Umberto Pelizzari - Speaker

Seemingly born to be a world champion freediver - he could swim perfectly by the age of five -  at 19 Umberto Pelizzari achieved a record for static freediving reaching 5'33". He broke the world record two years later in 1990 by achieving 6'03". In the same year, and following intensive training, he achieved a new world record for immersion apnea in constant weight, reaching a depth of 65 metres. More records follow: in 1995 after 8 minutes of breathing pure oxygen, Umberto holds his breath for 19'56''. In October he breaks a total of three world records. Over the next decade, Umberto battles rivals in the sport and records continue to be broken. In October 1999, with technical support from the Italian Navy, Umberto made history with a dive considered impossible for man. He descends to 150 meters in the discipline of 'no limits', variable weight.

In the 00s, Umberto and the Italian National Team won the gold medal at the Freediving World Championship. He goes on to establish a new free-diving world record in variable weight, diving to 131m  and back in 2'44". During this period Umberto co-authored the first free-diving illustrated manual and worked as a journalist and reporter in television programs about science and ocean environments. Umberto created the Apnea Academy, a school for freediving, researching, and teaching. Since 2006 he's worked as a teacher in Pisa, at the second level of Master of Underwater and Iperbaric Medicine. Since September 2013, Umberto has taught the PHD of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine at the University of Palermo.