Ultimate Diver Challenge Results

by Pamelia O. Bertrand

Dear UDC Fans,

Wow! What an exciting event this summer! We had over 70 in attendance and booked 36 rooms at various places. The week started with an amazing sunset cruise hosted by the beautiful Evelyn Vaccaro with the opportunity to meet the judges, crew and attendees! We captured 90 hours plus in footage and are looking forward to the final production piece to send out to the networks!

Can you imagine the excitement as each of us met Rudy Boesch, former survivor contestant and more importantly an avid diver & Navy Seal with 45 years of service!

Why is this exciting? Well for me, remember it was 3 1/2 years ago while watching my favorite reality show "Survivor", the idea of the Ultimate Diver Challenge came alive! It was an honor to have him along with the famed Julie Riffe & Nicolas Coster!

Opening ceremony held in the downtown square of Cozumel kicked off the exciting week. Crowded and completely full of people, divers were introduced as the TEAMS argued and boasted that they would claim this year's title of the "Ultimate Diver". When the challenges began, teams struggled to ace the challenges with equipment failure, buoyancy issues, communication failure, weaknesses in navigation, physical endurance and strength. Scores were kept on each of the divers as an individual and also as a team, the top ten divers then passed to the final three challenges based on accumulative scores.

Prior to the announcement of the top ten, divers raced around the island in taxi's to discover some of Cozumel's favorite places in a race to complete tasks with a mission to finish the race first. The footage shares the competitive edge that is as sharp as a razor -- Divers were pushed aside from other teams, tossed into pools, passes were snatched from hand to hand and well -- some words were exchanged. Along the way, teams zipped through jungles, climbed extreme heights, searched for clues, assembled dive equipment and experienced Cozumel culture and people all along the way.

The race ended at Margaritaville but the excitement continued as all waited for the results and announcement of the top ten divers. Two teams had to be eliminated and with the results came a new twist. The top ten divers were asked to choose one of the four divers eliminated in a silent, written vote to be brought back into the final challenges. For me, I wanted them to choose last year's winner Jaime Mezo so that last year's winner could defend his title but in the end the diver's chose Richard Whitehead from Arkansas, Dive Shop Owner and Instructor. Richard gleaming with smiles, climbed on stage and announced "I am going to make you sorry that you voted me back in!"

The final challenges began and some of the most dramatic surprises unfolded. Using Cochran Computers, divers attempted a tight profile dive. All divers can do a very specific profile, correct?? Not! But it was fun to see each of them focused as they were tempted to look away at the Hammerhead passing by. Four of the ten divers had almost perfect profiles, but in the end the winner of the challenge was Frank Gill from California.

Divers went on to penetrate and search the C-53 wreck in a quest to locate the most artifact. Divers were told that they would find treasures that would score different points and if any treasure chests were found, they were to bring them to the surface unopened. At the surface, divers were given the option to open or pass the chest - the chest would either lose or earn points depending on the contents inside. Divers were not told that inside one of the chests was a real diamond donated by Diamond's International. As the divers surfaced, they laughed and shared how they passed up the chests along the way because they did not want to be put in the position to have to make a decision to open it or not. The diver of the first chest decided to pass and sent the chest to another diver and when it was opened - there was nothing, no points. The last chests were brought up by Scott Martinage from New Hampshire. With two chests in his possession, he had a chance to win points and to lose points which would be a wash. As he chose to open the chests, he found the Diamond. With out one thought or a moment passing, he held the diamond in the air and announced that he would be giving the diamond to Betty Arellanos of Cozumel in honor of her attempt to swim the channel from Akumal to Cozumel at only 13 years old.

The final challenge would showcase true diving skills! Divers entered the water at night to swim the maze blinded. Divers were given only 10 minutes to find the way out. After 10 minutes, divers were pulled from the maze and sent on to explore navigation precision in the dark with a compass. A Nocturnal Light was provided and the course began by collecting the coordinates of a light off in the distance. Precise coordinates would lead them through the course but the currents would be the challenge. The challenge ended with a recording of all points and coordinates along with estimated distance traveled from point to point. Winner of this challenge went to Richard Whitehead of Arkansas.

The finale was the twist of the week! The Wild Card, "Eliminated Diver voted back in by the top ten", Richard Whitehead surpassed the top ten and became the winner of the 2009 Ultimate Diver Challenge. Winner of the title, the Wyland trophy, the trip to Wakatobi, a complete set of Aquatic Performance dive gear and the $1000 cash prize. The surprises did not stop with that! Richard humbly announced that he would be giving his cash prize away! $500 to Little Betty Arellanos and $500 to Nick Coster's Challenge Foundation. What an honor to have divers that are filled with not only the competitive edge but hearts filled of generosity! Congratulations to this years winner RICHARD WHITEHEAD and congratulations to our runners up Mark Osgood of California and Tina Nelson of Oregon!

We are gearing up for ULTIMATE DIVER CHALLENGE 2010 -- The dates are set July 31 - August 7. Join us and be part of the most unique event in diving history! We have over 90 hours of amazing footage and are currently in post production! TV Networks we have what you want! Be the first to see it at DEMA 2010!

I owe some very big THANK YOU's! THANK you to my team that has followed the concept from the beginning, to the filming and production crew, to the sponsors, to my family, to the challengers and TO ALL THAT ATTENDED!!! An added thank you to Harry Greenstreet, Dave Kendall, Tina Nelson and Steve Johnson for attending all three years 2007, 2008, and 2009!!!

Register today and JOIN US IN COZUMEL 2010!

Pamelia O. Bertrand, Director
816-765-SCUBA (7282)
e-mail:DiverChallenge@aol.com

For immediate release 22 September, 2009