Freediving: It's Also Made for Women!
SOCIO, ARTS & CULTURES
Freediving is a sport where mastery of body and mind combines with exceptional physical and mental abilities. Long practiced by men, freediving is now welcoming more and more female athletes who shine and leave their mark on the discipline, despite representing only about 30% of practitioners.
Beyond records, these women embody a true underwater philosophy, blending technique, introspection, and a passion for the ocean.
In this article, we explore the contributions of several women who have shaped modern freediving, whether as pioneers or as key figures in its evolution. We analyze their journeys, the challenges they overcame, and the specific traits that sometimes show women have unique strengths in this sport.
A demanding discipline where women also shine
Before discussing the female athletes who have made history in this sport, it's essential to understand why women succeed and stand out in such a demanding discipline. Freediving, whether static (holding your breath on the surface), dynamic (traveling a distance underwater), or deep diving, relies on subtle oxygen management, concentration, and relaxation.
Unlike sports where physical strength is a determining factor, freediving places greater emphasis on mental control and the ability to relax under pressure. These qualities often allow women, who tend to excel in emotional and mental management, to shine in this discipline. Furthermore, physiological differences also influence performance in freediving.
Favorable Specificities for Women
Performance in freediving is influenced by factors such as oxygen management, stress, and buoyancy. From a physiological perspective, some studies suggest that women possess advantages in managing underwater stress and relaxation. Women’s higher average body fat percentage provides increased natural buoyancy, particularly beneficial during ascent phases. In free immersion, where freedivers pull themselves along a rope to descend and ascend without assistance, this buoyancy can be a valuable asset.
However, challenges also exist. Physiologically, men generally have larger lung capacities, enabling them to store more oxygen. But this difference can be offset by better mental management of respiratory distress and more advanced relaxation techniques, skills often mastered by women in freediving.
A Growing Artistic Trend
It's important to note that women’s freediving is not limited to records and performances. In recent years, many women have embraced freediving as a way of life and a form of connection with nature. Social media plays a key role in this evolution, showcasing more images and videos of freedivers immersed in stunning natural environments. This helps bring freediving to a broader audience beyond specialized sports circles. Influencers, particularly women, increasingly share their underwater achievements. If you’re interested in this topic, let us know so we can dedicate an article to this phenomenon and its key players.
This approach often focuses on well-being, relaxation, and a life philosophy in harmony with the environment. Julie Gautier, a filmmaker and freediver, embodies this artistic trend in freediving through her many short films, blending breathtaking poetry and beauty.
We invite you to check out her visual productions on her website, showcasing stunning works that will captivate your eyes > https://www.lesfilmsengloutis.com/
1. Photo taken from the short film AMA by Julie Gautier
3. Photo by bunnyatthesea - instagram: @bunnyofthesea
Wash the Dress photography
made by IA
Iconic Women in Freediving
Several female athletes have proven themselves in freediving, marking the history of this discipline with their performances and their lasting impact on the sport. Here are a few of them.
• Natalia Molchanova : The Legend of Freediving
Natalia Molchanova is undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in freediving across all categories. With over 40 world records to her name, this Russian athlete made history with her talent and her ability to excel in multiple freediving disciplines. Starting her career at the age of 40, she quickly demonstrated that she could compete with the best male athletes. She notably set a remarkable constant weight record of 101 meters in 2013.
Molchanova viewed freediving as a form of meditation and a deep connection with nature. Her philosophy of total relaxation underwater has inspired a generation of freedivers. Tragically, she disappeared in 2015 during a dive at sea, leaving behind an immense legacy.
Born in 1992 in Rome, Alessia Zecchini quickly dominated the freediving world following Molchanova’s passing. She became the current reference in constant weight with fins, reaching a depth of 107 meters in 2019. Known for her strict discipline and methodical approach, Zecchini represents the new generation of freedivers pushing the sport's limits.
Her commitment to both physical and mental training is exemplary. Beyond her accomplishments in the water, Zecchini is an influential figure among young freedivers and promotes an educational approach to the sport.
You can also watch an incredible documentary about Alessia, called The Deepest Breath, which tells the story of her career. It’s an opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful freediving spots in the world: the Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt. This site, one of the most dangerous, also claimed the life of her then-partner, Stephen Keenan, during an attempt to pass the site’s famous arch.
