Get Alice to the Freediving World Championships

Aim

Please help me get to the pool Freediving World Championships in South Korea this June.

My name’s Alice Hickson and I’m a Freediver! Put simply, Freediving is holding your breath in water. I can hold my breath for over 7 minutes, dive 60 metres deep without fins and cover a dynamic distance of over 200 metres. 

I started freediving in 2015 and have been hooked ever since. Since then I have won bronze, silver and gold at the World Championships, making me World Champion in 2015. I have also been National champion and a 8 x National Record holder. I currently hold all the British pool Freediving records and 1 depth National Record. Although I have been unable to compete for the past 3.5 years, my results still rank me 6th in the World. 

I currently live in Cornwall and last September I co-founded Blue Embrace Freediving to be able to share my passion with others. Freediving has changed my life in many ways and I now feel privileged to be able to share it’s benefits with others. I coach competitive freedivers, run regular courses and a thriving club for the growing community here. I am also looking at how to integrate my skills as an Occupational Therapist, in order to use freediving therapeutically to help others. 

After a difficult few years, I had been looking forward to attending the Pool World Championships last year, but unfortunately I caught Covid and took almost 6 months to fully recover. Just as I started to feel fit again and able to train properly I had to have an operation for endometriosis, which took more time for me to recover. 

Having started a new business and Worlds been in South Korea this year I tried to park the idea of going, but after finally getting back into training the last few months and reigniting my desire to compete again I have decided to enter the AIDA Pool World Championships in Jeju, South Korea this June. I’m also very aware that life in unpredictable and you never know what will happen, so I try to take every opportunity I can.

So this June 10-17th, I will be representing Great Britain in the Pool Freediving World Championships. I just need a little help to get there. Although I am fortunate enough to be sponsored by 2971 freediving equipment and Jane Towensend who provides me with Bowen Therapy, but everything else is self funded. Below is a breakdown of just some of the costs:

Competition Entry €500

Travel £1500

Accommodation £600

Other expenses include food and nutrition, coaching and pool hire for training.  

My goal for the World Championships is to be the best I can be and to inspire others to follow their dreams and do what brings them joy. I also hope to break more records, but the most important thing for me is to have fun, as this is when I do my best. Freediving makes me feel alive, brining meaning and purpose to my life. 

Even through multiple knock backs I have remained determined and want to make the most of the opportunities I have. It is with the support of individuals and organisations like yours, that I will have the opportunity to succeed in reaching my goal.

Any donations, regardless of the amount, are a great help in realising my potential for competing and representing the UK in the underwater world.

THANK YOU for taking the time to read my campaign 🙂

To keep track of my progress or find out more about me checkout:

https://www.instagram.com/alice_hickson_freediver/?hl=en  

https://www.facebook.com/alice.hickson.5?locale=en_GB

www.befreediving.co.uk

This project successfully funded on 23rd May 2023