Red Bull Cliff Diving Magazine 2012

2012Magazine

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Imagine...… THE HEIGHT OF THE OLYMPIC HIGH DIVE. NOW TRIPLE IT.

… HITTING SPEEDS OF 85KPH. IN YOUR SWIMSUIT.

… EXECUTING A ACROBATIC DIVE FROM

JAW-DROPPING

IN 3 SECONDS.

THE WORLD’S BEST CLIFF DIVERS

COMPETE IN YOUR TOWN IN 2012.

27METRES HIGH.

3PORTUGAL AzoresS. MiguelJULY 20–21

1FRANCE CorsicaBonifacioJUNE 22–23

2NORWAY GrimstadBarselkilenJULY 6–7

4IRELAND Inis MórSerpent’s LairAUGUST 3–4

5USA BostonInstitute of Contemporary ArtAUGUST 24–25

6UK South WalesPembrokeshire | St. David'sSEPTEMBER 7–8

7OMAN Wadi ShabTiwiSEPTEMBER 27–28

RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES

AROUND THE WORLD

3PORTUGAL AzoresS. MiguelJULY 20–21

1FRANCE CorsicaBonifacioJUNE 22–23

2NORWAY GrimstadBarselkilenJULY 6–7

4IRELAND Inis MórSerpent’s LairAUGUST 3–4

5USA BostonInstitute of Contemporary ArtAUGUST 24–25

6UK South WalesPembrokeshire | St. David'sSEPTEMBER 7–8

7OMAN Wadi ShabTiwiSEPTEMBER 27–28

RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES

AROUND THE WORLD

PerfectionFalling Free against gravity combined with jaw-dropping acrobatics – that’s cliFF diving.In the blink of an eye, gravity lets the divers bodies fall the equivalent of eight stories, reaching speeds beyond 85kph. With no protection whatsoever, and animated with thrilling tricks, the hand-picked athletes rely on their professionalism and experience as their bodies turn into Formula One torsos. When there’s no room for mistakes, concentration and body control is all that counts.

IntrOductIOn

the best cliFF divers in the world versUs gravity twisting and flipping 27 metres through the air and hitting the water after three seconds at 85kph. three years after its inception, the red Bull cliff diving World series is established as the pinnacle of high diving competition. In 2012 this unique championship will once more be the platform for the world’s most dizzying dives in seven stops between June and september in europe, north America and the Middle east. eleven athletes will compete head-to-head for the prestigious World series title and spread the spirit of cliff diving all over the globe.In its fourth year, the World series delivers a series of innovations that will put the world’s cliff diving elite to the test.

Only the best of the best can win the title!

the cLIFF dIVInG

cOntInues …

the essence

“One of the greatest things in cliff diving is the fact that all you need is a swimsuit and a cliff. I showed up today to go to practice and all I did was carry a speedo in my pocket. It’s not like you have to carry a bunch of equipment with you. Just you, the cliff and the water,” Kent de Mond puts in a nutshell what the fascinating sport of cliff diving is all about. the 29-year-old American could hardly believe his eyes when he saw the cenote Ik Kil, a root-covered sinkhole close to the archaeological site of chichen Itza in Mexico, for the first time. surrounding the spot are exotic animals, wild creatures and more than 27 metres to complicate your life in a very simple way. “the principle is so simple, but then you can make it as complicated as you want. And that’s kind of what we do,” explains colombian Orlando duque, winner of the World series’ first edition in 2009.

complication in this case means animating the speedy freefall with thrilling twists and somersaults. Leaving no margin for error, but giving all the more space for “a feeling out of this world,” to use Gary hunt’s words. For the two-time World series champion from england, “cliff diving is so special as there are not many other sports as extreme where you don’t need any other

machinery or equipment. the feeling when you are in the air is really like you are free and in the wild. You cannot get that feeling from a 10m platform.”

Being in such close proximity to nature makes all the difference for the cliff divers and adds to the sport’s principles of pure and honest competition. When leaving an eight-storey building in nothing else but a swimsuit, a body morphs into a Formula One torso within the blink of an eye, leaving no room for mistakes.

