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Steve Millard I have been teaching since running Kayak courses when I was 16 years of age and I have been qualified to teach SCUBA and snorkelling since 1994 and took up freediving a number of years ago and never looked back. I enjoy recreational freediving in quarries or the sea and have been abroad a many times on courses and on holidays. I just enjoy being underwater, also I enjoy being with friends and like minded people. Our group has no stress and we just enjoy what we do. Everyone in the group helps each other reach their own potential whether they be champions, record holders or are new to the sport. My first introduction to real freediving and real freedivers (after years of snorkelling) was at the SETT in Gosport in 2003, the UK squad were having a training day ready for the Cyprus competition. The course at the time was run by Howard jones (who now runs project 180) and from that moment i knew i was going to love the sport. I did two further courses with Umberto Pellizzari in the Red Sea and Sardinia in 2003 and 2004 which furthered my motivation. Meeting him was a pleasure and seeing him dive was inspiring. I have recently started to enter competitions which gives me the motivation to train a bit harder and see my potential. I was fortunate enough in 2006 to be picked for the UK Freedive squad to go to the fifth Freediving team world championships in Hurghada, in the Red Sea. It was an excellent experience and met some great people and got to dive in warmer conditions for a change ;-) This year I have been to the Menorca training camp with Francois Gautier and after finishing third overall in Constant weight and second out of the UK competitors in the salt free double dip I am representing the UK in the 6th World Championships by team in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. I am currently the BFA (British Freediving Association) Training and safety officer so can direct you to the nearest place to train and give you some idea on how to train safely. Personally I now run AIDA courses at the dive school where I am the manager so if you are interested please contact me on the e-mail below. I am a member of the British Finswimming Association and the SAND Finswimmers group. I hope to see you at a dive site some day. Contact me:- apneaboy111@hotmail.com
Trapped under ice in Sweden, for this story follow the two links. |
