TRAINING & COMPETITION
Freedive love
Since the first day of training in Kalamata there has been lightning and thunder, sunshine and rain. The surface of the sea has been still as in a bathtub and some days the waves have been splashing in our faces as the last seconds before official top have been shouted out. One thing that has not changed is the warmth in people’s hearts; the friendly smiles and the kind and helpful gestures.
Photo by: Michel Filinis …We all share the passion for freediving and it is so clear that this connects us…
Supportive love
There are many extraordinary freedivers here who are on different levels of skill. There are world record-holding athletes and those who have just discovered the magic of freediving. We all share the passion for freediving and it is so clear that this connects us. The true love for the ocean.
The support from one freediver to another is seen everywhere here. The gestures and calming words or just one person being there for the other. The love can be seen, heard and felt everywhere you go.
Photo by: Michel Filinis The crew
The crew here is supporting and totally amazing. They make you feel safe whatever depth you are going for. After ascending, for sure, there are smiles and some tips on how to improve your breathe up, your duck dive or the streamline of your body as you freefall to the bottom plate.
Photo by: Michel Filinis Being a part of this wonderful world of freediving is just amazing! Sharing these moments with fellow freedivers from different places of the world is a true gift. Eimai achortagi.
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-07-19
West Messinia, GreeceDedicated to freediving
Six months dedicated to freediving. This means training, competing and living the life of a full time freediver. For some people it might sound like a dream, for some like a night mare. I am one of those who think it sounds like something more wonderful than a dream. I decided it to be my reality.
One-way flight ticket
On the 9th of June I booked a one-way ticket to Greece. The 1st of July the flight landed just as the sun was setting. The first day of the 2nd half of 2019 had come to an end. As I stepped out from the airplane I was wondering if it was reality or if it was a dream as the warm and soft air played with my hair and caressed my cheeks.
Freedivers life
Now, ten days later, I have spent so much time in the water, that the skin is falling from my fingertips and my hair starts to permanently smell like the ocean. Every day I learn something new about freediving. I have learnt that a slow progress is best for my body to stay healthy and in good condition to dive deeper. One step at a time my body is adjusting slowly to freediving life towards extraordinary achievements.
Photo: Michel Filinis Your body and thoughts work together in one conscious action of approaching the quiet and the unknown…
Dives
So far, the dives have been wonderful. It is something special going down there, being there and then ascend. The company you have on the journey is yourself. It is you. Your body and your thoughts. They work together as one. They work together in one conscious action of approaching the quiet and the unknown, the big blue.
Be kind to yourself, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-07-11
West Messinia, GreeceThe Blue Hole of Athens
Some days passed before we could go deepdiving since my luggage arrived to Athens later than I did. The day after receiving my equipment we went to Pigadi. The blue hole of Athens.
Me in my brand new 5mm wetsuit, Proteus II, from Fourth Element. Photo: Michel Filinis Arrival
Luckily the luggage arrived with all items intact in the bag in which I had almost all my diving equipment including my brand new 5mm suit from Fourth Element. When we arrived, the sun was shining and we spent some time on the rocks by the sea to savor the environment. When coming to a new place I need some time for adjustment and just mentally land where my physical body is. The wind was a little bit cold but the april sun was warm enough to warm us up before the dives.
Michel preparing the diving equipment before entering the sea. 
Me in my rashguard from Fourth Element from the Ocean positive collection. Photo: Michel Filinis Sunshine, lighting & thunder
The clouds started getting thicker and darker as we started to put our wetsuits on. When all the equipment was on and we were ready to enter the sea we felt the first drops of rain fall on our heads coloring the rocks to darker nuances. We entered the sea and we saw the lightning. A lightning followed by a rumbling thunder. A magestic act of nature. I have always loved diving in the rain. The intense impressions above the surface in contrast to the calmness beneath is something special.
Pigadi – “The Well”
The name of the hole, Pigadi, means “The Well”. The bottom of the sea is at 10 meters, where the 3 meters wide hole opens and invites you to go another 20 meters. Pigadi has a total depth of 30 meters. At the bottom of the vertical cave an other horizontal cave leads to many other caves that no person knows for sure where they lead. New environments and new waters has to be explored with respect as the particular conditions differs from each site. For me it is the mental thing. To feel home. To feel safe. To dive in to a dark hole is quite an experience since it is hard to see what is in there, before you are in it. The way to find out is to approach it and enter.
