17/08/2026
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𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗖𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗛
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
On August 15th, the freediving world’s competition season continues with the opening ceremony of the 2026 CMAS World Championship Freediving Depth. The organizers are the experienced 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘁á𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 &𝗮𝗺𝗽; 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 managed by Esteban Darhanpe, who is hosting the CMAS World Championship for the third time. Previously, the CMAS World Championships took place at this location in 2019 and 2023.
𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲
Roatán is the largest of the Bay Islands, located in the Caribbean Sea approximately 65km (40 miles) off the northern coast of mainland Honduras. The island stretches about 59km (37 miles) from east to west and reaches a maximum width of 8 km (5 miles), covering an area of approximately 83km² (32 sq mi).
Roatán sits atop the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second-largest coral reef system in the world. The island's population is approximately 110,000, with Coxen Hole serving as the capital and largest settlement.
West Bay is the beach where the event takes place. The diving platform is located 0.70 miles (5 minutes by boat) from the shore. Diving conditions there are favorable for athletes and relatively stable (for the open water):
° Air temperature: 25–30°C (77–86 °F)
° Water temperature: 27–29°C (80–84 °F)
° Thermocline (water temperature decrease): about 2°C at 100m (328ft)
° Currents: null to moderate
° Visibility: 24–40m (80–120ft)
The World Championship follows CMAS regulations. Spanning eight competition days, athletes will showcase their skills in four different depth disciplines of competitive freediving: Constant Weight (CWT), Constant Weight with Bifins (CWT-BF), Free Immersion (FIM), and Constant Weight with No Fins (CNF).
Each athlete will have a single attempt to perform in each discipline. It is crucial for athletes to be mindful of their limits because, under CMAS rules, blacking out during a dive results in disqualification for at least 1 day (and, in more severe cases, from the rest of the competition).
To account for unpredictable weather conditions, the World Championship organizers have designated two reserve days. Additionally, there is a rest day in-between (which is particularly important for athletes competing in all four disciplines). The competition schedule is as follows:
August 15 - Official Training Men and Opening Ceremony
August 16 - Official Training Women
August 17 - Day 1: CWT Men
August 18 - Day 2: CWT Women
August 19 - Day 3: FIM Men
August 20 - Day 4: FIM Women
August 21 - Rest day
August 22 - Day 5: CNF Men
August 23 - Day 6: CNF Women
August 24 - Rest/Reserve Day
August 25 - Day 7: CWT-BF Men
August 26 - Day 8: CWT-BF Women, award ceremony and after-party
𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗖ó𝗿𝗱𝗼𝘃𝗮 has been appointed as the Event Head of Safety. 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮, Head of Safety for CMAS, will be responsible for ensuring full compliance with CMAS safety standards and protocols. From the bottom of our hearts, we wish the safety team luck in their challenging job of keeping the athletes safe.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀
The previous World Championship held at this location—the CMAS 7th Freediving Depth World Championship 2023—was a great success and has been written into freediving history. On August 21, 2023, 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘃𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗼 (𝗜𝗡𝗧) dived with a monofin at a depth of 134m and, over the past 11 years, became the first man other than Alexey Molchanov to set a world record in CWT. Andrey's record held only for several minutes, though, as Alexey was diving next and successfully reached 136m (446ft). To date, Alexey's 136m remains the absolute world record in CWT.
Andrey Matveenko passed away on November 11, 2025. The freediving community continues to mourn his loss.
Due to the location's remoteness and the late announcement of the Championship (on May 1, 2026, only 3.5 months before the event), the number of participating athletes is unusually low—about 80.
As a result, most of the top athletes among men are absent. On the bright side, we will see many new faces on the podium.
In 3 out of 4 disciplines, the main contender for the gold is 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃 (𝗜𝗡𝗧). In Constant Weight (CWT) and Constant Weight with Bifins (CWT-BF), Alexey is the current absolute world record holder with the results of 136m (446ft) and 129m (423ft), respectively. His closest competitor in CWT, 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗮 (MEX, PB 119m / 390ft), is 17m (56ft) behind. But we are at a loss to predict who might become third. In CWT-BF, the gap between Alexey and the next-closest athletes is even larger—24m (79ft). 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗮 (ESP; PB 105m / 344ft), 𝗣𝗲𝗽𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗼 (MEX; PB 105m), and 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗮 (FRA; PB 103m / 338ft) will compete with each other for the silver and bronze.
In Free Immersion (FIM), the absolute world record of 137m (449ft) belongs to 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗞𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗿 (𝗛𝗥𝗩). Petar no longer participates in CMAS competitions, so the main favorite in the discipline and the former world record holder with a PB of 133m (436ft) is 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃, while 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗿 𝗞𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗸 (POL; PB 118m / 387ft) and 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 (SVK; PB 114m / 374ft) have the highest chances for silver and bronze.
Constant Weight with No Fins (CNF) is the only discipline among men with potential rivalry for the gold. In the absence of 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗞𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗿—the legendary current absolute world record holder with a result of 103m (338ft)—Alexey Molchanov seems to, once again, be the main favorite with a PB of 100m (328ft). However, last year, Alexey announced a dive 1m (3ft) shallower than rising star 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗿 𝗞𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗸 (PB 91m / 299ft). The latter won the gold with a result of 91m, and Alexey took the silver with 90m (295ft). The fight for bronze also seems promising, as three athletes have comparable PBs: 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗮 (PB 89m / 292ft), 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗮 (PB 86m / 282ft), and 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗼 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗼 (SVN; PB 82m / 269ft).
Among women, we are missing 𝗭𝘀ó𝗳𝗶𝗮 𝗧ö𝗿ő𝗰𝘀𝗶𝗸 (𝗛𝗨𝗡), the current absolute world record holder in FIM with a result of 107m (351ft), and 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗸 (𝗦𝗩𝗡), who shares the absolute world record in CWT of 123m (404ft) with 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗶 (𝗜𝗧𝗔). Nonetheless, the female rivalry should be more intense than the male one.
In CWT and CWT-BF, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘃𝗮 (𝗨𝗞𝗥) will be 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗶’𝘀 main challenger for the gold. Nataliia’s PBs in these disciplines are 117m (384ft) and 112m (367ft), respectively. Alessia, meanwhile, holds both absolute World Records of 123m (404ft) and 113m (371ft). 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗸𝗮 (UKR; CWT PB 107m / 351ft; CWTB PB 100m / 328ft) is the most likely contender for the bronze.
In CNF, by contrast, Kateryna is the unchallenged favorite, holding the current absolute world record of 88m (289ft). Alessia also had a world record in CNF of 74m (243ft), set 5 years ago, but it doesn’t seem like she has been training CNF lately, while 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘃𝗮 (PB 70m / 230ft) and 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗮 (POL; PB 68m / 223ft) continue to improve their CNF results at competitions.
In FIM, the rivalry is again between the same Italian-Ukrainian pairing: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘃𝗮 (PB 106m / 348ft) and 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗭𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗶 (PB 104m / 341ft) will compete for the gold. 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗸𝗮 (PB 97m / 318ft) and 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶 (ITA; PB 96m / 315ft) will vie for what remains.
That's it for us—let the show begin! You can support the athletes and cheer them on by watching the online broadcast available on CMASTV.
On all competition days, the first Top Time is scheduled for 8:45 am (UTC−6), which is around 5 pm in Europe and 11 pm in Asia. If you miss the dives, don't worry; we've got you covered. Just check our daily competition reports and congratulate athletes in the comments!
