Man swims record-breaking distance in one breath under frozen lake
Veteran freediver Peter Colat (Switzerland) has broken two world records by swimming over 100 metres in a single breath underneath the surface of a frozen lake.
He did it once simply wearing swim shorts and once while wearing a monofin, achieving two variations of the longest swim under ice with breath held record.
He swam 106.25 m (348.5 ft) in his swim shorts, beating the previous record by 25 m (82 ft), and when wearing a monofin he went 114.2 m (374.6 ft), almost 4 m (13 ft) further than the previous record.
Freediving is a type of underwater diving that relies on breath-holding instead of using scuba gear or any other breathing apparatus.
Peter, 52, is one of the best-known freedivers in Europe, having won 16 Swiss championships and five international competitions.
He’s also set several world records in the past, including one formerly held by magician David Blaine: longest time breath held underwater. Peter achieved it three times: in 2008, 2010, and finally in 2011 with a time of 21 min 33 sec.
Peter’s latest two record attempts were his biggest challenge yet. Cold water immersion greatly reduces the length of time that a person can hold their breath, and unlike the aforementioned underwater breath-hold record, Peter was not permitted any prior oxygen intake.
Even for an experienced freediver such as him, this was a risky endeavour.
At the frozen Vilsalpsee lake in Tannheim, Austria, two holes were cut through the ice for Peter to enter and exit the water.
Additional exit holes were made every 25 metres, just in case he needed to resurface earlier than expected. A team of safety divers were also on hand to provide emergency assistance if needed.
Peter said the most difficult – and most important – aspect of these record attempts is “that you don’t lose focus”.
With a single-minded approach to the task at hand, he broke each record on the first try.
He prepared rigorously for these swims, submerging himself in icy water every day for months beforehand in order to adapt to the extreme cold.
Now in his fifties, Peter wanted to set these records to cap off his storied freediving career.
He said: “As I'm not getting any younger, I wanted to have a nice end to my long career, which I managed well.
“I’m very proud that everything worked out and the effort was worth it.
“You can only break records like these if you prepare seriously and train hard. You also need a great team and a family that supports you. Without this basis, it is not possible to break a record.”
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