New Zealand freediver Ant Williams set a Guinness World Record for the deepest dive under ice last year (70m), and has followed that up with an under-ice distance record claimed earlier this year being ratified by CMAS (World Confederation of Underwater Activities), the competitions body that recognises such coldwater achievements.
The coldwater – in this case 0.2℃ – dynamic apnea record involved covering 182m from ice-hole to ice-hole at Lake Stiflisdalsvatn in Iceland using fins and a wetsuit at the end of March. The record attempt was recorded for Ice Dive, the third episode of Adventure, a series made for the Apple Vision Pro immersive headset.
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Williams’ target was the 175m record set by 6ft 6in French freediver Arthur Guerin-Boeri seven years previously. “There are others in the sport who are more physically suited to it than I am – they are taller and more slender with longer lungs and therefore greater lung capacity,” conceded Williams.
“But where I am unbeatable is my ability to focus my mind so intently on the task at hand as to almost eliminate completely the risk of failure.”
Guerin-Boeri retains the CMAS under-ice no-fins records both with thermal protection (120m) and wearing only Speedos (105m).
Centre of the action
Apple Immersive Video is a 180° media format that uses ultra-high-resolution video and Spatial Audio to place viewers in the centre of the action on the Apple Vision Pro spatial computer, which was launched this year. Apple Immersive Video series such as Adventure are available free to APV users.
“Coming from a background in sport psychology, Ant was training extreme sports athletes before he became one himself, so you can understand how he became so uniquely equipped with the mental strength it takes the very best athletes to reach the pinnacle of their sports,” said the British director of Ice Dive, Charlotte Mikkelborg.
“What Ant achieved in Iceland is truly phenomenal. And this piece also breaks new ground technologically, as this episode takes you under the ice in the highest-resolution immersive action footage ever captured under water. Viewers will feel completely present with Ant on this daring adventure.”
A 2D trailer can be seen on Apple TV and Atlantic Productions social accounts on X and Instagram. Viewers can also go behind the scenes with Williams on the platforms.
Also on Divernet: ‘Legs felt like lead’ says record ice-freediver, Molchanov’s 180m breath-hold – under ice, Icebreaker: freediver sets record in Speedos, Ice-breakers: Freediving records topple
