Under the needle

Few people know him, yet Pierre-Yves Bonnet is champion of France in apnea in constant weight, and this since 1 and July 2017. Personally, I met him in January, before he won his title. The chance of things made our meeting. I wanted to enjoy the French winter just after the show in January. This was the best time for me to get a tattoo since it's a time when I dive very little. After various calls to various tattoo studios in Nice and Toulon, I push the door of Arte Corpus in Marseille and meet Pierre-Yves.

During our meeting in June, I am far from imagining that Pierre-Yves would win, the 1er July, the title of champion of France in constant weight, in monopalme with a beautiful technique and a beautiful mastery. That day, he collects the price by technicality. His competitor, having dipped deeper than him but having exceeded his announced depth, the regulation states that if we go beyond, a penalty is charged to the final score. It is therefore with a depth of 76m for 2 min dive that Pierre-Yves pierces the surface. A new champion of France is born!

credit: William Rhamey / azure diving

This title for him is not something he shouts on every roof. He is very humble. But I think it still remains for him a great victory and the result of all his hours in the water with his friends. It is thanks to them, this group of friends, that he has arrived where he is today. But all this is above all fun and fun.

 credit: William Rhamey / azure diving

It is rare nowadays to find real enthusiasts like Pierre who are not interested in the lure of gain, the glory, the sponsors and other joys that we usually enjoy when we win a title. Pierre-Yves is a little perfectionist and his greatest pleasure is to push his limits. He admitted to me that he participates in competitions almost for that. Every day he dives from Saint-Mandrier on wrecks where he loves to spend his time twirling between the wrecked carcasses of old ships. He also hunts fish. A lover of the Mediterranean who dedicates all his free time to the big blue.

Pierre-Yves also trains while swimming, without a bottle. His first dives were, when he was very small, the fruit of a competition with his father. It consisted of picking up objects two meters deep. Very big beginnings Blue! He returned to apnea only a few years ago, following a stairway climb on which he had felt breathless.

 credit: William Rhamey / azure diving

In addition to his talents as a freediver, Pierre-Yves is therefore a good tattoo artist. A real artist who creates your drawings with you before printing them on your skin. All with the mastery of the gesture and of course, the mastery of the breath that goes with it. It has clean lines and nice fine lines. If you are looking for someone, this is definitely the right man for you. And who knows? To kill time, you could talk to him about diving.

 credit: William Rhamey / azure diving

Article by Bam BAm

Photo of Olivier Razzano and William Rhamey / Azur Diving