Peppo Biscarini
{{short description|Italian and American swimmer, freediver, and actor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Peppo Biscarini
| image = Freediving World Cup 1998.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =Freediving World Cup 1998
| fullname = Peppo Biscarini
| nicknames =
| nationality = Italian-American
| strokes =
| club =
| collegeteam =
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1960|11|4}}
| birth_place = Milan, Italy
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.86|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|95|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
| website = {{URL|biscarini.com}}
}}
Peppo Biscarini is an Italian-American swimmer, freediver, entrepreneur and evangelist. He represented both Italy and the United States in various international competitions and also won many titles. After retiring from his athletic career, he had a long stint as coach and entrepreneur. Later in life he responded to a higher calling and directed his life towards evangelism.{{cite web|title=Evangelistic work|url=http://www.cru.org|access-date=24 March 2015| work=CRU}}
Early life
Biscarini was born in Milan on November 4, 1960, to Sergio Biscarini, an opera singer, and Griffi Clotilde, an obstetrician. He moved to the United States in 1979 to train for the 1984 Olympics in swimming as well as to study. In 1999, he returned to Italy and opened the first Hedgefund marketing firm.{{cite web|access-date=2020-03-09|title=Biscarini's biography|url=https://www.biscarini.com/biography|website=Biscarini}}
=Personal life=
In 1987, he married Jane in Santa Barbara, California{{cite web|access-date=2020-03-09|title=P.Biscarini: gemellaggio Chattanooga-Manfredonia per dare a giovani domani migliore|url=https://www.statoquotidiano.it/04/04/2014/peppo-biscarini-gemellaggio-chattanooga-manfredonia-per-dare-ai-giovani-un-domani-migliore/201730/|date=4 April 2014}} and the couple have two children, Isabella and Marco.
Career
=Swimming=
Biscarini started his swimming career at the age of 5 and participated at his first age group Nationals at the age of 10.{{cite web|first1=Alec|last1=Wathen|access-date=2020-03-09|title=Training With a Monofin by Peppo Biscarini (1995)|url=https://swimmingcoach.org/training-with-a-monofin-by-peppo-biscarini-1995/|date=11 May 2017|website=American Swimming Coaches Association}} In May 1976, at the age of 15 years, Peppo won the World Championship in finswimming marathon (24 hours), setting a new world record of 83.7 km by breaking the previous world record of 70.3 km.{{cite web|title=Achievement news clips collection|url=http://www.biscarini.com/en/swimming/press.html|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Biscarini|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402143741/http://www.biscarini.com/en/swimming/press.html|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} In 1980, he introduced for the first time in the US the monofin and the front-mounted snorkel starting a working relationship with coach Thornton at UC Berkeley{{cite web|title=Credited as the person who introduced monofin|url=http://www.freedive.net/videos/joy.htm|access-date=24 March 2015| work=Free Dive}} and was credited as the person who introduced the sport of finswimming -the monofin and front-mounted snorkels- until then unknown, to North America.{{cite web|title=Fin swimming record of Biscarini|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/01/sports/scouting-deep-six.html|access-date=24 March 2015|work=The New York Times}} Biscarini was also the member of the Italian National Team at the European finswimming championship. In 1987, he was named US national technical director for the sport of finswimming by the Underwater Society of America, member of the USOC and controlling body for finswimming in the United States. He often writes for Pesca Sub, an Italian speciality magazine.{{cite web|title=Listed in Pesca Sub|url=http://www.apneateam.info/ArchivioIZ/Indicerivistepescasub/IndicerivistaPescasub2010/tabid/1493/Default.aspx|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Pesca Sub|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402172749/http://www.apneateam.info/ArchivioIZ/Indicerivistepescasub/IndicerivistaPescasub2010/tabid/1493/Default.aspx|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} In 1989, he founded Hyperfin, a high tech fin manufacturing company,{{cite web|title=Patent owner of swim fin with a cantilevered heel|url=http://www.patentgenius.com/inventedby/BiscariniPeppoEncinitasCA.html|access-date=24 March 2015|work=US Patent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122172538/http://www.patentgenius.com/inventedby/BiscariniPeppoEncinitasCA.html|archive-date=22 January 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Shared expert view on use of Neoprene_lined foot pockets|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/06/05/heres-your-chance-to-be-a-mermaid/|access-date=24 March 2015| work=Chicago Tribune}} and worked as a technical consultant with swimming programs at various top division 1 universities. In 1978, he became the Italian National champion in the open water swimming and represented Italy to the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships Capri-Napoli in 1979. Biscarini is also a speaker at the World Clinic for swimming coaches, Chicago 1995. Integrated techniques of finswimming for the benefit of high-level swimming, {{CO2}} tolerance training and swimming with front snorkels.
Biscarini also served as the technical consultant to Lockheed Martin underwater division to develop a human-powered submarine.{{cite web|title=Human powered submarine|url=http://www.isrsubrace.org|access-date=24 March 2015| work=ISRS}} From 1992 to 1996, he trained the US Navy Seals team for the International Military Sports Council (CISM) Military World Games in Coronado Island,CA. In 1998 he was best US athlete at the Freediving World Championship setting a US national record in constant weight (51 meters) after having set the US static breath hold record at 5:40.
