Deep Weekend Italy
What is a Deep Weekend?
Bringing the signature Deep Week format to the coast of Sicily, this four-day training camp combines focused in-water sessions, expert-led workshops, yoga and meditation with a handpicked team of world-class instructors and elite freediving athletes. Designed for experienced freedivers ready to refine their technique, deepen their understanding and take their training further, Deep Weekend offers a rare opportunity to learn from some of the best in the sport, explore the finer details of your diving, and connect with a select group of divers who share your drive to improve.
In short: a more premium, training-focused offering, led by a hand-picked team of Deep Week instructors who we consider the best educators in the industry, and who also happen to be accomplished competitive athletes.
Freediving on the Sicilian coast.
Sicily’s Ionian coast is a place of volcanic cliffs, small fishing harbours and deep blue Mediterranean water. Right out front of the dive shop, we have access to depths of 60 metres from shore, with deeper training sites just a short boat ride away.
The coastline is just as interesting above and below the water, from the lava formations and underwater canyons around Santa Maria La Scala to the Cyclops Islands near Aci Trezza. And with Mount Etna rising in the distance, there’s a distinctly Sicilian feel to life between dives.
This will be our first time hosting an event here, but Alexey Molchanov himself was the one who told us this stretch of coastline was one of his favorites.
It’s also planned to be a more intimate event with space for just 15 students!
What to expect during the weekend
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The Workshops
Similar to our usual Deep Week format, the workshops are designed to complement your in-water training, giving you new ideas to take straight to the line or pool. This event offers the opportunity to learn how different instructors approach their own practice, pick up new ideas from experienced athletes, and exchange perspectives with other divers.
And with a smaller group, there’s more opportunity for more personalized, one-on-one guidance with our suite of competitive athletes!
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The Activities
Over four days, we’ll bring together the best parts of the Deep Week experience: daily line diving, dedicated pool training, workshops, yoga and meditation, and plenty of time to connect with the group between sessions.
There’s more to the experience than training, of course. Think long Sicilian pasta dinners, good food, conversations that inevitably turn back to freediving, and the kind of shared moments that make these events special. It’s a chance to put in some focused work, learn from an exceptional team, and enjoy a few days surrounded by people who share your love of the water.
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The Schedule
7:00am: Yoga & Stretching
8:00am-10:00am: Dive session
1:00-3:00pm: Pool training in a 25m pool
3:30pm - 5:30pm: Workshops
6pm-6:30pm: Meditation
7:00pm: Family Dinner
We plan to be in the pool for 2 of the 4 days after our line-training session.
Additionally we have one fun-dive planned!
Meet Your Instructors & Special Guest
We hand-picked this team for their wealth of experience, competitive backgrounds and reputations as some of the leading instructors in the sport. Having worked with each of them personally, we can confidently say they’re world-class — not just in their own diving, but in their ability to teach, share their knowledge and help others progress.
Alessia Zecchini One of the most accomplished freedivers in the world, Alessia is a multiple world champion and world record holder whose achievements have inspired divers across the global freediving community.
As an Italian athlete, having Alessia join us on home soil makes this event all the more special. We're so excited to bring together the Italian and international freediving communities and share this experience with someone who has made such a significant contribution to our sport.
She'll be joining us for in-water sessions, a day of pool training and a series of workshops, giving participants the opportunity to learn from her, share experiences and spend time together in and out of the water.
Brandon Reed is the Freediving Family’s Director of Education, static fanatic, Freediving Commentator, Molchanovs Instructor Trainer, and unofficial Deep Daddy, on top of generally being an avid goof ball! You can find him during Deep Week leading equalization workshops, ranting about how awesome static is, and generally just vibing!
Daniel Kwok is a 16x Singaporean record holder and Molchanovs Instructor Trainer with extensive coaching experience. He sees the ocean as a space for exploration, connection, and personal transformation.
Daniel has taught and across 19 Deep Weeks As a competitive athlete, he understands high-level performance.
Anna-Karina Schmitt is a multi-national record-holding freediver, originally from Germany and now based in Switzerland. She has made her mark in both depth and freshwater freediving, including setting a world record in lake freediving. With a deep passion for the sport and a wealth of personal experience, she brings a unique perspective to her teaching.
David Mellor is the Freediving Family’s Director of Education, static fanatic, Freediving Commentator, Molchanovs Instructor Trainer, and unofficial Deep Daddy, on top of generally being an avid goof ball! You can find him during Deep Week leading equalization workshops, ranting about how awesome static is, and generally just vibing!
Getting to & Staying in Catania
To get to Catania, you can fly directly into Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which has connections to major cities across Europe and beyond. From the airport, you can take a taxi or arrange a transfer to the dive centre, where we’ll be staying for the event.
