The International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques has been awarding the Golden Tridents, a high distinction recognizing underwater activities, since 1960. On September 16, it announced the names of the personalities receiving this award for the year 2022.This ceremony highlights, each year, excellence in the fields of sciences, techniques, and technologies for underwater and hyperbaric activities, as well as merits in exploration, sports, artistic, and informative activities related to the underwater environment.
For more than 60 years, the Academy has distinguished personalities from the underwater world with this award. Less than 200 people have been honored, including about twenty French, among them Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Philippe Tailliez, Albert Falco, Jacques Mayol, Daniel Mercier, Henri Delauze, and more recently Laurent Ballesta, Christian Pétron, and Nicolas Barraqué.
The recipients of the 2022 Golden Tridents (for individuals) and Academy Awards (for organizations) are:Richard Stanton (United Kingdom) – Cave Diver – Category Exploration and Sports Activities.Fabrizio Antonioli (Italy) – Geologist – Category Scientific Activities.Frédéric Di Meglio (France) – World Champion in Underwater Photography and President of the FFESSM – Category Educational, Awareness, Artistic, and Recreational Activities.Manrico Volpi (Italy) – Instructor for the Disabled – Category Educational, Awareness, Artistic, and Recreational Activities.Gerardo Bosco (Italy) – Professor of Hyperbaric and Underwater Medicine – Category Scientific Activities.David Scaradozzi (Italy) – University Researcher in Robotics and Automation for the Underwater Sector – Category Scientific Activities.Jean-Pierre Imbert (France) – Scientist in the Saturation Diving Sector – Category Technical, Technological, and Hyperbaric Activities.Cesena in Blu (Italy) – Active Organization in Diving for People with Disabilities.
Two Frenchmen are recipients of these Golden Tridents this year. Frédéric Di Meglio received his award on September 16, recognized for his internationally renowned underwater photography career and political involvement in opening up both federal and international diving. « The FFESSM through my presidency is honored » he declared. The second Frenchman to become an academician for the year 2022, the scientist Jean-Pierre Imbert, will receive his Golden Trident on September 17. He is an engineer, former head of de la hyperbaric safety de la COMEX et specialist in decompression. He notably developed saturation diving procedures for immersions up to 300 meters.
