2024 Depth Odyssey : freediving competition season | Kosho Loïc Vuillemin

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Calling for financial support, partnerships and creative collaborations.

The freediving season never really ends in Egypt and my first appointment with competition will be coming in May 2024. Like many, i'm forced to observe the world's situation; we must all find solutions to survive our society's unfortunate madness and often i pray we make the right decisions, walk the right path. I do believe in miracles, i even believe having achieved some, and i also believe in efforts, collaborations, sharp discussions and wisdom. Despite hundreds of emails sent to various companies amongst the last years, i could not achieve to get a proper sponsoring contract that would wash away the financial obstacles brought by competitions and training. It's hard to swallow and difficult to keep faith in front of such a resistance, yet i won't leave civilisation to reach final extinction in a mountain cavern right now... i keep teaching freediving on a daily basis and do as much as i can to fund the projects i believe in.

You've been many to support my involvement into elite sport, many to help me grow my teaching activities, many to follow my adventures online, participate to my conferences and workshops and many to help me with my com. My gratefulness for you all goes beyond what i can decently express. Without you, none of this would have ever been possible. 

so much more than freediving competition...

In 2024, i shall bring the adventure on another level. I can't just keep on beating national records registered by myself just for the show, even if it's great. To be a monk and to compete at international level is not meant to express nonchalence and fun, but something by far more serious. 

I am attached to represent a vision that goes beyond individuality and wish my achievements could be the vehicle of some universal human values. If freediving looks extreme, it is also an example of calm and self control, precision, determination, effort, skills, technic, stamina, patience, detail, fitness, health, respiratory comfort, self improvement and growth, meditation, spirituality yet intensity and achievement... freediving is such a versatile art, able to express what usually remains hidden, silent and intimate. Competition is not an individual quest but a way i wish we could use together to impact positively on people's habits. 

If competing for my country has partly fullfiled my ambitions of records and allowed me to represent a higher instance than myself, i would really love to collaborate with people that have greater views for what i do than just a medal on a wall. It can be about so much more than just competition and freediving... possibilities are incredibly wide.

The challenges i'm about to face are the vehicle of great dreams and outstanding images that can be used for the benefit of many. I sincerely wish someone will resonate with the vision and be open for creative projects and great collaborations. Again, this could be so much more than just freediving competition.

Projects, schedule and alternatives

Freediving World Cup - May 2024 - Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

To start with the Freediving World Cup is a smart move, since it happens next to where i live: no plane needed, no hotel and no specific logistics either, i can train onsite... that makes it fortunately consistantly cheaper. Yet, check the budget that i published a bit further and you'll notice it still stays an expensive move. 

There, the goal is hopefully to deepen the Swiss national absolute records and to find myself with a clear view on what would come next. Swiss TV has placed an option on documenting this competition and we're studying the terms of their visit to Egypt for this purpose presently.

... and then?

If i believe that it will be possible to gather the necessary funds for that competition, i must admit having doubts for the rest of the circuit. To be completely transparent, this is how i imagine the possible schedule of 2024:

After the FreedivingWorld Cup that will end the 24th of may, i will have the month of June available. I already have students planned for the first half and hesitate in between dedicating the second half to an instructor course or to a freediving safari in the red sea. July is a difficult month in Egypt due to the heat, so i prefer to travel to Switzerland and organise there activities around meditation, self improvement and freediving before to usually head back in Egypt around september as i did this year. A two months stay in Switzerland has allowed me to meet a great number of people but has also shown to be to short to establish longer terms projects and collaborations.

AIDA & CMAS World Championships - September & October 2024 - Mediterranean Sea (France, Turkey)

For 2024, i believe that targeting AIDA and CMAS World Championship after the Freediving World Cup is worthed the try and the efforts. Considering that option, it would mean dedicating august at least to depth training in order to achieve readyness for these 2 events that are announced in Mediterranean Sea (official communication is expected soon) in september and october. World Championships are big events with direct media retransmission and coverage and are a bit the Olympic Games of freedivers. When i went in 2019, even if my score were modest, i made a great impression and got featured in multiple newspapers and TVs. The AIDA WChs should come first in schedule, followed by the CMAS one short after. 

The Swiss national records registered in CMAS are shallower than the ones i registered inside of AIDA. To compete in CMAS is then a good opportunity to deepen these and to inherit of the corrersponding titles in this federation. It's a competitive move, yet smart. This is why i believe competing at both events could generate keen interest. 

CMAS Egyptian Championships - November 2024 - Dahab, Egypt

At mid october, the remains of the competition season may eventually be the Egyptian Championships in Dahab that are now organised by CMAS. It represents another possible appointment with CMAS Swiss national records and should be held in november.

