Audrey Mestre French freediver Date of Birth: 11.08.1974 Country: France

1. Early Life and Passion for the Ocean
2. Discovery and Mentorship by Francisco Ferreras
3. World Record Achievements
4. Unofficial Depth Record
5. Tragic Demise

Early Life and Passion for the Ocean

Audrey Mestre was born in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, to a family of scuba diving enthusiasts. She developed a love for the water at the tender age of two, and by adolescence, had moved to Mexico City with her family. There, she pursued her interest in marine biology at the university in La Paz.

Discovery and Mentorship by Francisco Ferreras

Fate intervened in 1996 when Mestre met renowned free diver Francisco "Pipín" Ferreras, who would later become her husband and life-long mentor. Ferreras, an experienced free diver himself, recognized Mestre's potential and guided her through a series of record-breaking dives.

World Record Achievements

Mestre's dedication and prowess as a free diver earned her numerous national and international accolades. She set the French women's record in 1997 with a dive to 80 meters in just 1 minute and 13 seconds. In 1998, she shattered the female world record by descending to 115 meters in 2 minutes and 21 seconds. Her string of accomplishments culminated in 2000 when she claimed the world women's championship with a NO LIMITS dive to 125 meters in 2 minutes and 3 seconds.

Unofficial Depth Record

Mestre's official website claims she holds the absolute record in Non-Limits Free Diving (NLT) at 170 meters, achieved during a training dive. This record was posthumously recognized as a tribute to her memory.

Tragic Demise

Sadly, Mestre's life was cut short on October 12, 2002, during an attempt to break the world record in deep diving off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Despite her husband Ferreras serving as dive organizer, a tragic accident occurred. A malfunction in the air tank intended to inflate the lift bag for her ascent resulted in her untimely demise.