Freediving – one of the most challenging aquatic disciplines – is not for the fainthearted. World record holder Pierre Frolla takes a deep breath and explains what it takes
For Pierre Frolla, a four-time world record freediver, the sea is both his playground and his obsession. Born in Monaco to a father who was a member of the Monégasque spearfishing team, Frolla and his brother grew up hearing stories of their father’s diving prowess, catching fish to feed his family. ‘We just wanted to discover this world and share these adventures,’ he recalls.
Frolla spent his formative years in the waters surrounding Monte Carlo, realising his talent for freediving when he broke the French record at university during a routine immersion session.
Anyone who has tried freediving will know the first challenge is learning to equalise the pressure on your eardrums as you descend into the abyss, by holding your nose and pushing air into your ear canals. ‘You follow the rope and you don’t think about anything – you enter a meditative state. You feel the cold water on your face, the inside of your ears. You’re totally compressed. After 50 metres, you’re entirely alone, it’s like time has stopped and you exist only for the present,’ he explains. It is a singular mix of sensory stimuli and resurfacing from the frigid, lightless depths into the warm embrace of the sun feels almost like a spiritual experience. For Frolla, it’s an addiction. ‘You always have the urge to dive again. If you don’t, it’s like a form of depression,’ he muses.
World record freediver Pierre Frolla believes the latest iteration of Hamilton’s Frogman diving watch is the most capable yet
Naturally, timing is everything when seconds can lie between life and death – and the need for a diving watch that performs as intended beneath the waterline is crucial. Although most dive watches worn don’t make it as far as the shallow end of the pool, for Hamilton, the American-born Swiss brand behind the brawny Khaki Navy Frogman – named after the famed US Navy divers who wore the original model – it was about building a timepiece that was fit for purpose. And that meant having it field-tested by someone who had a real need for such a tool. ‘Hamilton got in touch in 2006 and asked if it could send me a [Frogman] watch to test and provide feedback,’ says Frolla.
The need for instant clarity in the murky depths led to Frolla advising Hamilton to improve the luminosity and reduce the weight of the Frogman. ‘When I am at the bottom, it can be quite dark. I need to know in less than one second the time I’ve been underwater.’ Frolla has advised on every model since and feels that the latest offering is the most capable yet and not just because of its technical merits. ‘The all-black PVD-coated design is my favourite – it’s athletic, but also a little dressy. If I go somewhere for a week, I can do everything with it, from diving to dinner,’ he explains.
In 2007, after the tragic death of fellow freediver and friend, Loïc Leferme during a dive in France, Frolla took stock and realised his future lay in making the sport as safe as possible. Retiring from competitive diving, he set up the Académie Monégasque de la Meron Larvotto Beach, in the shadow of Monte Carlo’s glittering skyline, to train the next generation wanting to push the limits of human endurance in a wetsuit. So if you fancy taking the plunge, you’ll be in good hands with this Frogman of the deep.
