Pierre Frolla

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Pierre Frolla (born February 14, 1975) is a Monegasque free-diver. www.pierrefrolla.com Pierre FROLLA: Native from Monaco and living close to the Mediterranean Sea

Pierre FROLLA, a young Monegasque born in 1975, is fascinated by the Apnea. His passion, his pleasure, his life: the Freediving. Serious in his work, relax in life, this man is extremely sympathetic and well-known be attracting the media. In few years, he became the legitime representative of the World of the Apnea. Pierre Frolla is a triple World’s Recordman in Free Immersion (including -80 meters on 17th August 2001 in Monaco).

His mission: a come back to the nature where he can enjoy with the abyssal descents. To find again a permanent contact with the marine environment. "The Free immersion is a manner for him to go down towards the truth".

The spirit of the apnea is the share of his well-being. Out of Championships, there is no rivality, no record, no fight. Only one mission: the sportsman looking for a harmony with the nature. To be able to research the physical effects and physiological limits of the human being. Always farther on and deeper just to touch and serve the man. Only one special word, "Pleasure".

Today, Pierre gives a pure devotion to his passion.

Everyday, he is improving himself to get his own record of the world in Free Immersion. He works at the Diving School in Monaco; "The Blue School", new structure, where he initiates children to the freediving and to the scuba-diving. Teaching at school is to give one thing "to share his passion and give the best of this sport with children."

«To dive in Apnea is a sport and a spiritual discipline that I practise for ever. I grew with the sea and beside me, my father (fisherman) and my brother. With them, I discovered "the Mediterranean Sea" and before becoming a sportive discipline, the Apnea is a way of life and opening towards people. She asks us to know ourselves perfectly, to learn how to be accepted by the water for a best diving.

To dive deepest in the ocean is to have the feeling of a good relation between the spirit and the body; to discover how your body is, reacts, adapts. To dive means entry with yourself and the element: At the end, to feeling to become “water”.

I imagine the sportive performance like an opportunity that we catch or not. Before getting the best, it is to be skilled. The sea learns us honour, humility, work and resign. The energy and the power of the sea broken reminds us back that it is important to get what is given to us and to be able to have; it is the respect, it is the understanding.

monacoBAUDELAIRE, famous French writer, said "Free man always you will love the sea". It is important to react. My mission is to be with "the BLUE SCHOOL" where I am working. A Mediterranean Listening Center for the fauna and the flora for the 8 years old. This school learns them how to dive, to become aware of respecting the sub-marine life.

All started very early, when Pierre was child

With his brother, they wanted to follow very quickly the way of their father, himself World’s Recordman of Apnea and Monegasque’s Memberships of spearfishing.

Very young, Pierre prefers more the Freediving than the other sports. Although, he practices :judo, sailing and swimming.

But in 1994, all is revealed; practising the Apnea with his brother Philippe and his best friend Olivier, he decides to register this little group at a training courses organised by "Nice Inspiration". This freedivers’ group coming from Nice University Club is directed by Claude Chapuis, Olivier Heuleu, Duduche, Marc Counil, Jean Marc Tominic and Loic Leferme.

Then, a very strong relationship was born on winter in 1995. During this year, the group will organise the 1st AIDA World’s Championships of Apnea (October 4, 1996), assembling 9 nations including the Italian’s Team with Umberto Pelizzari. Pierre will take part in security organisation with his brother, the Jourdan’ s brothers and the well-known submarine chaser.

Therefore, the adventure starts:

   - Organisation of the 1st Cup of France of Apnea (AIDA),
   - Instructor of FFESSM,
   - Creation of the structure of the International Center of Diving in Apnea (1997), directed by François GAUTIER,
   - Creation of the AIDA Standard and Procedures (Status of the records, Diploma and the Apnea Competition).

In 1998, Pierre wins his 1st France Record -variable weight- improving the time of Loic Leferme of 2 meters (-82m). This time is realised with the NUC and with all the present group. This challenge done, Pierre and all the group participate with Loic Leferme’s diving training and try to get the World Record in No Limit. This challenge which he will win on May 22, 1999 in bay at St Jean Cap-Ferrat.

At the end of the summer time, Pierre will meet Serge Vermillhac, Instructor of diving and Managing Director of an Association at Cap d’Ail called “IEMANJA Club” (Members: Christophe, Raymond, Julien, Tonio, Jean George, Stephan so on. ....). This group of divers go into the Niçe adventure and put at their disposal his material and men in order to realise a security team concerning the training courses and records.

With them, Pierre gets his 1st World record in Free Immersion (-72m) and threw again the challenge concerning this discipline. During on 2000, the Racer’s Team “CARA AU FUNDE”, composed by Monaco’s Team, the ‘IEMANJA’s Club: Christian SCHMIDT, Philippe AFRIA and the NUC. These teams were born. This group will become the trainer’s official for Pierre in Monaco. These 18 persons give to Pierre the maximum security three times per week during 5 months.

In 2000, he wins -73m in Free Immersion, his second World record, due to the help of their Nice and Monaco teams (Nice/Sprint Communication). First images of François Gaultier, Mario the Greek and. ....Guillaume Nery. We also thank Yoann Meilhac, site’s Supervisor. Prepared by Christian SCHMIDT and Philippe AFRIA, this year of working will pay at the end. At the end of the summer time, Pierre is a co-organiser of the Apnea World Cup in Nice, beside of Claude Chapuis.

Following this competition, worn by France, Loïc and Pierre travelled through the world with VM production to produce a movie called “the fish-men”, a 52 minutes produced by France Television. The movie will take 1 year and will include their respective World records in 2001, (-80meters for Pierre, his 3rd World record).

In 2002 will be the year of the transformation. Pierre, then in Martinique beside to Philippe, Serge and Jo to preparing his previous World record in August. He meets Laetitia, his future wife that he will marry in the year. Invited by the Monegasque Federation of Sub-Aquatic Activities: he will took part at the “BLUE SCHOOL” and he will have the function as Federal Diver’s Instructor.

In 2003, Chypres. Freediver’s Open Classic is the competition of the year. A real World championships elects the best individual freedivers by team. Pierre, beside Stephan MIFSUD and Guillaume NERY, coached by Olivier JAUFFRET and Yoann MEILHAC will win the title by Team and Pierre will get the first place in Dynamics. He will be the Champion of the year.

At this time, Pierre is beside of all friends with whom he produces a movie called "FREEDIVING", a 90 minutes about the Apnea throughout the world.