Italian Freediver Breaks Two World Records Swimming 106 Meters Beneath Frozen Lake

A 43-year-old Italian freediver has just completed two world record attempts in one of the most extreme environments imaginable: swimming 106 meters beneath the frozen surface of Lake Anterselva in Alto Adige—without a wetsuit. Luca Casalini, originally from Porto Santo Stefano on the Monte Argentario peninsula in Tuscany, conquered both the CMAS world record for dynamic apnea with bi-fins and the CMAS world record for dynamic apnea with monofin, cementing his name in the annals of Italy's extreme sports history.

Why This Matters

• National pride: Casalini's achievement marks a rare moment of Italian dominance in a niche but high-profile discipline.

• Extreme safety protocols: Over 30 specialists spent days cutting ice blocks and coordinating safety measures, underscoring the complexity of under-ice athletics.

• Age factor: At 43, Casalini proves that peak performance in extreme endurance sports need not be the domain of twentysomethings.

A Lifelong Dream Realized Under Ice

Casalini's performance unfolded between March 6 and March 8 at Lake Anterselva, a glacial body of water in Italy's northernmost province. The athlete described the experience as surreal. "It's a dream come true. I've experienced incredible emotions," he said after surfacing. "Since I was a child, I always hoped to one day bring the colors of Italy to the top of the world, and at 43, I've finally done it. I'm overjoyed."

His trajectory to this moment began at age 5, when he accompanied his father on spearfishing trips off the Tuscan coast. That early immersion in apnea—Italian for "breath-hold"—planted the seed for a career defined by stillness, concentration, and the body's capacity to ration oxygen molecule by molecule. By 2021, he had already claimed the Italian national title in static apnea, holding his breath underwater for exactly 7 minutes. But the under-ice discipline is an order of magnitude more complex.

The Physics of Freezing Water and Thin Air

To understand what Casalini accomplished, consider the environment. Water temperature in Lake Anterselva hovers between 2°C and 4°C beneath the ice. At that temperature, the human body undergoes immediate physiological shock: heart rate spikes, peripheral blood vessels constrict violently, and the cold begins to sap core heat. Without a wetsuit—standard thickness ranges from 5 to 7 millimeters for ice apnea—Casalini's skin was directly exposed to water that can induce hypothermia within minutes.

The ice itself was estimated at 30 to 50 centimeters thick. Club affiliates of FIPSAS (the Italy Federation of Sport Fishing, Underwater Activities, and Finswimming)—including Bolzano Sub – STC Bozen, Club Subacqueo Rane Nere Trento, Gruppo Sommozzatori Riva, and Thetis Sub—spent days chainsawing trapezoid-shaped access holes, each roughly 2 by 2 meters, and installing floating guideline ropes anchored with ice screws. These ropes are mandatory: in the event of disorientation or blackout, an athlete unable to surface through the solid ceiling has only the guideline to follow back to an exit hole.

Safety divers stationed at smaller auxiliary holes formed a rapid-response grid. A support crew exceeding 30 people coordinated logistics, thermal recovery tents, and real-time physiological monitoring. The entire operation resembled a high-stakes expedition more than a sporting event.

What This Means for Italy's Extreme Sports Community

Casalini's double record places Italy firmly on the map in a discipline dominated historically by Polish and French athletes. Current CMAS world records in dynamic apnea—measured in heated pools—stand at 326.5 meters for monofin (Mateusz Malina of Poland, May 2025) and 300 meters for bi-fins (also Malina). Casalini's 106-meter swims, while shorter in absolute distance, occurred in conditions exponentially more hostile: ice overhead, no wetsuit, and near-freezing water that paralyzes muscles and clouds judgment.

The CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques) ratifies these specialty records separately from pool-based marks, recognizing that ice apnea demands mental fortitude and cold adaptation that cannot be simulated indoors. For residents of Italy's Alpine regions, where ice diving has long been a niche winter activity, Casalini's success validates years of grassroots development by local clubs and federations.

His brother and coach, Mirco Casalini, has been instrumental in designing training regimens that blend breath-hold endurance, cold-water acclimatization, and psychological resilience. The mental component is critical: disorientation under ice can trigger panic, a deadly response in an environment where surfacing is impossible except at designated holes.

The Anatomy of a Record Attempt

Each of Casalini's 106-meter swims began with controlled hyperventilation at the edge of an ice hole, followed by a final deep inhalation. He then descended roughly one meter below the surface—neutral buoyancy calibrated precisely—and began horizontal propulsion along the guideline. With bi-fins, his legs scissored in alternating kicks. With the monofin, his body undulated in a dolphin motion, vertebrae flexing rhythmically to generate thrust.

At 106 meters, he reversed course and returned to the starting hole. The entire swim lasted between 90 and 120 seconds, estimates based on typical dynamic apnea speeds. The most dangerous phase occurs in the final 15 meters, when the partial pressure of oxygen in the bloodstream plummets as ambient pressure decreases. Blackout—sudden loss of consciousness—is most likely in this window, which is why safety divers shadowed him throughout.

After surfacing, Casalini was immediately wrapped in thermal blankets, given hot fluids, and monitored for delayed hypothermia, a condition in which core temperature continues to drop even after exiting the water.

Broader Implications for Apnea Regulation and Safety

Italy's extreme sports community is small but highly organized. The FIPSAS federation, which oversees underwater disciplines, has developed rigorous certification pathways for ice apnea instructors. Casalini's records will likely accelerate interest in specialized courses, particularly in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, where alpine lakes freeze reliably each winter.

There's also a legal dimension. Italy classifies extreme sports under a patchwork of regional and national regulations. Liability waivers, insurance coverage, and emergency medical protocols must be filed with local authorities before an event of this scale can proceed. The fact that 30 specialists and four dive clubs coordinated seamlessly for days reflects years of institutional learning about risk mitigation.

For context, the Monte Argentario municipal government publicly congratulated Casalini, a subtle but meaningful endorsement. In a country where bureaucratic hurdles can stall even routine sporting events, municipal backing signals that extreme apnea is gaining legitimacy as a professional discipline rather than a fringe stunt.

What Comes Next

Casalini has reportedly attempted a third record in dynamic apnea without equipment—no fins, no monofin, only arms and legs propelling the body. Results from that attempt have not yet been officially published, but the progression follows a familiar pattern in apnea: once an athlete conquers a category, the next frontier is always more minimalist, more exposed, more raw.

For residents and expatriates in Italy, Casalini's achievement is a reminder that the country's athletic identity extends far beyond calcio and cycling. The frozen lakes of the Dolomites and South Tyrol are becoming laboratories for human physiology at its outer limits—places where discipline, preparation, and a peculiar form of courage converge beneath the ice.