First immersion in Bastia waters this Thursday, June 27. On the Old Portthe 43rd French and Underwater Video Championship settled in for three days, under the supervision of the diver and underwater photographer Tony Viacara and his daughter Marine, at the head of the Marine Diving Center. Coming from a family of fishermen from the Old Port, they wanted to host this competition in order to “to highlight the sites around Bastia, explains Tony Viacara. People are always surprised to find thatAt very accessible depths, you can see very beautiful things. From twenty meters away, you can even explore wrecks, like that of the Louisewhich is one of the four dive sites in the competition.”
THE Viacara worked hand in hand with the French Federation of Underwater Studies and Sports (FFESSM) and other Bastia actors, before throwing themselves into the organization: “Beyond the competition, which unites 21 teams Each team consists of a photographer and their companion, we wanted to create a meeting place. We set up a sea village so that this championship would be a virtuous circle that benefits everyone.”
At the time of Cousteau…
Each competing team must present, Saturday June 29, six photos or a videoin front of jury composed of renowned professionals. While some competitors are experienced in the exercise, such as Jean-Marc Molimard or Christiane Deltour who have been immortalizing the seabed for over twenty years, others are making their debut in Bastia. This is the case of Ajaccio native Marine Casanova, 37, who after four years of diving, has become a companion for a championship. Although she does not press the lens, her role is essential: “I help photographer Christine Cazal find animals to take photos of. I manage settings and security so she can concentrate on her images. I also model when needed, complicity and trust are at the heart of our relationship.”
Experienced divers, photographers and videographers, who often got their start in Cousteau’s eratake beginners under their wing. They have notably witnessed an ecological awareness: “It’s much more regulated than before.note photographer Christiane Deltour and her guide Corinne Gioffré. We can no longer touch or move animals underwater. By diving and capturing images, we want to make people want to protect the seabed.” The project has a future since Tony and Marine Viacara are already thinking about the future: “We would like to perpetuate this type of event by organizing international meetings on underwater photography and video.”
