Francis Cisfran completed levels 1, 2 and 3 of basic freediving certifications before participating in competitions. Photo credit: Charlotte Trotter

French diver Francis Cisfran is returning to the Depth Freediving World Cup as an Australian for the first time, after reaching nearly 70m and placing third in last year’s competition.

Divers from around the world will join Cisfran in the Philippines next week to compete in depth competitions up to 136m – the equivalent of swimming down from the top of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The depth-defying competition, which first started in the Mediterranean during the 1940s, attracts dozens of thrill-seekers each year.

Mr Cisfran said participating in competitions is the safest way to “really push your breath hold” as competitors are constantly surveyed by on-site teams and medical officers.

“Free-diving is very different from most sports,” Mr Cisfran said.

“The most important quality required is not speed, nor strength, nor technique, nor to have good cardiovascular endurance, nor flexibility, the most important quality is to have a good breath hold, which is quite unique.”

The 40 competitors are ranked according to technique , such as use of fins, weighted ropes and those wearing fins shaped like a dolphin’s tail.

Mr Cisfran said during last year’s competition, he competed in all four disciplines – one each day – because he wanted to remain “a complete athlete”.

“My deepest dive was in free immersion, pulling on the rope to move, which was 68m deep,” Mr Cisfran said.

Perth’s “biggest and oldest” freediving studio, Blueback Freediving and Yoga, says many students want a longer breath-hold for snorkeling and underwater photography purposes.

Blueback instructor Dan Gaunt said that out of all the students he has taught, only one explicitly stated their desire to compete in freediving competitions.

“You often get people who will say things like, I just want to see how far I can push my limits, whether that progresses to competition is another question, but actually very rare,” Mr Gaunt said.

Mr Gaunt said he loves diving to depths himself and deeply admires Mr Cisfran, finding him to be a very accomplished freediver.

“There are kinds of people that compete within freediving who have just done it because they kind of wanted to, and then there are people like Francis who pursue it,” Mr Gaunt said.