CANCUN -- Austrian Freediving expert Christian Redl will attempt to set a world record by swimming through a 125-yard-long cave-like cenote (essentially, a freshwater sink hole with a collapsed roof) near Cancun, without an air tank. It is estimated that it will take Redl one minute and 45 seconds to complete the swim. The feat is made even harder by the fact that there is no possibility for exit, once the attempt is started. Essentially, it's do-or-die for Redl, though rescue divers will be on-hand in case they are needed.
The daring diver already holds several world records, primarily making his mark in cold water and ice. He will be supported by a team of seven people for this attempt.
If all goes well in Cancun, Redl will participate in the world's first under-ice hockey championship in March 2007 in Austria. For this stunt, divers submerge below a sheet of ice on the water's surface and use a bouyant "puck," which sticks to the underside of the "rink," much like a regular (weighted) puck would slide across the top surface of ice during a regular hockey game. The game is then played upside down (see photo).