All together it's 4 events, Egypt, France, Turkey, Egypt and 9 months of competition regime, intense training and promotion activities.

The challenge is set and as said, its feasability will dramatically depend on the financial support you will be able to bring in that adventure.

Plan B and other projects

NLT challenge

I can't deny it could just sink down and not work at all. Maybe no one wishes to support this project financially or maybe there's someone showing up with a better idea than competing in World Championships or elsewhere. I previously announced my wish to beat the absolute Swiss national record in depth by achieving a no limit dive to 132m+. Even if it is technically risky and financially expensive, it is a possible target with certainly a great impact. It is also the possibility to produce impressive images of the very deep and to bring the mechanical assistance aspect on premium rows of documentation activities.

Video and storytelling

Along the years, some people have recognised themselves into my challenges and had a great time following them. A team of skilled storyboarders, scenarists and videographers have already gathered around the realisation of some inspirational movies of that personage i can incarnate. It's fragile, it's not the priority target yet but it is to say that beyond competition and records, there are an incredible amount of wonderful projects that can be envisionned, thought or even dreamed of.

A minimum to assume?

If there's no money, i'll simply grind my work and see if i can make it to the november CMAS competition in Dahab on top of the Freediving World Cup in may. Once more i will let go of World Championships and assume my individual carrer would get to an end without these.

Swiss National Freedivers Team

My involvement into freediving competition and the growing mediatic coverage about freediving in general as awoke multiple vocations in Switzerland. By my position of national top athlete in the disicpline and instructor trainer of freedivers, i already noticed putative athletes and significant hopes amongst the Swiss practicionners. The idea of building a team of athletes, men and women, and to power them to the international scene is dear to my heart and i sincerely hope it'll be an awesome adventure.

Aquatic advocacy

And there's the sea... the macro and the microplastics, the intensive fishery and the coral bleachign to only underline what one can decently take. My work exists thank to the sea and alongs the hours and hours passed in the water, i have discovered in my relation no only with depth and water but also with the marine life, that one of my kind can't stay silent and condescendant. There is a message to spread if we want to change the world's direction. No help should be left aside and if only i could be more involved into the protection of marine life and aquatic environnements, that'll make me wonderfully enthusiastic.

There's no project that i ignore or possibilities that i leave aside. 

Maybe my dream is that YOU would come to me with an even more enthusiasming project. 

Palmarès – my previous achievements

Please check also my press book: https://www.deepzen.net/press-releases

19 Swiss National Records

CWT: 84m - 85m - 86m - 88m - 90m - 93m - 96m - 100m

CWTB: 62m - 76m - 80m - 83m - 85m - 86m - 87m

FIM: 84m - 85m - 86m - 87m

World Championships

9th - CNF - Villefrance s/Mer - 9.2019

International Competitions

2nd - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup 1/3 - 5.2023

1rst - CWT- Freediving World Cup - 5.2022

1rst - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup (Final) - 11.2021

    3rd - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup 4/4 - 11.2021

    1rst - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup 3/4 - 9.2021

    1rst - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup 2/4 - 7.2021

    1rst - OVERALL - Freediving World Cup 1/4 - 5.2021

2nd - OVERALL - Dahab Championships - 10.2020

1rst - OVERALL - Freediving World Competition - 9.2020

Swiss National Competitions

2nd - OVERALL - Swiss Depth Championships - 8.2022

    3rd - CWT - Swiss Depth Championships - 8.2022

    2nd - FIM - Swiss Depth Championships - 8.2022

2nd - CWTB - Swiss Depth Championships - 8.2019

DEPTH OVERALL AIDA WORLD RANKING

17th - 2021 (321pts)

----   - 2022 

13th - 2021 (307pts)

1rst - 2020 (314pts)

8th - 2019 (301pts)

All results here: https://www.deepzen.net/loic-kosho-vuillemin-palmares

Actual sponsors 2023 - 2024:

FreeXperience : Safety first. FreeXperience produces lanyards that keep the freediver attached to the line during the dive. Undodgeable pieces of the freediver's equipment, the freeXperience lanyards are really high quality, solid and safe. While diving with these, yes indeed i feel safer … and that's incredibly important. Kimmo Lahtinen, founder of FreeXperience, offered me a set of lanyards for both CWT/FIM and CNF. I also use the FreeXperience Titanium noseclip that, beyond fitting my nose nicely and tightly, is really gorgeous.