For this event, we’ll be partnering with Blue World Freediving, which has 60m of depth by shore-access right out front of the dive center. This dive center is also unique in that it’s equipped with accommodation! So we all have the option of staying right at the dive centre, with shared-room accommodation for our group. Each room can fit 2-3 students. This means you could be just steps away from the diving, with easy access to the training facilities and plenty of time to connect with the rest of the group between sessions. Information on how to book will be in your confirmation email!
You are of course welcome to source your own accommodation, there are plenty of Airbnbs in the surrounding area. As with usual Deep-Week-style events, accommodation is not included in the cost of the event.
We recommend that you arrive no later than June 30th in the afternoon (so you don’t miss registration and the welcome meeting). We’ll finish diving around midday on the final day (Sunday).
Pricing
Event dates: July 1 - 4, 2027
Full price
$2,490 AUD
(~$1,700 USD)
Deposit
$750 AUD
(~$515 USD)
The full event price is $2,490 AUD. The price includes all training costs, including pool entry fees and transportation to scheduled activities but does not include any accommodation, travel, meals or gear hire.
To ensure your booking is confirmed, please provide a $750 AUD non-refundable deposit. The remaining amount can be paid 8 weeks prior to the event. Your transaction is secure. Terms of Service.FAQs
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Think of this event as a more compact, training-focused version of our usual Deep Week experience. Rather than a full week of diving, workshops and activities for all levels, this four-day event is designed specifically for more experienced freedivers looking to refine their technique and take a deeper dive into their training.
With a smaller group of just 18 divers and five of the top instructors in the world, there’s more opportunity for personalised guidance and one-on-one learning. You'll still find the things that make Deep Week special - time in the water, expert-led workshops, yoga, meditation and a strong sense of community - all in a shorter, more focused format, with the added bonus of training on the Sicilian coast.
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Unlike our usual Deep Weeks, which welcome freedivers of all levels, this particular event is designed specifically for more experienced divers, with a focus on refining technique, developing your training and exploring the finer details of your diving. If you're new to freediving, we'd recommend joining one of our regular Deep Weeks first, where you can learn, progress and enjoy the experience alongside divers at every stage of their journey.
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This event is all about training, so we won’t be offering certifications. Instead, we’re dedicating our workshop time to instructor-led presentations, giving you more opportunities to learn from our team, explore new ideas and refine your diving - without spending time on certification theory or exams.
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The price includes:
All diving + boat costs
Daily workshops
Yoga + meditation
It does not include accommodation, travel expenses, visa fees, meals or gear hire.
It’s up to you to ensure you have met all the entry requirements of the country, depending on your circumstances. We are unable to provide individual or country-specific advice or assistance.
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We are unable to issue cash refunds.
For any circumstances that prevent you from coming to the event, we can transfer your payment (deposit or full payment) to a future event if you give us at least 8 weeks notice before the start of the event. If you cancel within 8 weeks of the event beginning, there is a cancellation fee equal to the event deposit.
If you cancel within 4 weeks of the event starting, your full payment is non-refundable and non-transferrable.
For more info, check our terms of service listed below in the footer of this page.
For more info, check our terms of service.
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Unfortunately it’s not included but is available for rent. We will provide lead weight for you but not a weight belt. When we send out the event guide, there will be more details on what kind of gear to bring and information on rental!
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Catania's average sea temperature in July is around 25–26°C, although temperatures can vary and there may be thermoclines.
A 3mm suit should be fine for most people, but consider a 5mm if you run cold!
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You can pay an initial deposit to secure your spot and later on pay the remainder balance.
With no deposit, there is no booking confirmed.
As soon as you book in, you will receive an email with a button that says “Pay Remainder Balance”. You can click that button anytime you like.
We ask the full payment to be covered eight weeks before the start of the event.
You can also choose to pay in full.
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Credit card. Your transaction is secured.
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Nothing during any of our events is compulsory.
If you feel like you need some time to chill and relax by skipping a workshop or want to go out for dinner in town with a group of friends you made, then by all means do so!
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As this event is not technically a typical Deep Week with a course offering, our returning Deep Weeker discounts and other discount codes aren’t applicable. Please see our terms and conditions for more info.
This is a more premium, small-group experience, and our pricing reflects the additional resources that go into making it happen 🙏🏼
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Buddy referral benefits are not applicable to Deep Weekend events. As outlined above, Deep Weekend events are separate from our regular Deep Weeks, with their own format, pricing structure and terms and conditions. As such, the buddy referral program for regular Deep Week events does not apply to Deep Weekend bookings.