The World Underwater Federation (CMAS) has approved the U.S. Freediving Federation to host the 2019 World Freediving Championships in Roatan, Honduras.
The August 6 to August 11 event will take place in cooperation with the Roatan Freediving School and Training Center.
Roatan Freediving School owner Esteban Darhanpe will be the local organizer of the competition in close collaboration with USFF President Jeremy Stephan.
Stephan said:
“Roatan Freediving and the island of Roatan was ultimately chosen because it has the necessary infrastructure in place to guarantee safety and comfort for all participants. We were specifically looking for locations in the Western Hemisphere to bring accessibility to more divers from around the world. Roatan is also known for its crystal clear, calm waters, which is always an important factor for our final decision.”
Ren Chapman has been named Head of Safety for the event and has already established rigorous protocols in case of occurrences of any freediving-related emergencies.
Darhanpe said:
“Ren is arguably one of the most experienced and accomplished safety divers in the world of freediving and we are quite fortunate to have him lead the safety efforts this year.”
The annual Caribbean Cup freediving competition will take place immediately prior to the World Championships.
More details will be announced as the become available. For more info, check out the USFF Facebook page.