In a highly technical and industrialised world like ours, it is as fascinating as it is extraordinary that reducing your needs to three basic ingredients can result in pure ecstasy. For slava Polyeshchuk, a former world series diver from ukraine, cliff diving has almost addictive effects: “the feeling before the dive is completely different to the feeling afterwards. If you don’t dive for a long time you’ll tremendously miss it.” Where is this permanent and long-lasting draw to the platform coming from, though? Former high-class cliff diver Joey Zuber (Aus) puts it like this: “It’s the simplicity of the sport. At the end of the day, it is just the athlete versus gravity.”

sPOrt At Its

the essence oF cliFF diving

A high cliff, deep water and cour

age – that is all you need. cliff

diving is the purest extrem

e sport on earth. no additional m

achinery,

no protection at all, just co

ncentration, skill and body

control. the

equipment fits into your trouser p

ocket – a swimsuit. the principle is

simple; the complication comes with your own experience.

diving from heights of around 27m, the equivalent of an eight-storey building, has a long tradition but remained largely in the shadows until the start of a series of competitions in May 2009, featuring the world’s best cliff divers. A series that has since pushed the limits of the sport and impressed more than 400,000 spectators worldwide. each year, twelve handpicked high divers from ten different countries between 25 and 46 years of age have competed in 21 competitions in the first three seasons. each has an Olympic diving background and many years of training at a professional level.

WOrLd serIes

stepping bacK in time

‘Mana’ and ‘pono’, power and balanc

e – these old hawaiian principles were applied w

hen

lele kawa, diving off cliffs, was born on th

e islands in the midst of the Pa

cific back in the

18th century. they are princip

les that have been upheld

and are today prerequisites

for the

sport of high diving. It was from a rock made of lava th

at the last independent chie

f of Maui,

King Kahekili, jumped in the lat

e 1700s. the site of ‘Kahekili’s Le

ap’ has ever since then be

en

regarded as the birthplace

of the majestic sport of cliff diving.

eight competitions in eight countries, almost 300 dives and 7,488m freefall at 85km/h in the three second flight – the red Bull cliff diving World series 2009 and a selected group of divers set a real standard for what cliff diving is about and re-defined the limits of this sport. never before have divers jumped from 26 metres cliffs eight times in a row. Between May and september the series was hosted in La rochelle (FrA), rotterdam (ned), dubrovnik (crO), Polignano a Mare (ItA), Antalya (tur), hamburg (Ger), sisikon (suI) and Athens (Gre). With physical mastery and pure aesthetics on the platform, and crackling tension among the spectators, the traditional sport of cliff diving leapt into a new era. And it was nine-time world champion Orlando duque (cOL) who was crowned winner after his fourth place finish in Athens on september 20, taking the World series champion title in a photo finish.

Final resUlts 20091. orlando duque / col 1272. gary hunt / gbr 1273. artem silchenko / rUs 111

In its second year, the red Bull cliff diving World series took the next breathtaking step and led its protagonists in six competitions from europe – La rochelle (FrA), Kragerø (nOr), Polignano a Mare (ItA), sisikon (suI) – to central America – Yucatán (MeX) – and the sport’s birthplace in hawaii (usA) for the grand finale. After more than 20,000 miles travelled, almost 200 three-second flights and 17,263.45 points awarded, the 2010 red Bull cliff diving World series staged its final showdown at the Kawainui Falls on hawaii’s ‘Big Island’ on september 12. In a spine-tingling competition, reigning World series champion Orlando duque took his first season victory and handed over the title to Gary hunt. the year’s dominator took four wins out of six in only his third year of high diving and took the crown from colombia to england.season II brought about innovations in the competition format as well as in the diving itself: new dives, more difficulty, more focus and an obvious challenge to the throne by an up-and-coming generation of high divers.

