Kathryn Nevatt - freediver

25/09/2026

From this November I'm starting some breathwork coaching at a fabulous new 7 day luxury wellness retreat in the beautifully restored Earnscleugh Castle here in Central Otago, near Clyde in New Zealand's stunning South Island. You might have seen Marco and Ryan's renovation journey on Grand Designs, but if not, check it out on TVNZ+, season 10, episode 1. It has been quite an adventure (ordeal?) for them to get to this point!

These retreats are a great opportunity to relax, unwind and learn more about yourself, from a diverse team of experts, in a beautiful setting with a bit of pampering, amazing meals and scientific backing.

I'm really looking forward to helping people commence their journey of self-discovery, improved wellbeing and personal improvement through breath, a free and powerful tool we all have access to, at any time or place. 20 years of elite level freediving has taught me so much!

Hope to see you there!

Sanctum 7
https://www.sanctum7.co/










Firecrest Systems
Seaquel Wetsuits

22/09/2026

We had the Freediving New Zealand pool nationals over the weekend at AUT Millennium (national aquatic center) in Auckland. Things didn't quite go as I had hoped (I didn't set any new NZ records!) but I produced three solid dives, giving a strong points total and regained my National Champion status.

Static: 7:04
Dynamic: 201m
Dynamic no fins: 161m

It was a really well run event with loads of new divers and some good social events. Thanks to the volunteer team. Hope to see the new divers back next year!

Queenstown Freediving Club, New Zealand
Firecrest Systems
Seaquel Wetsuits

08/09/2026

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/crime-and-justice/1307924/coroner-calls-on-mbie-to-ban-tankless-diving-device-after-accidental-drowning

OMG, there's so much wrong with this. Please don't buy devices marketed to make your freediving easier. Just a small snorkel, separate from your mask, for surface breathing only please.

1. Never dive alone (can't believe his mates left him alone, even taking the boat away, especially if they understood anything about what he was doing). Please look out for your buddy whenever they are underwater.

2. This is not freediving. We do not breathe under water.

3. Scuba diving (or any breathing of air underwater) requires education. If you don't understanding the basic science of what you're doing, things can go wrong very quickly, and generally with huge consequences (death). And, regardless of whether the airflow is consistent or not, this is incredibly dangerous as too easy to alter your depth in the water.

Basic explanation:
The volume of air decreases as you dive deeper. At 10m underwater it is half the size it was on the surface. At 20m it is a third. This air is in your lungs, your middle air and your blood stream/tissues. If you breathe normally at 10m underwater you will therefore breathe twice as much air as you do on the surface to normalise these volumes. Too long here alters the balance of gases in your body which also has consequences. If you then swim quickly to the surface (as one does when they panic) the volume of air increases rapidly so it will be twice the size on the surface. This will generally release itself from your ears. And it is possible you could exhale to release from your lungs without it forcing itself into your body around your lungs, but it grows in your blood stream and gets stuck around joints in in your brain, stopping blood flow and potentially leading to death. This is why there are strict rules in scuba around coming up very slowly. This does not affect your average freediver as they only take with them the air they breathed on the surface so they can swim up as fast as they want and do not need to exhale (please don't).

The day before he died, Shengwei Cao pulled out his new tankless diving device - a Wolach 919 - and tested it in the bathtub.

26/06/2026

Queenstown Freediving Club, New Zealand is coming to CROMWELL!

We've set up another Club Induction, this time in Cromwell, Sunday morning, 5 July. We're about to start up regular weekly training in Cromwell so this will be a great way for you to get started with the club. The weekly training session will be after work one evening per week and we will be able to confirm which day by early next week. To join the trainings you need to either do a formal freediving course or a Club Induction. More info in the event:
https://www.facebook.com/share/18s9SwUp5t/

Send a message to learn more

23/06/2026

So it turns out that my little static apnea dive of 7 minutes and 33 seconds at the Wellington winter champs a couple of weeks ago has put me at 4th in this year's world rankings. Also, if I'd been halfway around the world at the AIDA freediving pool world champs that time would have won a bronze medal or the week later at the CMAS world champs it would have won a silver (both behind the amazing static queen Heike who achieve world records of 9:39, twice, and beat all the men). I know it's never that simple, but feels good to be up there still. Also, at the same small regional competition, Guy Brew pulled out an 8:28 static which would have placed him 4th at the world champs and is 6th in this year's rankings. Not bad for a little regional competition in New Zealand.

You can watch one very long boring video of my dive below. It was a bit more of a fight than I would have liked, but that's part of traveling to compete.

Thanks to Amy for coaching me through this and to Emma for filming it.





Seaquel Wetsuits
Firecrest Systems
Queenstown Freediving Club, New Zealand

23/06/2026

7:33 Static Apnea
Wellington Winter Champs 2026 Kathryn Nevatt - freediver Seaquel Wetsuits

22/06/2026

This is reasonably confronting!

21/06/2026

17/06/2026

It's been a hectic couple of weeks commencing with the wonderful Wellington winter champs marking it's 20th anniversary since I organised the first one back in 2006! It's always a great get together with old friends and a bit confronting about how long several of us have been doing this now! I didn't achieve what I set out to do, but respectable results of 153m dynamic no fins, 7:33 static followed up with 176m dynamic bi-fins shortly after. Thanks to Amy for coaching and great to see her progressing with a couple of very respectable PBs. Also really fab to see so many new divers having a go and new people having a go at organising.

This was followed up with a quick trip to see my folks and then a work trip to Auckland, with photographer Simon Devitt shooting some recent work, a little swim modeling on top of the world resulting in mild hypothermia, last minute musical ticket and a book launch; Cape to Bluff which features one of my jobs "farm house" by Anna-Marie Chin Architects.

16/05/2026

Guinness world record holders!

Portraits by EYXL.com.au