Andy
Cabrera Ávila
A story of Cuba,
France and the sea.
Who is Andy?
Andy Cabrera Ávila is a competitive freediver,
instructor and founder of Escuela Azul.
A man who turned his passion for the sea
into a life project.
World Records & Achievements
52 km Mediterranean Crossing
June 5–11, 2021
On the occasion of World Ocean Day 2021, Andy undertook from June 5 to 11 an unprecedented challenge: to cover 52 km in freediving between Hyères and its islands (Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Île du Levant), over 7 days and 6 nights, at 2 metres depth with a monofin, to raise awareness about the fate of the Mediterranean Sea. On board several boats, volunteers supported the event and a waste collection operation was organised along the entire route. Andy wanted to awaken consciences by transforming himself into homo delphinus.
6-hour Static Apnea Record (against animal captivity)
March 25, 2019
Franco-Cuban Andy Cabrera Avila set a new record at the Saint-Cyr-l’École swimming pool: he only breathed for 4 minutes and 12 seconds over 6 hours of static apnea, a challenge he set himself to denounce the mistreatment of marine animals in zoos. Andy Cabrera Avila aimed for an unprecedented static apnea record lasting 6 hours, locked in a cage to symbolise the suffering of dolphins. A both physical and symbolic feat of great impact.
3-Hour Record, World Ocean Day
June 10, 2018
10 km
Andy Cabrera Avila set off on Sunday June 10 at 9:30am to break the 3-hour endurance freediving record. On the occasion of World Ocean Day, he put on a show within the school swimming program with 250 children about the negative impact of plastic on the oceans. He brilliantly completed his 3 hours of freediving with short fins, having covered nearly 10 km — 395 lengths of 25 metres. He swam through piles of plastic placed in the pool to raise public awareness, trying to experience life as a dolphin.
TWO World Records at the Telethon
December 9–10, 2017
30,950 km / 53,350 km
For the 2017 Telethon, on December 9 and 10, he set two new world benchmarks: 1,238 lengths of 25 metres in 12 hours (30,950 km) and 2,134 lengths of 25 metres in 24 hours (53,350 km). An extraordinary performance: in a single weekend he broke two consecutive world records, first the 12-hour and then the 24-hour, covering more than 53 km in total non-stop. Le Petit Plongeur noted that Andy Cabrera Avila surpassed the 50 km barrier in the 24-hour event, a mark considered unprecedented in the world of endurance freediving.
12-Hour Telethon Record
December 3, 2016
29,175 km
On the occasion of the Telethon, he set a new world record in 12-hour competitive freediving with 1,167 lengths of 25 metres, totalling 29,175 km. This record was achieved at the Aquamundo pool in Saint-Cyr-l’École as part of the French Telethon, combining elite sport with solidarity towards people with rare diseases.
6-Hour Dynamic Apnea World Record
May 22, 2016
17,350 km
Andy Cabrera Avila broke Pascal Mazé’s 6-hour endurance freediving record (set in February 2016 with 374 lengths of 25m), completing 694 lengths of 25 metres — 17,350 km. The goal was to raise funds to provide an exoskeleton for a disabled girl. This was his first major endurance freediving feat, in which he more than doubled the previous record, all for a charitable cause.