Final resUlts 20101. gary hunt / gbr 1092. orlando duque / col 943. artem silchenko / rUs 80

Between March and september the World series travelled from the remote Island of rapa nui (chile) to central (Mexico) and north America (usA) and europe (Greece, France, Italy, ukraine). the third season saw three different winners in seven challenging competitions, featured three rookies and a lot of other surprises along the way: a tsunami evacuation in easter Island, the injury of the two-times winner Orlando duque in April, wind gusts up to 80kph in France on competition day, lightning in Boston that interrupted the opening round and a successful season wrap up on the shore of the Black sea, where the ‘brilliant Brit’ Gary hunt defended his overall title. At the great showdown on the crimean peninsula russia’s Artem silchenko broke a personal and a World series record by receiving three 10s for one dive and more than 500 points in total.

Final resUlts 20111. gary hunt / gbr 1252. artem silchenko / rUs 913. michal navratil / cZe 77

WOrLd serIes

fearenterInG

ZOne

who is aFraid oF Free Falling?

“I can’t wait for this day to be over,”

says Gary

hunt in the minutes before the first train

ing, “I am

so scared of the first dive!”

Is he kidding? Being a

professional and passionate

cliff diver and jumping

off a height comparable to an

eight-storey building

to make a living can’t mean that you

have to be

afraid of doing your job. W

rong! these athletes might

leave the platform without any pr

otection, but never

without their life-saver: fear

is a crucial part of their

professional life.

It’s always different. every platform has a different height. every venue has its special characteristics. taking the picturesque city of La rochelle, annual host of a World series stop in the past three years, the platform gives a wide view over the Bay of Biscay and the old town. “I don’t know if it’s the actual height or if it’s the panorama. When you are on the platform you see all these five-storey buildings and you really feel like you’re on top of the world. You must muster a lot of courage to jump off,” explains Kent de Mond. After leaving the 27.5m platform by foot again, the American continues: “A lot of the time when we come to the locations we have a look off the platforms and we are not prepared to dive in that moment and then we wonder how we ever get off the platform doing the dives we’re doing. But when you know that you have to dive you think about it mentally, run through it in your head. By the time you are about to dive, you are so focused; you’re only thinking about the dive and not the height and I think this is the only way you can do it. the seconds before a dive are the most intense. this is when you have to block out the fear and just focus on the dive.”

however, most of the divers don’t block out the feeling of fear that floods them before making a dive. “I do get scared,” says Orlando duque, “you are aware of the consequences of something going wrong. I actually try to use that to remind me of what I need to do. If I get too comfortable, I may overlook something, so I use the fear to help me concentrate so I have a safe dive.” concentration plays a central role when it comes to diving from great heights. Being able to completely focus on one thing and put aside everything else. It’s like in horse racing where the horses wear blinders to not get distracted from things and noises happening around them. translated into high diving, these blinders are the athletes’ strong minds and their ability to achieve maximum concentration.

seldom but still it happens that experienced divers make a mistake and lose orientation. experiencing a bad and painful landing will definitely influence your future performance and increase the level of fear that you have to overcome before the take-off. French diver hassan Mouti, for example, did not compete in the last stops in 2011 after a training crash in the lead-ups to the third competition. “My greatest fear was to get lost in the air again. It was really scary imagining getting up on the platform again. It was a new challenge for me.”

In order to avoid this increased level of fear, russia’s heavyweight in cliff diving, Artem silchenko, follows his individual rules: “I never try to watch the others dive. I am too scared for them. We know what can happen when something goes wrong. this is also one of the reasons why I always try to not think about anything before I take off.” It’s certainly not always possible to look away and also not everybody’s cup of tea and, thus, other divers’ crashes might bring back your own bad memories. “After seeing an accident like the one of hassan, you can’t help going back and reliving your own accidents; but if you focus too much on them you’d never go up on the platform again. You just have to forget about your bad dives and believe that your next dive is going to be better,” says Gary hunt.