• Alessia Zecchini : The Rising Star
Alice Modolo is the first Frenchwoman to break the 100-meter barrier in constant weight with fins, achieving this feat during the Vertical Blue competition in 2021. A dentist by profession, Modolo shows that passion for freediving can coexist with a demanding career.
Her participation in Beyoncé’s music video Runnin’, directed by Julie Gautier and Guillaume Néry, also brought her recognition beyond specialized circles. In addition to her impressive performances, Alice Modolo advocates for well-being and promotes freediving as a path to a healthy and nature-connected lifestyle.
You may have heard of her during the 2024 Olympics, as she carried the Olympic flame to a depth of 40 meters.
• Alice Modolo : First Frenchwoman to Surpass 100 Meters
• Alenka Artnik : Depth as a Means of Expression
Originally from Slovenia, Alenka Artnik is another essential figure in women’s freediving. Specializing in constant weight with a monofin, she set a record depth of 114 meters in 2020, temporarily matching Zecchini. Artnik has a unique approach to freediving, having overcome profound personal struggles, including severe depression. She sees freediving as a form of personal rebirth and therapy.
Alenka Artnik embodies the mental strength and resilience that characterize great freedivers. Her success demonstrates the power of freediving as a sport for self-transcendence.
• Johanna Nordblad : The Ice Queen
Finnish freediver Johanna Nordblad specializes in under-ice records. In 2021, she set a record by swimming 103 meters under the ice without fins. What sets Nordblad apart is her incredible resistance to extreme conditions and her personal story: after a cycling accident, she used cold-water immersion as therapy for leg pain, eventually becoming a key figure in extreme freediving.
Her story is also told in a Netflix documentary, Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive, where viewers learn about her journey and her attempt to set the world record for the longest under-ice freediving distance.
• Audrey Mestre : a Tragic and Inspiring Fate
Audrey Mestre is a tragic figure in freediving. Born in France and later based in the United States, she is best known for her No Limit dives, descending with a sled and ascending with a lift bag. In 2002, during an attempt to break a 171-meter record, complications led to her untimely death.
Eight days earlier, she had reached 166 meters during training, which could have been recognized as the women’s record. However, it was not officially sanctioned by AIDA but later acknowledged posthumously by the now-defunct International Association of Freedivers (IAFD).
Her story caught the interest of James Cameron, who considered producing a film titled The Dive, with Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role. Unfortunately, the project was abandoned due to controversies surrounding her husband, Francisco “Pipín” Ferreras.
A fictionalized version of her story, No Limit, was released on Netflix in 2022, starring Camille Rowe in a captivating performance.
Conclusion : A promising Future for Women’s Freediving
Women’s freediving is thriving, with more women continuing to push the limits of this unique discipline. Thanks to trailblazers like Natalia Molchanova, Alessia Zecchini, Alice Modolo, Alenka Artnik, Johanna Nordblad, and Audrey Mestre, we can hope to see more women joining their ranks.
While often seen as a niche sport, freediving is gaining visibility and diversity. Women are not just breaking records but also redefining the relationship with water and nature, making freediving an expression of well-being and serenity. With technological advances, research in human physiology, and a focus on mental training, the future of women’s freediving looks bright for both the sport and the culture it inspires.
Alessia Zecchini website
SPZ
photo: @Valery Hache
photo: @alexvoyer
Photo: Tim Aylen
2. Photo by Henry Copperstone - instagram: @acciola
Diver model: Cath4dive - instagram: @cath4dive
4. Photo by John Kowitz - instagram: @j.kowitz
Divers: Jenna Papaya & Katharine Kollman - instagram: @Cassec0u & @jenna_papaya
• Tanya Streeter : l'inégalable
Originally from the Cayman Islands, Tanya Streeter made her mark in 1998 by breaking the women’s No Limit record with a dive to 113 meters, three meters beyond the previous record set by Débora Andollo. This achievement earned her a spot in the Women Diver’s Hall of Fame in March 2000.
Her most notable record was a dive to 160 meters on August 17, 2002, which held the absolute No Limit record, surpassing all male records of the time. Though her record was broken two months later by French freediver Loïc Leferme at 162 meters, she still holds the women’s No Limit world record.
Although Tanya no longer competes, she hasn’t retired her fins. She describes herself as a mother, environmentalist, TV presenter, and freediving champion, with numerous activities under her belt, including TEDx talks and documentaries. She even has a series of five postage stamps featuring her image distributed in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Quite the honor, wouldn’t you say?
wdhof.org