Me exploring Pigadi. Step by step. Photo: Michel Filinis 
Michel during the first dive ascendning from Pigadi. Entering the unexplored
At first I could not even understand it was a hole. What I saw only looked like seabed on the bottom of the sea. It was so dark and hard to imagine that there was a hole to the depth of 30 meters. I decided to dive down and get to know it better as Michel prepared the buoy and the equipment. As I entered the shadow of Pigadi the inside revealed itself meter by meter. I had to take one step at a time for each dive to not be frightened by the unexplored. I needed some dives but then I submerged to the depth to see the cave that leads to the unknown. I stayed there for some seconds, looking around as the lightning from the sky above threw flashes of light into the hole for shorter than the blink of an eye. Above the surface the rain fell heavy on the surface of the sea. The lightning and thunder reminded us of the power and wonderful act of nature that we were fortunate to experience.
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-04-24
Athens, GreeceThe competition in Athens
One week in Athens have passed and this week have given me so much more than I could imagine. I came here to do pool and depth training and to compete in a pool competition. I came here more or less without any expectations at all and the last days had so many wonderful moments.
Photo: Michel Filinis Amazing Greece
The amazing nature of Greece and the city and people of Athens has made me experience sensations of all kind. The smell of the soil is something special here. I had experiences in different waters with an extraordinary variation of weather with rain, hail, thunder, lighting, a warm, bright sun and harsh wind in the greek weather of April. The soft water of the lake and the chilling salty water of the Aegean Sea. This week has not only given me experiences of nature but of people with friendly familiar and new faces and newfound friend ships.
Together with Aris Ioannidis who helped me with the coaching! Lovely to meet you again, as always. The outdoor pool competition
There are so many things to write about from this week, let’s start with the pool competition! The pool of the competition was an outdoor 50 meter pool which was a new experience for me. This time there were no voices and sound of water bouncing on the walls but there was a blue sky were I could see the seagulls fly while relaxing before my OT. I really enjoyed the greek count down and greek conversation around me, the laughs and the hookbreathing. My OT:s were plannes to be 10:50 AM for DNF and 12:10 PM for DYNBifins. Quite little time between the starts.
PB and national record!
The competition was held in a 50 meter out door pool. My first dive gave me a white card, 135 meter DNF which is a competition PB! Less than 80 minutes later I made a new PB, white card and a new national record of DYNBifins with the distance of 166 meters. The fins I used were sent to Athens especially to me for this competitions. The fins are from Triton and I recieved them two days before the competition. That meant that I had one day to try them in the pool before the competition. So the total distance of training with my bifins were 200 meters before the competition.
My new bifins from Triton
My first pair of real long fins and I am so happy they fit my feet perfectly and follows the rhythm and the intensity of my kicks in a perfect way. Thank you Trition for my new beautiful babies Lighting and Thunder. The fins have souls, therefore they need names. What I am most happy about regarding this competition is that event though I had been diving both in pool and the ocean for one week in a row I had the strength to do PB in both DNF and DYNBifins. This means I have more to give and my promise is that more is to come!
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-04-23
In the air between Athens and Moscow, EuropeSpring time call
It is spring time and usually in springtime something calls for me. It is a call that wants me to see, experience and learn new things. This time could listen to my call and now I’m here, for my call.
Training & Recreation
After a more than 12 hours long flight trip the plane started its landing. We we went through the soft and partially transparent clouds and finally I could se the beautiful landscapes and the blue water of the mediterranean sea. I was landing at Aten-Elefthérios Venizélos. I had landed in the capital of Greece.
The first days
This was quite a spontaneous trip. In the late winter I really felt to go, see and explore something new. Maybe to get a distance and time to think. This trip is primary a step to really learn new things about deepdiving and about my self. Since this is the third day waking up in this place on earth I’ve already spent some time training in the pool and diving in the ocean together with a new found friend. Since my bag arrived later than me I didn’t have all my diving equipment from day one so we also spent time just exploring above surface. Exploring the beauty of Greece at all levels. I enjoy every single moment and every second of being here, breathing here. And not breathing. Even though I lived in Crete I actually never spent time in Athens. The familiar and unfamiliar smells brings back and creates new beautiful memories.
And a competition
The 21rst of april I will wrap up my days here by joining a competition in which I’ll do DNF and DYNB. Looking forward to it. I’m expecting a delivery of my new bifins today! Can’t wait to try them on!
DNF-training. Photo: Michel Filinis Be kind to yourself, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-04-17
Athens, GreeceWell done & Thank you!
An event as the Swedish Championship doesn’t create it iself, there are many hours of organization and individual preperation behind this. Everything is prepared to create the best conditions for the athletes to perform on top as the OT approaches. Thank you all for making this possible.