Accidents or not, crashes or not, fear is a factor permanently present in this ancient extreme sport. resulting from a lot of respect. respect for the height, risk and impact. every single athlete is very well aware that this is a sport, which demands full concentration and full body control. And they have to master these feelings every time anew. “My way to overcome the fear is just imagining the feeling after a good dive. It’s that ’over the moon’ feeling that causes me to keep diving,” 28-year-old hunt gives insight into his personal fear management.

having learned about the fear factor, the often-talked-about relief after a good landing just got more comprehensible. the last word on this topic is left to nine-time world champion Orlando duque: “When standing on top before you dive, you feel anxious; you’re stressed, and you’re scared; then, once you’re underwater, everything switches. It’s like a 180-degree turn, and you’re suddenly super happy.”

QUaliFication15 aim for it and only four can make it – the qualification for the 2012 edition of the sport’s most prestigious series of competitions is hard fought. By means of a video application ten athletes have been selected in addition to the five divers who competed as part of the 2011 World series but did not make the automatic cut for season IV. At hawkesbury river in Australia Blake Aldrige, david colturi, Jorge Ferzuli and steven LoBue took the available slots for the current high diving season. the top 5 divers plus those for whom injury policy applies are qualified for a 2013 World series. the first qualification competition took place for the World series 2011 and gave three rookies the chance to prove their talent.

WOrLd serIes

high standardsFrom an individual’s passion high diving has turned into a recognized sport, which draws people’s attention worldwide. “It’s getting more and more interesting for new divers to come into the series, because it’s kind of a prestige thing, it’s the top in our sport. Just like in any other sport there is the one event that everybody wants to participate in and wants to win. this is what every high diver wants to win. not because you’re on tV or in magazines, no. everybody in the sport knows your name after you’ve won this one,” Orlando duque explains. hardly three seasons old, the World series’ participants have pushed the sport to such a high level that American Greg Louganis – four-time Olympic gold medallist and the most successful diver of all time – predicts an even brighter future for cliff diving: “this series standardized the sport a bit. the height is always between 26.5m and 28m, they have the fixed degree of difficulty and a good panel of judges. thus, the divers know better what to expect and can prepare better. I think it’s very possible that cliff diving becomes an Olympic sport. there is so much more talent coming into the sport. It’s an exciting time for cliff diving.”the red Bull cliff diving World series aims for guaranteeing the highest possible quality in this sport, featuring the world’s best athletes and providing them with a platform to excel and express their passion over and over again.

snapshot oF the Key Facts

the fourth year of the red

Bull cliff diving World series brings with it new

rules, new divers and exciting innova

tion amid the rapid evolution of on

e of

the most breathtaking of all spo

rts. here are some things you need to know

before you take the plunge

and dive into a new season in 2012 ...

athletes the world’s best cliff divers fight for the title of World series champion in seven challenging competitions.eleven permanent divers from eight different countries between 23 and 38 years and up to three wildcard divers at each tour stop.

locations Kicking off in mid June in France, the World series goes north to Grimstad (nOr) and touches Portuguese soil for the very first time on the volcanic islands of the Azores one month later. the mid-season stop is hosted by Ireland, and after a touchdown in the sports-mad city of Boston (usA) – the only unchanged location for 2012 – Wales (GBr) welcomes the divers in early september. Only three weeks later the grand final takes place in the sultanate of Oman, in the picturesque Wadi shab.

event Format

_ A competition consists of four dives: two required dives with a limited dd (3.6) and two optional dives._ two days of competition. _ the first round determines the ranking for the head-to-head battles._ two rounds of head-to-head: one required & one optional dive._ Final round: seven winners & one lucky loser perform one

optional dive in reverse starting order. Optional dives have to be alternated at every competition.

