In the media
Netflix, The Red Bulletin, O, The Oprah Magazine, Vogue, Marie Claire, National Geographic, Atlas Obscura and Yle.
The 2021 record was reported around the world.
Johanna Nordblad is a Helsinki-based animation artist and freediving world record holder. A documentary about her record is on Netflix. On this page you will find press articles, records, as well as information about photos and interviews.
Documentaries and articles
Netflix: Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive
Nowness: Johanna, a short film by Ian Derry shared by National Geographic
Big vs. Small: a surf documentary in which I help Joana Andrade face her fears
The Red Bulletin: interview after a 103-meter dive, In Slow Motion 4/2023
Marie Claire: This Woman Dives 16 Stories Beneath the Surface of Frozen Water
O, The Oprah Magazine
Atlas Obscura: Watch This Record-Breaking Diver Take You Under the Ice
Scuba Diving: Escape Under the Ice with Freediver Johanna Nordblad
The Profile: The Profile Dossier: Johanna Nordblad
Yle: Johanna Nordblad also beat the men's ice diving world record
Kaleva: World record under the ice in Hossa
Kirkko ja kaupunki: For a freediver, time disappears underwater
Records
2021: 103 m under ice without fins and wetsuit, Ollori, time 2 min 42 s. CMAS world record.
2016: static breath hold 6 min 35 s, World Championships in Turku. Personal record.
2015: 50 m under the ice in Lake Päijänne in a swimsuit. Women's Guinness World Record.
2013: dynamic with fins (DYN) 192 m, World Championships in Belgrade. Finnish record.
2013: dynamic without fins (DNF) 137 m. Personal record.
2004: dynamic with fins (DYN) 158 m, Cyprus. Women's world record.
Media bio in Finnish
Johanna Nordblad (s. 1975) on helsinkiläinen vapaasukeltaja, kouluttaja ja animaatiotaiteilija. Hän aloitti vapaasukelluksen vuonna 2000 ja kilpaili lajin maailman huipulla. Hänellä on kolme MM-mitalia ja 12 Suomen mestaruutta, ja vuonna 2004 hän teki naisten maailmanennätyksen dynaamisessa sukelluksessa räpylöillä (158 m).
Vuonna 2010 Johanna mursi jalkansa pyöräonnettomuudessa. Lääkäri suositteli kipuun kylmähoitoa, ja niin hän päätyi avantoon ja lopulta jään alle. Vuonna 2015 hän teki naisten Guinness-maailmanennätyksen uimalla 50 metriä jään alla uimapuvussa. Vuonna 2021 hän sukelsi 103 metriä jään alla ilman räpylöitä ja märkäpukua. Ennätyksestä kertova dokumentti Jään alla: Henkeäsalpaava sukellus (Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive) on Netflixissä.
Johanna opettaa vapaasukellusta ja rentoa kylmään veteen menoa Freediving Helsingissä. Hän on kirjoittanut kirjat Rennosti avantoon: hengitys ja rentoutuminen sekä Vapaasukellus ja hengenpidätys: alkeet aloittelijoille. Koulutukseltaan hän on animaatiotaiteilija, ja valokuvaajasiskonsa Elina Mannisen kanssa hän tekee vedenalaisia taidekuvia.
Media bio
Johanna Nordblad (born 1975) is a freediver, instructor and animation artist from Helsinki, Finland. She started freediving in 2000 and went on to compete at the top of the sport, winning three World Championship medals and 12 Finnish titles. In 2004 she set a women's world record in dynamic apnea with fins (158 m).
In 2010 Johanna badly broke her leg in a cycling accident. Her doctor recommended cold water therapy for the pain, which led her to ice swimming and eventually under the ice. In 2015 she set the women's Guinness World Record by swimming 50 metres under ice in a swimsuit. In 2021 she swam 103 metres under ice without fins or a wetsuit. The record dive is told in the Netflix documentary Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive.
Johanna teaches freediving and calm cold water immersion at Freediving Helsinki. She is the author of Calmly into the Cold: Breathing and Relaxation, published in Finnish as Rennosti avantoon, and the Finnish beginner's guide Vapaasukellus ja hengenpidätys: alkeet aloittelijoille. Trained as an animation artist, she also creates underwater art with her sister, photographer Elina Manninen.
Photos
The underwater photos were taken by photographer Elina Manninen. You can request the photos and their usage rights directly from her. elina@elinamanninen.com
Competitions
2016 Turku, Finland, World Championships
2013 Belgrade, Serbia, World Championships
2011 Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, World Championships
2009 Aarhus, Denmark, World Championships
2007 Maribor, Slovenia, World Championships
2006 Hurghada, Egypt, Team World Championships
2005 Renens, Switzerland, World Championships: silver DNF, bronze STA and DYN
2004 Cyprus, BIOS Freeology Open Classic: win and women's world record DYN 158 m
2000 Nice, France, team competition
Official coach of the Finnish team at the 2014 Team World Championships in Cagliari, Italy. The team won bronze.
12 Finnish championships. A total of 24 gold, 11 silver and 5 bronze medals in AIDA competitions.