=Entrepreneur Evangelist and Life Coach=
After 15 years of business as an entrepreneur and hedge fund marketer with the 1st Internet firm in this business, he was recruited by Campus Crusade for Christ.{{cite web|title=Evangelistic work|url=http://www.cru.org|access-date=24 March 2015| work=CRU}} Biscarini pursued theological studies while living and ministering to influencers in Palm Beach, Florida from 2000 to 2004. He then returned to Italy and served as the National Director of GEM from 2004 to 2011.{{cite web|title=Return to Italy as an evangelist|url=http://www.mnnonline.org/article/12524|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Mission Network Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906002521/http://mnnonline.org/article/12524|archive-date=6 September 2013|url-status=dead}} He also preached in different churches and nonprofit organizations.{{cite web|title=Shared message at Horizon Church|url=http://www.horizon.org/archive/search/speaker/11|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Horizon Church|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402181840/http://www.horizon.org/archive/search/speaker/11|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Recorded messages|url=http://bomb-mp3.com/download/1552383/peppo_biscarini_have_you_forgotten.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410161614/http://bomb-mp3.com/download/1552383/peppo_biscarini_have_you_forgotten.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 April 2013|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Bomb-mp3}}{{cite web|title=Messages|url=http://www.barnabasgroup.org/via-veritas-mi-440-li-5.html|access-date=24 March 2015|work=Barnabas group|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211033849/http://www.barnabasgroup.org/via-veritas-mi-440-li-5.html|archive-date=11 December 2014|url-status=dead}} and wrote a manual for basic Christianity: "Quale via, verità, vita?".{{cite web|title=Manual on basic Christianity|url=http://www.clcsvizzera.com/product/quale-via-quale-verita-quale-vita-biscarini-peppo-8242|access-date=25 March 2015|work=clcsvizzera|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402135547/http://www.clcsvizzera.com/product/quale-via-quale-verita-quale-vita-biscarini-peppo-8242|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} In 2012, he established ViaVeritas Inc as an international tool for evangelism and an instrument for cross-cultural student exchanges.{{cite web|title=Platform for transcontinental cultural exchange|url=http://foggia.ilquotidianoitaliano.it/cultura-spettacolo/2013/02/news/americani-a-manfredonia-14-studenti-in-arrivo-19585.html/|access-date=25 March 2015|work=Peppo Biscarini|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402143403/http://foggia.ilquotidianoitaliano.it/cultura-spettacolo/2013/02/news/americani-a-manfredonia-14-studenti-in-arrivo-19585.html/|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Recorded sample message|url=http://www.pugliasounds.it/it/109/il_regista_americano_michael_o._sajbel_e_la_sua_troupe_hollywoodiana_all%E2%80%99edrecords_studio/571/|access-date=25 March 2015|work=Puglia Sounds|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041538/http://www.pugliasounds.it/it/109/il_regista_americano_michael_o._sajbel_e_la_sua_troupe_hollywoodiana_all%E2%80%99edrecords_studio/571/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} He also created a [https://noogatoday.6amcity.com/a-chat-with-peppo-biscarini-the-driving-force-behind-chattanoogas-newest-sister-city/ sister city] relationship between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Manfredonia, Italy, with the approval of the respective mayors and the Sister City association in March 2014.{{cite web|title=Established Inter city relationship|url=http://www.statoquotidiano.it/04/04/2014/peppo-biscarini-gemellaggio-chattanooga-manfredonia-per-dare-ai-giovani-un-domani-migliore/201730/?awesm=fbshare.me_jMmN| access-date=25 March 2015|work=statoquotidiano}}{{cite web|title=A chat with Peppo Biscarini|url=http://nooga.com/167011/a-chat-with-peppo-biscarini-the-driving-force-behind-chattanoogas-newest-sister-city/| access-date=25 March 2015|work=Nooga}} He has an Italian podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/equipaggiati/id1662275429 Equipaggiati] discussing everyday occurrences in light of an eternal plan. The English channel is [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/equipped/id1787598763 Equipped+]. He appears on a Youtube channel in English [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOiFQGtED1I0713542QNfFg PeppoCast English] and in Italian [https://www.youtube.com/c/PeppoCast PeppoCast]
Awards
Representative and best US athlete at the Freediving World Cup in 1998 (Sardinia-Italy) with national records of constant weight (51 mt), dynamic swim (125 mt) and static breath hold (5 min.39 sec).{{cite web|title=On free diving|url=http://www.aidainternational.org/freediving/history|access-date=24 March 2015|work=AIDA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206004428/http://aidainternational.org/freediving/history|archive-date=6 February 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=US National Record|url=http://www.oocities.org/colosseum/stadium/4806/dynamic.htm|access-date=24 March 2015| work=oocities.org}} AIDA and PADI freediving instructor
Television
- Modeling career started in San Diego with Artist Management{{cite web|title=Modeling career|url=http://www.artistmanagementagency.com|access-date=24 March 2015| work=Artist Management}} and in Italy with Fashion Model{{cite web|title=Modeling career|url=http://www.fashionmodel.it|access-date=24 March 2015| work=Fashion Model}}
- Between 1984 and 1989 appears in numerous national TV commercials like Honda, Ford, Coca-Cola, Hilton, Sprint, Anheuser-Busch, Unocal 76, Wheel of Fortune; in the TV soaps Capitol CBS, in the movie Dolphin Whales and Us,{{cite web|title=In documentary on deep sea life|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/dolphins-whales-and-us/|access-date=24 March 2015| work=Yahoo}} and in Italy in the movie Italian Fast Food.{{cite web|title=On Italian Fast food|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179905/|access-date=24 March 2015| work=imdb}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.viaveritas.org/ Official site for evangelist work]
- [http://www.Biscarini.com/ Official site]
{{Portal bar|Biography|Sport}}
{{Finswimming |state=collapsed}}
{{Underwater diving|frediv}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biscarini, Peppo}}
Category:American male swimmers
Category:Italian emigrants to the United States
Category:Italian male long-distance swimmers