_ the winner is the one with the highest point total of all 4 dives.

head-to-head the first required round determines the ranking for the head-to-head, 1st against 14th, 2nd against 13th, etc. In the head-to-head rounds all divers do one required (dd 3.6.) and one optional dive. After three rounds, the seven winners and one lucky loser – the diver with the highest score of all the losers – do one final optional dive. the order is determined by points accumulated by all the dives and is in reverse order.

locations locations Kicking off in mid June in France, the World series goes north to Grimstad (nOr) and touches Portuguese soil for the very first

jUry

Five international jurors will judge each dive on the following criteria:tAKe OFFPOsItIOn In the AIr entrY In the WAter scOres FrOM 0 tO 10

WOrLd serIes

jUdges

1 head judge & 4 judges/competition selected form a pool of 10 members

cLAudIO de MIrO (ItA) head judge, former Italian diving team member sArA MAssenZ (ItA) Former Italian diving team memberAnKe PIPer (Ger) three-time european champion 10mMArIOn reIFF (Aut) Participant Olympic Games sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 steVe FOLeY (Aus) three-time Olympian (1976, 1980, 1984), first Australian male diver to final in both springboard and platform at the Games (1984)Ken GrOVe (Au(s)-t) two-time Olympian for Aus and Aut, Orlando duque’s first high diving coachtOnIO MArtIneZ (MeX) FInA judge, organizer of high diving competitions in Mexico (chiapas & Acapulco) since 2007, high diving shows worldwide since 1988AndreY IGnAtenKO (uKr) Winner first red Bull cliff diving World series competition in La rochelle, FrA, in 2009, 4th overall in the same yearJeFF ArBOn (GBr) Participant Olympic Games seoul 1988renAtO rOsI (ItA) Former Italian diving team memberGreG LOuGAnIs (usA) Four-time Olympic Gold medallist, most famous diver of all time

jUry jUry jUdges

scores

calculation of total score of each competition: _ Five scores by five judges. _ highest and lowest score are discarded. _ remaining three scores are added together. _ t his sum is multiplied by the degree of difficulty for each dive._ scores from all four rounds are cumulated for the final competition result._ Points will be awarded from 1st to 14th place (including wildcards)._ the winner of any individual tour stop is the diver with the highest point total from this stop.

points per competition

1st 200 8th 502nd 160 9th 403rd 130 10th 304th 110 11th 205th 90 12th 106th 70 13th 97th 60 14th 8

calcUlation oF the total score in the world series: Points from each competition are added together. thetop 5 results of each diver count for the World series’ overall ranking.

world series points scratch system

divers can strike their worst two – of a total of

seven – individual competition resul

ts. Winner of

the red Bull cliff diving World series 2012 will be

the athlete with the highes

t overall points after all

competitions after applying the

scratch result policy.

competitions after applying the

scratch result policy.

HEIGHTSPLATFORM

FREE FALL

0

5

- 5

10

15

20

25

30

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series minimum height: 26.5 m

stable take-off board construction; minimum length of 1.5 metres; minimum width of 0.75 metres; platform rim at least 2 metres beyond the vertical fall line; water spray

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series maximum height: 28 m

1sec.

sec.

sec.

2

3

Rescue divers/paramedics On standby next to the diving point, three scuba divers at landing point. Ambulance on standby.

PHYSICALFORCES

2-3G

General female competitions: 18–23 m

Olympic Diving

General male competitions: 20–28 m

Minimum water depth: 5 m

RISKS

The highest risk of injury occurs during the plunge, when parts of the body are already exposed to absolute deceleration and others, above the surface, are still at full speed. At this point, maximum physical tension is absolutely necessary. Immediately after hitting the water, the athlete has to actively dive away to avoid compression or contortion of parts of the body due to the hardness of the water.However, major mistakes can be ruled out because of the divers` technical training and experience. A pancake landing from such heights can be compared with a hard landing from 13 metres on concrete. That is why only about three to four dozen athletes worldwide pursue this exclusive and extreme sport. Generally speaking, high diving over 28 metres is not justifiable. Due to the rapid acceleration, almost no time benefit occurs from higher dives, but the risk of injuries increases disproportionately.

IMPACTnine times harder than from a 10m platform

ENTERING SPEED

HEIGHTSPLATFORM

FREE FALL

0

5

- 5

10

15

20

25

30




1sec.

sec.

sec.

2

3


PHYSICALFORCES

2-3G


Olympic Diving



RISKS



ENTERING SPEED

technIcAL dAtA

HEIGHTSPLATFORM

FREE FALL

0

5

- 5

10

15

20

25

30




1sec.

sec.

sec.

