This man has 7 heartbeats per minute

Sharm el Sheikh, 10 December 2003 Restaurant El Fanar. Umberto Pelizzari has run just made eleven hours in the water. He's visibly tired, and I visibly nervous. We are in the middle of the night perhaps most anticipated: Umberto tonight is presenting his new video on his businesses and scientific research of its Apnea Academy, and also 'Explain the Sea' the winning film of the Festival d'Antibes, filmed here Sharm by Melchior and Casarotti. He is very happy a bit 'of time for me and sit at a table.

Who is Umberto Pelizzari? A legend of the underwater world: twenty-nine world records culled apnea, three records in three important specialties obtained in 2001, the cornerstone of the scientific program "Do you know why" every Wednesday on Channel 4, a popular Italian TV network. Watching him move around in the water is an unforgettable sight. For all of us down here is a landmark. The time now is sitting in front of me in sweatshirt and sneakers, and it is really nice and relaxed as they say, an idol without divismi, with surprising ease and mastery of language.

Umberto, I bring you the greetings of writing www.goredsea.com and the diving community of the Red Sea. How did it go today?

Thank you, I greet you all. I'm here in Sharm with Apnea Academy and we have just finished a freediving course which was attended by students from 15 different countries. In a few days I will return to Italy to St. Teresa, where I manage No Limits Center Diving Mediterraneo.

What is Apnea Academy?

Apnea Academy was founded as a school, not as a federation, with the specific intent to embrace all the possibilities at different levels to allow a large number of people to come closer in perfect safety, and in harmony with the marine environment, apnea. Snorkeling, for example, is the first step to enjoying all that the sea offers us the best introduction to freediving. Our manual has already sold 25,000 copies and train continuously instructors and students. With Renzo Mazzari has insisted on a medical approach to the issue. We are already 5000 students. I hope to get from Apnea Academy the same satisfaction that I already had and you all know.

You said signing withdrawn because with 3 records in your pocket (descent in constant weight, no-limits variable and variable) in the same year, the time was right. Between having given the maximum, perhaps knowing that he could not give more, and devote themselves to research, teaching and television, what has affected more about this choice?

I think every person should set goals in life. Mine was to beat three records together, and then decide of my own free will to retire to participate in other activities. I think I have reached its maximum in 1999, when I wanted to 3 world records, but then there was the middle of the film (Ocean Men) and everything has been postponed to 2001. Races and teaching are two different things. The first it involves being in water for 8-10 hours a day, and this was the case for 12 years. The thing that you miss when you stop, it's the adrenaline, in which you learn to live day after day, even 10 months a year and when you stop you have to replace it with other things, or feel you do not have more important reasons . For me there were teaching, research and television: the maximum for an athlete has become a sponsor of the sport. Stop with the races is difficult, but an important moment for an athlete.

It is said that there are two classes of men, those destined to go far and those designed to transmit their knowledge. You how do you place yourself between these two categories?

Well, let's start by saying that I Pipin and we continue to be the most popular, and the most popular. In US it has perpetrated that historical dualism born in Majorca and Mayol already expressed years ago in the movie 'Le Grand Bleu'. I was a student of Mayol, Pipin was a student of Majorca. The my image and Pipin comes mutual antagonism that led fans to take sides. This has made us capable of bringing a message to more people. Today there are 200 athletes in the world able to break records, but each of them aimed at a specialty, and only that. We were athletes across the board. Now I'm looking for, using this popularity and success, to do my best so that the apnea is still widespread and disseminated more among the people.

In your absolute record depths no-limits (-150m) have dropped the ball -60 meters, and in the video looks back almost dancing, happy with the result in his pocket. Here instructors have speculated that you did it to prevent syncope.

None of this was a problem of blood-shift, that is, to give time to the blood, which during the deep apnea is concentrated in the lungs, to flow back toward the ends. After all it was not such a difficult task. The no-limits descents I've always made since the constants. Who is ready for the constant it is ready for no-limits, never vice versa. The real challenge is the descent in constant weight.

You also trained with the Egyptian Free Diving Team, what do you remember of that experience?

I 'been to Hurghada in 2001, I was with the Italian team, the conditions were excellent, between March and April. It 'was a great experience, they were all good divers, with Yahia Safwat the foreman we were friends. The meeting has brought us luck, the World Cup that year in Ibiza we first qualificammo.

Beyond the clear waters and colorful fish, what made you choose the Red Sea as a location for your courses?

I feel that the Mediterranean is my sea, something that belongs to me. But soon after there's the Red Sea. The Red Sea, as the Mediterranean is a sea that moves, cooling, there is the wave and the temperature changing. A still sea that never cools is a lagoon, for us Italians. The Red Sea has some beautiful reefs, presents optimal conditions with respect to the distance from Europe, the temperature and the ability to find points behind the current, very important factor. In the Maldives, for example, you can not find these conditions.

What techniques do you use to relax before diving?

Using, taken from various disciplines, essentially breathing techniques, and the heartbeat control. Yoga and biofeedback are on this wavelength, put l 'accent on body sensations and relaxation.

After your record no limits you said to believe that your beats had fallen to 7-8 beats per minute, many physicians claimed that it was impossible, but unfortunately two years ago there were no proper tools to measure the rate at that depth. Do you know if in the meantime we have invented one?

Not yet, but now there are doctors willing to argue that this is possible. However, the CNR is planning an ultrasound device that can withstand 40 meters. If you can do that ...

What programs does Umberto Pelizzari for Egypt?

We are present in Sharm el Sheikh twice a year and Apnea Academy Egypt is in our programs, in collaboration with Fabio Brucini, the Freestyle Watersports, who will become president. The trainings take place in several places, among which is also the Coral Bay. Apnea Academy Egypt is an idea that is being developed to allow for training throughout the year, especially for the inhabitants of cold countries. Sharm el Sheikh is undoubtedly a global meeting point for people of different nationalities, and I hope to become a destination for international competitions because without the limit environmental conditions. Apnea Academy is today the best reference for this discipline and the Red Sea is a great base to internationalize even more this passion.

We are the last question: I'm sorry, but the girls here are all asking the same thing: you're engaged?

He - laughs.

The interview ends here. The question we all wish we did not tell him mail, 'cause Umberto has already answered us, from his website:

"From 0 to 100 meters and then further down, headlong into the abyss: his pulse slow down, the body vanishes, every sensation floats into new forms. It is only the soul. A long dip in the soul that seems to absorb the universe . Every time you climb a choice: I am that I go back to regain possession of my human dimension, meter by meter, to come to light again. I am often asked what there is to see there. Maybe the only possible answer is that go down in apnea to see, but to look inside. in the depths I try my self. it 'a mystical experience, on the border with the divine. I am immensely alone with myself, but it is as if you bring me into the essence of 'humanity. It' s my human that exceeds the limit, you try merging with the sea, which is immersed in himself and finds himself. "

From Scubaportal