The organization
First I want to thank the organizers of this years Championship, the freediving club Uppsala Tumlaren. Your effort the last twelve months really had and amazing result as we could see this weekend. For me as an athlete the arrangement went smoth without any problems. You were always there answering questions. Actually most of the time you answered before the questions even emerged. That is worth so much. The website ( https://www.officialtop.org/events/1/info ) was really helpful. Such a great work behind this. I really hope we will use it for all upcoming events. Thank you!
Photo: Per Benkowski
The volunteers
I wish I had time to personally thank all the safety divers, judges, photografers, speaker, medics and all other volunteers but I realised that would take a while. This time I do this through this blog. Without your commitment it wouldn’t be possible to do this. You were always there to help us, guide us, give us the best experience and even save our lives if necessary. Your engagement is big and worth a lot. You are so much appreciated. Thank you every one of you!
Elin Larsgren from Juniordykarna spent several hours below and above the surface to capture the golden moments of the dives. Amazing job! This very moment I captured just before the award ceremony. Juniordykarna, my apnea club
I also want to thank my apnea club Juniordykarna for all pool time you enable. Thank you for all the encouraging and inviting gestures and challenging words. Also for sharing all the happy faces, friendly smiles and genuine hugs. Your enthusiasm and desire to share the interest and spread the words about freediving is a true inspiration.
Peter Johnsen, Anders Lundberg and Nils Manne from my apnea club Juniordykarna, Gothenburg. Valle
Last in this post but definitively not least I want to thank you Valle. For encouraging me to slow down and guiding me in the right direction when I pretend I can go on with a speed barely suitable for autobahn on this sometimes tricky and unexplored path. Thank you for spending all these hours in the pool with me and in between just longing for an other shot of hypoxia. Thank you for sharing this passion and commitment with me. This insatiable passion for freediving.
Photo: Elin Larsgren Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-04-03
Gothenburg, SwedenFour times gold, 1000 times feelings!
What I aimed for also turned out to be the final result of the weekend. I already miss the faces of the athletes and the dense air of feelings. Again I leave a competition that have brought me many new experiences through mine but this time mostly other athletes performances.
This fantastic picture is taken during my DYN-dive in the Swedish Championship. Photo: Peter Johnsen DYN day and final results
My intention was to make a white-card-dive. I wanted to do a dive I could be happy with that would give me the golden medal in the last discipline and also in the combination. I was so relaxed before the dive. I really had time to enjoy the athmosphere. The warm and bright sun was shining through the windows, through the surface of the water, landing on the back of the divers, throwing momentary shades on the bottom of the pool. The water was soft and clear. I made a safe dive having some struggle with the shifting pool depth as you can see in the video below but nothing that stopped me from doing what I came here to do. The longest DYN-dive in the ladies class. 170 meters, white card.
The many performances
I’m so happy and amazed by the other athletes performances. The personal bests, the national records, all medals. I’m impressed by the athletes who made their first competition, the athlete who lost the fin during the dive but didn’t give up and the athlete who made a DNF dive with one arm and one leg. Every white card is an achievement and every single yellow. The long dives that were longer than all the others but turned out to be red cards. Even a red card is an achievement. This time I also learned that DNS (Did Not start) might be a bigger achievement than starting without motivation and passion. Everything, all experiences are worth something and important for every single one.
Valdemar Karlsson DYN 208 meter white card, silver! The winner of the combination. Photo: Andreas Kron 
Robin Gunnarsson on his way up to the surface in DNF. Photo: Andreas Kron 
Me and Hans Fogelberg DYN-gold medalists in women and mens class. Photo: Karin Fogelberg The feelings
It fascinates me how some few minutes dive can make the athletes experience so much and affect them in different ways. Many dives need time for reflection and need to be shared with others. During the weekend I’ve seen relaxed faces and bodies, tense sights and soft smiles. Tears falling on the cheeks from happines, sadness, disappointment and even melancholy. I’ve seen and felt warm and supportive hugs and shared big laughs. At the same time the extraordinary tense and vibrating feeling of concentrated and goal-oriented focus is striking. All feelings in one weekend in Uppsala, Sweden. This is why I just love this. We experience this together and support eachother. The respect between the athletes and all other participants.
Tomas Johansson was the bronze medalist in the mens class in all disciplines and combination points. Photo: Elin Larsgren Final results top three total points women and men
All final results can be found through this link: https://www.officialtop.org/events/1/results
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-04-01
Somewhere between Uppsala and Gothenburg, Sweden.First competition day is over, I go to bed with a smile!
It is with a smile I go to bed tonight. It has been an amazing day performing in the disciplines STA and DNF, meeting other athletes and see them perform. I love the smile of the athletes being new to the sport and doing PB:s in their first Championship.
