precomment of the writer; This interview was taken as a special opener of the international section of our previous website.....again we place this interview with my best friend from Germany; In 2003 I found Kerstin Mattes prepared to answer a few questions. In the last years she has won almost every competition she has entered and is multiple national recordholder. She also does a lot of other good work for the freediving sport, for example organizing the RMC; a perfectly organised competition in the best atmosphere you can imagine. Also Kerstin is an inspired painter.
Kerstin Mattes
birth: 07-03-1966, Wiesbaden (Germany)
residence: Wiesbaden (Germany)
occupation: management co-worker province capital Wiesbaden
hobbies: acryl painting (Maya), freediving, scuba diving, travel, .....
website: www.kerstin-mattes.de
website: art by Maya
When and how did you discover freediving?
I’m scuba diving since 1994 and I discovered freediving in the spring of 1999. In 1998 Jörg Eyber, a member of our club (TCW), asks me to be model for his underwater photos, but…..without air and with normal clothes (like Jeans, etc.). At first this sounded very strange, I never have tried this before but I like to do new things and got curios. It turned out to be very funny and we had a great time, resulting in some very nice pictures. It was a hard and tiring job but I liked it and felt very comfortable underwater, on a later date we did it again to finish the photoshoot. A couple of weeks later Jörg told me about Apnea and we made plans to go to a lake to try this way of diving. There I did my first dive to 12m. Feeling very happy, my own thoughts were to go deeper and now…..looking back, I think that was a good decision.
Why the choice for competitive freediving?
I hate competitions, but continue entering competitions because for me it’s a motivation to train and of course, I like to win. I also like to the see my freediving friends especially from foreign countries. At the beginning of each competition I say; 'this is my last competition' I hate it because I’m so extremely nervous. Afterwards I think it wasn’t that bad and I can do it again, it’s more or less a vicious circle!
What is your best freedive experience so far (top-3)?
1, My best freedive experience was in Egypt during training. Not deep but just for fun. It was only at 18m, diving along the line to the bottom and stopped there. Than a big Napoleon came close and looked at me. When I started my ascend he followed me and swam around me. It was a very relaxing experience, this is real freediving.
2, I have good memories diving in the fresh water caves in Mexico. The water was so extremely clear that sometimes you can’t see it. Furthermore it is very beautiful if the sun shines through the little holes in the ceiling. The light breaking in the water, creating a mixture of large and small sun rays and leaving you paralyzed by its beauty staring…..until your breath hold reflex tells you to come up….although your conscious mind likes you to stay just a bit longer.
3, And finally...diving under ice!!! I can not describe the feeling. It is not the same as normal freediving. You must experience it by your own to understand. Yes…it’s cold and hard to organize (based on safety reasons), but the impressions predominate. It was for a TV-documentary ”fit for fun“ on pro Sieben and it was both wonderful and funny! And really cold!!!
To what freedive experience do you attach the most value and why?
The most value? I think it was the world championship in Ibiza last year. It was my first world cup and I learned a lot and got a lot of impressions. Result wise, there I did my best results in static and constant. A few years before I never thought that I would be a member of the German national team for a world championship. But I also think most valuable are my experiences all together and who changed my life...positively!
What is your function within the TCW (Tauch Club Wiesbaden)?
I’m the president of our club TCW and like this job! Further I’m responsible for the public relations, organize the RMC and make the website...I’m the “mum” of the club. With a group of 7 people we established the TCW in 1998 and now we have more than 40 members. We are a big family, not a typical club and that’s good!
What are your plans, goals or expectations for the future?
TCW; I hope that we have the same success with the RMC 2002 as last year and the development of our club continues as it did the past few years.
SPORT; I dream about 152m but at this moment this is not realizable for me. (red. at the time of interview the WR was 150m)
PRIVATE; I want to be healthy, content ness and lucky with my boyfriend Tobi and my black cat Sheela.
What and how hard do you train to keep in such good shape the whole year? And are there things wherefore you need to resist the temptation?
I only train ones a week with our TCW in the pool. I know that I must train more to realize my goals. I almost only train dynamic because it’s difficult for me to train constant. We have a small lake near Wiesbaden but it is only 30m deep and very dark. So I train constant weight only for 1 or 2 weeks on our holiday. For dynamic, I train condition and breathing. Every week I start training with 100m dynamic because I don’t need to warm up for a maximum. After this maximum I start my training.
What is your favourite freedive discipline, and why?
My favourite discipline is dynamic. I love to dive along the lanes like a fish. I dive very slowly and that’s why I can enjoy it. The most of freedivers hate dynamic, I can’t understand this.
How do you look at Yoga techniques? Are you the umpteenth freediver using the complete Yoga track or do you only use the exercises you feel comfortable with?
I learned some Yoga 2 years ago; it’s very interesting and not only good for diving. I like to know more about it, I think it’s better for life than we know.
Are equalizing, breathing and stretching exercises (regularly) part of your training program?
No, sometimes if I have no motivation, I train without breathing and stretching. I just go into the water and dive and swim. I think I need more discipline or a trainer who tells me what I must do.
Where and how much do you train in outdoor water?
I only train in fresh water on holidays.
What gives you the biggest kick in freediving?
The biggest kick? I think to get better and better in combination with the total silence in the water. Freediving gives me the possibility to be alone with myself and to sense my body in another way then I normally do.
Is there anything else you like to share with us?
I’m very touched that you want to place an interview with me on your website. I hope I can motivate or attract some female freedivers with it. In any case you have motivated me to do more...,
Love Kerstin
