# Gannet dive beats Olympic records

> A British photographer won the world's largest bird photography competition with an underwater shot of a northern gannet diving faster than any human athlete.
- Title: Gannet dive beats Olympic records · Digital Camera World
- Summary: A British photographer won the world's largest bird photography competition with an underwater shot of a northern gannet diving faster than any human…
- Keywords: bird photography, northern gannet, bird photographer of the year, henley spiers, underwater photography, wildlife photography, diving speed, shetland scotland, nikon z8, fisheye lens, Gannet, dive
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/awards-and-competitions/photographer-captures-species-capable-of-diving-at-up-to-53mph-faster-than-olympic-divers-his-image-sunball-rocket-just-won-the-grand-prize-in-the-worlds-largest-bird-photography-competition
- Published: 2026-09-22T11:39:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bird photography, northern gannet, bird photographer of the year, henley spiers, underwater photography, wildlife photography, diving speed, shetland scotland, nikon z8, fisheye lens
## Gannet photo wins world's biggest competition
British photographer Henley Spiers won the Bird Photographer of the Year award for his image Sunball Rocket, capturing a northern gannet diving through water in Scotland.
## Gannets dive faster than Olympic athletes
Northern gannets reach diving speeds of 86 kilometers per hour, far exceeding the 60 kilometers per hour maximum achieved by Olympic divers.

> diving into the water at speeds of up to 86kph
## Specialized body shape for hunting
When hunting, northern gannets transform their body into a pointed torpedo shape to cut through water with minimal resistance and maximum speed.
## Built-in protection from impact
Gannets have muscles that lock their neck vertebrae in place and air sacs in the face and chest that act as airbags to absorb the extreme force of diving.

> air sacs in the face and chest act as airbags
## Even nostrils evolved for diving
Northern gannets have internal nostrils instead of external ones, preventing water from entering their airways during high-speed fishing dives.

> nostrils are evolved for this aquatic existence, located internally
## Shot with Nikon Z8 and fisheye lens
Spiers captured the image using a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera, a Nikon AF-S 8-15mm fisheye lens, and a Nauticam underwater housing at 1/200 second, f/11, ISO 500.
## Dual nature of the gannet
Gannets live two distinct lives: nurturing and bonding with mates at the nest, then transforming into fierce hunters with piercing yellow eyes scanning the sea for prey.
## Key takeaway

Northern gannets are built for extreme diving, reaching speeds of 86 kilometers per hour through specialized adaptations that would be fatal to most animals.