Photo: Andreas kron STA – waiting
With a water temperature of 27 degrees Celsius I feel comfortable. I always prefer being more cold than warm while doing STA. The whole performance felt so light, so calm and under control. My plan was to wait out the others. That was exactly what happend. My aim in STA was to do a good dive and still have strength for the upcoming DNF dive wich was later in the afternoon. Tha STA was not a huge dive for me but it was a dive that gave me a white card, 5:48 minutes and a gold medal.
Photo: Andreas Kron DNF
While doing a DNF dive it is not that easy to know what the other competitors in the same heat are doing and how long their dives are going to be. To be honest, this year, a good position in each dicipline and in the combination is what I want. The national records can wait. This is the one competition a year that gives the opportunity to bring home the title gold medalist in the swedish championship in pool freediving. I’m happy with my performance, the dive went smooth. White card, 128 meters and a gold medal.
Photo: Andreas Kron New faces, fantastic performances!
This year there are many new faces to me! I’m so happy to see the interest of the sport grow and see the new athletes perfom. I want to mention the fantastic Hilma Karlsson from Linköping who did great PB:s in DNF (74 meters) and in STA (05:05 minutes), which also gave her a bronze medal! Congratulations! In the picture below you see Hilma and Oskar Särnholm preparing for their STA. Rebecca Broberg and me preparing as well. The fantastic Emma Åkerrén from the organization who brought home the silver medal in DNF. Hasse and Valdemar who took gold and silver in DNF and last Dena Parsa relaxing before DNF performance.
One more day
Tomorrow it is the second and last competition day. It is time for DYN. I’ll publish a post when the time is given to me.
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-03-30
Uppsala, SwedenThe Championship is here!
I’m on my way to Uppsala, Fyrishovsbadet and the Swedish Championship in pool freediving 2019. The sun is shining and I am ready.
Graphic: Johan Adolfsson In Sweden this is the biggest freediving event of the year. About 40 athletes has signed up of which 17 are women. Many names are familiar and some are new to me. I’m looking farward to meet everybody again. To experience this together in one breath.
Photo: Elin Larsgren Schedule of the weekend
First competiton day is tomorrow. The schedule says STA and DNF on saturday and DYN on sunday. Since the order of the OT’s is based on PB’s I start in the last heats in the ladys class in all disciplines. My official tops are following. Saturday: STA: 11:32, DNF: 16:44. Sunday DYN: 12:20. Through the hyperlink below you can find information about the event such as in list, official tops and final results. https://www.officialtop.org/events/1/info
This year there are some international athletes as well. I whish all athletes good luck, a great performance and only white cards!Lunchbreak by the lake
The weekend has just started and I already fully enjoy every second. It is a wonderful day being on a road trip to Uppsala and having lunch break by one of the thousand lakes in Sweden.
Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-03-29
Somewhere between Gothenburg and Uppsala, SwedenOne week to Official Top
One week until the Swedish Championships (SC). Training has been splendid. This week I joined a small comeptition in dynamics. Now my schedule says: Play! Play! Play! until my OT in the SC next saturday.
March Challenge 2019
The last months has been quite intense with a lot of training and this week I also joined March Challenge 2019, small competition in DYN, DYN-BIFINS, DNF. I joined just to get a little bit more experience for the upcoming SC. I didn’t want to push my self. Just feel. I’m satisfied with the competition. I did what I wanted to do. With my dive I ended up second best. Congratulations to the winner, Hans Fogelberg who also did PB with the result of 214 meter in DYN! You see him doing the surface protocol in the picture below, to the right.
It was fantastic to see so many new and familiar faces joining the competiton. Some PB:s and only white cards. Beautiful competition! You see all competitors including judges, medic and starter in the picture above, to the left. The picture of the group is taken by Karin Fogelberg.
In the picture to above, to the left you can glimpse Linda Stenman below surface approaching 100 meters preparing for her turn. In the picture to the right, Valdemar Karlsson one minute to Official Top.
Play! Play! Play!
Last sunday I joined the youngster group by playing underwater rugby with them. Some bruces and scratches later I went home with a smile. This kind of preperations are important to me before a competition. To play and have fun!
I have always loved taking pictures of people, other creatures and living things under water. While being in an intense training period there is not always time for that. Now most of my preparations for SC are done, therefor the last traning sessions has ended up me taking pictures of other people training! In the picture above you see Valdemar Karlsson. In the picture below Hans Fogelberg and Rose-Marie Larsson. Valdemar and Hans will compete in the SC as well.Be kind to your self, be kind to others.
Nicole Edensbo, 2019-03-23
Gothenburg, Sweden
