Chris Ananidias has been spearfishing since the age of 17 when he started diving with the likes of Bevan Liezegang and Jeremy Williams from the Dive Factory, then after 8 months started with Guyla Plaganyi (ex Springbok spearfisherman) and being the biggest influence in Chris’s technical and strategic part of spearfishing.

In 2000 Chris won the all the African Gamefish Challenge in Ponto Malongane in Southern Mozambique, at this same competition he met two Brazilians that invited him to go to Brazil and compete in the Brazilian Spearfishing Nationals but he did not do well due to lack of experience and lack of scouting the area before the competition and finished in 16th place.

Chris later Returned to Brazil in 2001 to take the 2nd place individually, and 3rd by team. In the world champs (FIPSA) Chris came 5th in the individuals in 2006. In other years he went on to win the Brazilian spearfishing nationals twice.

In the 2001 year end to 2002 march Chris stayed in Brazil diving many areas from the state of Sao Paulo to the north of Brazil in the state of Cerea. In one of the places that he stayed one month diving with vice world champion Paulo Pacheco. They dived a place called Abrolhos which is an area of huge coral reefs and lots of fish in the south part of the state of Bahia. One of the top fish that they shot were huge rockys which are called Badejo Quadrados.

The best places that Chris says he has spearfished are Ponto Mologane, Mozambique (1993-1994) when nobody dived the deep pinnacles and reef fish were still open to shoot. The Protea banks, Umtulhme High Points, Aliwal and Scottbrugh area on the south east coast of South Africa. Equador area of Ilha da Plata where he shot his biggest bag (370kg) of class fish - big Tropicals, Cubera Snappers and groupers.

In Brazil his best place is the island of Queimada Grande in the state of Sao Paulo. That’s where Chris shoots the big Cubera Snappers, some being over 30kg and the biggest being 49kg. Buzios in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Abrolhos and Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia are also among some of his best dive spots.

Chris still misses the spearfishing in South Africa as he has been in Brazil for 7 years now. The big Poensies (Black Muscle Cracker) on the outside edge and deep cracker, the big Daga Salmon on the produce wreck, the big Iggies late afternoon Jan on the north east pinnacles and inside edge, the Pig Nose Grunters on Umzumbe point, those were the good days as he recalls.