Peninsula until May 30 and hopes to break more records.

On May 22 the Czech native broke the record in the constant weight discipline by diving 122 meters (400 feet). It is the first time in history that a freediver reached 400 feet.

On May 23 Stepanek broke the record for free immersion by descending to 110 meters, breaking the record held by Herbert Nitsch. The dive lasted 3 minutes and 56 seconds. The free immersion discipline allows the diver to pull on a rope during descent and ascent. The use of fins is prohibited.

Stepanek set his first world record in the sport of freediving in 2001 and has set 13 records since then.

In freediving, athletes hold their breath while diving as deep as possible. Disciplines include constant weight, constant weight without fins and free immersion.

Check out FreeLikeNoOther.com to follow Stepanek’s attempts at more records.

Stepanek was South Florida Adventures magazine’s 2006 Adventurer of the Year.

DISCLOSURE: Martin Stepanek advertises his freediving instruction in South Florida Adventures magazine.

Fort Lauderdale’s Martin Stepanek set his first world record in the sport of freediving in 2001 and has set 11 more records since then. The Czech native recently announced he will attempt to break records in all three depth disciplines: constant weight, constant weight without fins and free immersion. These attempts will take place from May 22 to May 31 in the Red Sea off the Sinai Peninsula.

Anticipation for Stepanek’s record exploded after Austrian freediver Herbert Nitch achieved a death-defying 120 meters in the constant weight discipline on April 11. This broke the previous record of 114 meters.

Check out FreeLikeNoOther.com for news and streaming videos from the event.

Stepanek was South Florida Adventures’ 2006 Adventurer of the Year.

DISCLOSURE: Martin Stepanek advertises his freediving instruction in South Florida Adventures magazine and at SouthFloridaAdventures.com.