Website : https://www.freexperience.com/

Sports' Corner Sharm el Sheikh: The one and only sport shop of Sharm el Sheikh. They help me to get the necessary fitness equipment and also assist me with the legal aspects of my professional activities of teaching and coaching freediving in Sharm el Sheikh. Amazing advisers, wonderful support and wonderfully welcomed equipment, so hard to get in that part of the world

Website : https://www.facebook.com/sports.corner.sh/

Raclette at Home: Julien has cheese for passion and i able to make you travel through incredible worlds and stories while serving you a very classy swiss raclette. Unforgettable. He has been studying freediving with me and we discovered a common taste for underwater pictures and movies of another type. Rock n Roll and hopefully promising collaboration.

Website : https://www.racletteathome.com/

Kendra Meditation Center: Krish is an old friend of mine. He has always been attracted by spirituality and meditation practice. Strong of more than 30 years of practice, research and experimentation, Krish welcomes people for meditation classes. We've been organising public talks and workshops together in Switzerland.

Website : https://www.facebook.com/centre.kendra/

Les Apnéistes Anonymes: A group of freedivers who organise pool and open water sessions around Boudry in Switzerland. We've organised multiple events together and i recently certified two of the founding members instructors. A great collaboration, lot of fun and good moments, awsome communication.

Website : https://www.lesapneistesanonymes.ch/

Meister : a very high quality of equipment for freediving. I ordered 2 tailormade wetsuits in different thickness last year and keep them preciously for depth trainings and competitions only . They fit perfectly and let my moves nicely free while keeping me at warmth. Supernice of them, they made me a good discount on the total price and printed the logos i needed on them. I was also really impressed by the speed at the one they had my suits ready after order. Meister is certainly one of the very best brand of equipment considering freediving and spearfishing.

Website : https://www.meister.gr/ 

But also:

Prana Santé that invites me regularly to lead workshops in their beautiful place

Ryu Kai Sangha that invited me to talk about the benefits of full breath exercises while meditating the zen way. Zen Dojo of Geneva.

Special Thanks to Certina who offered me a great watch and hired my team for promotional photo and video content production.

Sponsorship history 2019 - 2022

I am very proud and happy to have had receive the support of some people and brands in the past such as:

Go N Sea : The jewel of Gisèle Senegas from France. Her fins are really great. The top technology carbon that she makes her blades with is nicely wide and fits my finning style really well. Powerful yet flexible, i'm convinced these fins can bring one deeper than i already did in CWT or CWTB. With the Blue Darck model i scored many national records and participated successfully to World Championships back in 2019. She designed a model more adapted to depth with my recommadations, the « Vertical » ones. She offered me two pairs, each of them with different footpockets and blade stiffness. 

Website : http://www.palme-plongee.com/ 

I have had on my side the Association Taiji la Côte which has helped me a lot. They have regularly invited me to lead workshops and give public talks in Switzerland which definitly helped me gather funds.

Website : http://taijiquan-lacote.blogspot.com/

Zafu-shop has been one of the very first to support me with a money donation. The artisan Fabrice Genevois is craftworking zafus, zafutons and more. Daily, i use the zafu he gave me for meditation but also for stretching and breathing exercices. A must have...

Website : https://www.zafu-shop.com/

Hira Hosen – Ascension Catalyst has also been one of my great supporter. She has been providing the necessary funds for me to train with the assistance of safety divers many times. You may need her help to live with an open heart...

Website : https://www.tantraoftheheart.com/

I also committed to a very interesting partnership with Padma. They produce Tibetan medicine of really high standards and quality. I had been testing one of their formula while training. I have the strong belief that the formula can help everyone feel the greatest vitality. More energy for training, faster recovery, more focus. I love the idea of traditional plant based medicine.

Website : https://padma.ch/en/

But also:

• 2beFree that has been and still is super supportive and provide excellent freediving equipment
• Estelle Mei Aubert that wished to support the monk i am. She is expert of sacro cranial therapy.
• la Caisse d'Epargne de la Riviera that flyied me all the way from Egypt to talk about zen and freediving to their members
• Aurèlia, Heidi, Timo, Vitaly and Helen, Marshal... friends that believe in me and students that tipped me nicely to express their satisfaction for my teachings.

While you read, be sure no effort have been left aside to gather all the necessary funds to participate to the past and coming competition events. Yet, the money goal is by far not reached.

How much that all costs?

Not sure i will put the full detail here. I will obviously discuss it with you if you wish.  To be comfortable performing the way i described it shall need the gathering of about 4000euros per event. Considering the full season, 15k shall represent a estimation of the strict survival minimum.

