Some athletes spend their entire lives perfecting a technical skill. Days, months, and years are dedicated to practice and improvement. This is the case with Nicola Schiavon, who, after about two decades of competitive fin swimming, achieved good results and then decided to explore the world of freediving. Since 2016, he has been an instructor and is a part of the staff at Y-40, where he focuses on teaching the monofin, which is fitting given his background as a competitive swimmer. 

Nicola, tell us more about yourself... 

"Since becoming an instructor, I have dedicated myself to teaching the monofin, a beautiful and fascinating tool that I used during my 20 years of fin swimming competitions. I was already very familiar with it, although the latest models on the market are truly exceptional. To put my knowledge to use, I recently wrote the monofin teaching methodology for PADI. I would like to thank Marco Mardollo, the Technical Director of Y-40, the facility where I work, who supported me in drafting the texts. The courses will be divided into two levels, beginner and expert, designed for those who want to improve their technique in dynamic and constant weight disciplines. Additionally, I have been collaborating with Cetma Composites for about four years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a company with which I immediately felt comfortable, a close-knit family where I can express myself and interact with the owners, Andrea and Silvio. I work excellently with them, not to mention that they are the leading company in the field of freediving. You just need to look at the podiums of various championships, from the Italian to the World Championships, to realize that most athletes on the podium use Cetma fins and monofins." 

Can you tell us more about your work at Y-40? 

"In addition to regular instruction, we have several projects in the pipeline in collaboration with the facility and Cetma. For example, through my role and the monofin courses, students have the opportunity to try out Cetma models in the pool, both during courses and for independent dives. We are also working on different events, some of which are in the planning stages and too early to discuss. One, in particular, is already defined. It will take place from November 3 to 5 and will be a workshop at Y-40 featuring top athletes such as Livia Bregonzio, Antonio Mogavero, and Alessia Zecchini. They will be focusing on dynamic (Livia) and constant weight (Antonio and Alessia) disciplines, not only from a technical perspective but also from a mental aspect, using both bi-fins and the monofin. For the monofin, Cetma models will be available for those who wish to use them." 

Can you provide some details about the other projects? 

"We have one or two more events in the works, all taking place at Y-40 and entirely organized by Cetma. These events will involve various national and international freediving schools that use the company's equipment. We are talking about February and April, but the dates are yet to be determined. We are working on this, although it's not easy to align the needs of each individual school. However, we are making progress, and I hope to provide more precise information soon."