W H O W E A R E
Louisa Collyns
Louisa is an AIDA master instructor, and founded Freedive Ibiza in 2015. She was the first female Chief of Safety at an international depth competition, and is one of the most experienced female competition safety freedivers in the world. She is a consultant to the AIDA Safety Committee and is an AIDA Judge.
As well as being safety freediver for five editions of Vertical Blue – the elite freediving competition – she was Chief of Staff in 2018 and 2021. She was Chief of Safety for both the Molchanova Grand Prix in Ibiza in 2018 and the Blue Element depth competition in Dominica in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Previously, Louisa was Platform Coordinator at the Caribbean Cup in 2016.
While Louisa’s focus these days is on teaching and competition safety, she also competed at World Championship level in depth in 2013. She has written several articles for Deeperblue.com, Freedive Magazine, Barefoot Running Magazine.
Louisa provides safety for in-water film productions and photoshoots, and is an underwater dancer.
Gary McGrath
Gary is a highly experienced AIDA, PADI and SSI instructor and has certified and coached hundreds of students and athletes. Prior to joining Freedive Ibiza, Gary taught for 18 months at Freedive Gili the biggest freediving school in the world.
Gary is a top ranking athlete, and the deepest man in the UK with a personal best of 111m CWT (monofin).
A competitor for well over a decade, Gary has competed in two depth World Championships (2011, 2013) and numerous pool competitions worldwide.
Gary loves pool as much as depth, and is a big fan of static. His personal best is 7mins 32sec. He offers online-coaching to professional and amateur freediving athletes.
Gary competes in both pool and depth competitions, and has recently been a safety diver at international depth comps in Ibiza and the Caribbean.