Planète+ Adventure & Experience presents, on Tuesdays September 20 and 27, a program dedicated to the ‘superheroes’ of extreme sports. A series of eight documentaries, one of which features the fish man, also known as Umberto Pelizzari, the triple world record holder in freediving and student of Jacques Mayol.Eight extreme athletes, two women and six men presented as heroes with superpowers, will feature in this show:
– Yoann Leroux, the master of rooftops, double champion of Parkour and Freerunning;
– Alain Robert, the spider-man who climbs skyscrapers without ropes;
– Eric Deguil, the master of ‘impassable’ rivers, triple world champion in extreme kayaking.
– Géraldine Fasnacht, the wingsuit expert who flies over mountains;
– Umberto Pelizzari, the fish man, triple world record holder in freediving in no limit, constant weight, and variable weight;
– Justine Dupont, the sweetheart of the oceans, who holds the record for the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman (15 meters high);
– Jean-Baptiste Chandelier, the master of gravity, freestyle paraglider, and poet of the skies;
– Kilian Jornet, the master of the peaks, 6-time world champion in skyrunning, considered the greatest mountain runner of all time.
The trailer:
Elite athletes rather than superheroesDo not be fooled by appearances, this is not a remake of the Avengers and the eight characters in this storyline are far from believing in their ‘superpowers’, as demonstrated by Umberto Pelizzari: ‘I do not feel like a superhero at all; for me, it’s those who spend 10 hours a day in an office that deserve this title…’ This show aims to analyze the physical and mental specifics of each to uncover the source of their exceptional abilities. Through their portraits, the athletes share the unique sensations that practicing their sport brings and the work behind these extraordinary abilities. Far from the image of daredevils, reckless or thoughtless that extreme sports might convey, we discover athletes who face danger with discernment and intelligence. Umberto Pelizzari emphasizes this aspect: ‘Freediving is not pétanque… There is a safety aspect and important rules; diving to a depth of 150 meters is certainly risky, but one is never alone and it’s the result of years of training.’
The secret life of superheroesThe freediver – like the seven other athletes – is accompanied in this documentary by Arnaud Tortel, a physiotherapist and acupuncturist who manages elite athletes. The sports trainer leads each athlete to discuss their respective journeys, while they teach him the keys to success in their discipline. Thus, Umberto and Arnaud work together on the breathing and relaxation techniques essential to freediving. The triple world record holder simply explains what his sport of choice means: ‘I placed myself in the shoes of someone who knows nothing about it. I hope to democratize this sport.’ In this documentary, Umberto opens up to Arnaud Tortel about his life and experience, notably with the freediving legend, Jacques Mayol, who still holds a significant place in the Italian champion’s life: ‘I trained Arnaud the same way my mentor taught me.’ More interested in the world of extremes than football, the fish man closely follows the stories of the other ‘superheroes’. And even though they have their own skills, adapted to their disciplines, and each has accustomed their metabolism, there is still a link between the eight athletes which the Italian freediver perfectly summarizes: ‘the words we use when we describe the sensations our sport brings us are the same… it’s the common thread that ties the minds of extreme athletes.’
Margot HartyBroadcast dates and times
Tuesday, September 20, 2016Alain Robert, Spider-Man at 8:45 PM
Géraldine Fasnacht, Bird Woman at 9:10 PM
Umberto Pelizzari, Fish Man at 9:35 PM
Yoann Leroux, Master of the Roofs at 10:00 PMTuesday, September 27, 2016Kilian Jornet, Master of the Peaks at 8:45 PM
Eric Deguil, Master of the Rivers at 9:10 PM
Justine Dupont, Ocean’s Sweetheart at 9:35 PM
Jean-Baptiste Chandelier, Master of Gravity at 10:00 PM
cover photo: © Andy ParantSave