It is a lot, needs to be discussed and yet represents only a third of what Switzerland gives to their usual athletes for a year of training and competing. Equipment, training sessions, travel and logistics, sport nutrition, competition and insurances fees, etc.. represent the classical costs of a professional competitor. The necessity of taking a break from work also has a direct impact on  a competition season budget and must be considered with care. 

As a freedive instructor, let aside a monk, i may need years to gather that amount of money. You understand i would find a bit weird you would not be carrying some great projects that would fit into what i can propose.

The good question : why would you give ?

My objectives are not only a defined moment in time, whenever i'm making myself ready for given performances in the very near future. Obviously and like most of us, i proceed step by step in life and the numerous achievements i realised, not only in freediving, have all or almost all been crowned by success. I give my heart fully in life and there is not a second of it that i would like to waste. Challenges and great projects are a constant amazement and the positive impact of success on those that surround us is mind-blowing.

You may want to give because you feel like supporting a dedicated person more than a precise objective. Supporting an authentic monk is very good for karma, just to say, mostly if you bring offerings before midday time. The impact of what i do is for the better good of all those who wish for a better world, i have no doubt about that. It's a daily discipline to act as a man of good and my faith is deep and strong.

You may want to support someone that believes in ethics at all levels, that we speak about elite sport, spirituality or even religion, family life and health of all sentient beings. You may want to support me because you believe, thank to my previous achievements and my constant dedication to a better world, that all these objectives i plan to realise will be so for a righteous cause.

Of course, i would love to invest and participate to an ethical business and as affirmed, i'm ready to study any form of sponsoring partnership. I look forward to read your propositions, wishes, dreams or needs. Be certain that your help will be received open arms, kept eternally in my heart and that the benefits you'll be rewarded with will last in time. But be no fool, i first wish a kind of collaboration in which both of us can express our needs and align to eachother's vision, stategies and actions. Please consider the demarch seriously and ideally on the longer term than just a competition season.

There are so many reasons to give, to support, to help...  write to me if you don't find any for the present project and visions and give me a chance to convince you.  If it may look like the adventure of one person, i can't go alone in it. Bring your support, so we can share success together.

Join me again on that incredible journey and consent to help me with a donation or by any other ways that you'll find appropriate.

What you want in exchange of your financial support 

I would believe that in the great and efficient partnerships, parteners communicate, both get rewards fand are both happy to work together. There are some pretty classical things a person like me can do. I dare to list some here hoping again you have your own dream to share. Please consider the following propositions as a non exhaustive list of skills and competences.

Newsfeed

Receive a multimedia follow-up of this performance adventure in the form of a newsfeed at your disposal. Content written by myself containing images and videos specially produced and personalized for you and your followers. You benefit from exclusive content to grow your communication platforms while retaining your audience through an extraordinary story that reflects your values and ambitions.

Branding

The spaces that can be used as advertising support on a diving suit are not numerous and who says printing on neoprene means higher cost and longer manufacturing time. The forearms and shoulders are locations that offer a very good visual advantage. Powerful images with integrated branding.

Workshops and Retreats

During my travels in Switzerland and elsewhere, I often offer workshops around the themes of apnea and meditation. These moments of meetings are intended to be public but can perfectly fit into a special event within a club or a private organization.

Conferences

I master the art of audiovisual conferencing, both face-to-face and in dedicated digital spaces and am very comfortable in public. I have several great successes to my credit and many positive echoes afterwards. I am often asked to focus my speech on a theme dear to my sponsors. I can offer tailor-made. 

SEO support and Social Networks

I benefit from a growing audience that is interested in tmy activities. The people who follow me recognize my value and know that I support associations, people, products and organizations whose choice is to offer quality while following strict ethics.

Images and videos

Alone i can't do much more than underwater selfies, yet i can totally build a dedicated team in order to produce underwater footages of high quality. Underwater footages have a spark nothing else has and freedivers can perfom insane modelling acts and stunts.

Media coverage

Followed by some newspapers, i will make you profit of my mediatic appearances, wear your brand and mention your qualities when possible.

If these do not really resonate fully with you, feel free ton contact me and tell me what you would really like or expect. Creativity has no limits when we share ideas and talk practical.

Conclusion:

Sponsorship is a human adventure and beyond faithful donations and anonymous support, it is often a business deal. We need to enter in contact pretty fast so we can discuss the terms of that healthy and profitable partnership we both wish for. You may not have any specific policies concerning sponsorship or may be carrying a project that aligns to my own and needs development. All that requires time, discussions and meetings... i can't stress you more to contact me fast and to let that good work begin.

Contact page: 

https://www.deepzen.net/contact-deepzen-kosho