2

3


PHYSICALFORCES

2-3G


Olympic Diving



RISKS



ENTERING SPEED

HEIGHTSPLATFORM

FREE FALL

0

5

- 5

10

15

20

25

30




1sec.

sec.

sec.

2

3


PHYSICALFORCES

2-3G


Olympic Diving



RISKS



ENTERING SPEED

world series

to season IV of the Red Bull ClIff dIVIng WoRld seRIes

the WIldCaRdsnaMestoPsANATOLIY SHABOTENKO (UKR):FRANCE, PORTUGALEBER PAVA (COL),UKGENNADIY KUTSENKO (UKR): IRELANDHASSAN MOUTI (FRA): FRANCE, OMANJONATHAN PAREDES (MEX):USA, OMANKRIS KOLANUS (POL):NORWAYKYLE MITRIONE (USA): USA, UKSASHA KUTSENKO (UKR): IRELAND, UKTODOR SPASOV (BUL): NORWAY, PORTUGAL, IRELAND

NOTE: subject to change, due to individual schedules

It is time; time for the challenge, the moment for overcoming the fear has come. Who is this year’s pacesetter? Which dives do the athletes use as the aces up their sleeves? Before you join in and keep a close eye on the world’s most thrilling high divingcompetition and its athletes we’d like to introduce the judges and wildcards at each stop. Feel the passion, and enjoy reading.

the Judges PeR stoPstoP 1: fRanCeCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESANKE PIPER (GER)KEN GROVE (AU(S)-T) MARION REIFF (AUT)ANDREY IGNATENKO (UKR)

stoP 2: noRWaYCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESANKE PIPER (GER)ANDREY IGNATENKO (UKR)RENATO ROSI (ITA)MARION REIFF (AUT)

stoP 3: PoRtugal, aZoResCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGES KEN GROVE (AU(S)-T)GREG LOUGANIS (USA)MARION REIFF (AUT)SARA MASSENZ (ITA)

stoP 4: IRelandCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESTONIO MARTINEZ (MEX)

RENATO ROSI (ITA)ANDREY IGNATENKO (UKR)SARA MASSENZ (ITA)

stoP 5: usaCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESGREG LOUGANIS (USA)JEFF ARBON (GBR)STEVE FOLEY (AUS)TONIO MARTINEZ (MEX)

stoP 6: uK, south WalesCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESGREG LOUGANIS (USA)KEN GROVE (AU(S)-T)SARA MASSENZ (ITA)RENATO ROSI (ITA)

stoP 7: oManCLAUDIO DE MIRO (ITA) HEAD OF JUDGESGREG LOUGANIS (USA)KEN GROVE (AU(S)-T)RENATO ROSI (ITA)ANKE PIPER (GER)

body & Mind

the sound of

&Join the Joyride

What happens when 11 men launch the

mselves from

the height equivalent of an

eight-storey building with no

protection whatsoever? Let’s keep it ‘ju

venal’: Mens sana

in corpore sano – a sound mind in a soun

d body. Physical

fitness is a basic requirement in cliff di

ving but worthless

in itself if the mind does not

contribute to the dive. only

those whose minds allow it are able to enjoy the rid

e.

Greg Louganis, four-time olympic gold medallist and the greatest diver of all time, joined the World series as a judge for the first time in 2011 and was full of admiration for the athletes’ performances: “it’s not just a daredevil thing. you need to have a lot talent.” it’s not just a straight jump, but a highly complicated combination of somersaults and twists from 27 metres. Aesthetic movements which need to be performed precisely to enter the water in a safe and vertical position and which demand self-confidence, concentration, absolute body control and experience; in addition to a technically perfect education, at least 10 years of training in diving or a similar acrobatic sport and the ability to make split-second decisions based on impulses such as sight, space, time and experience.

30% body and 70% mind – for hassan Mouti, fifth overall in the 2009 and 2010 World series, the psychology is all important, as he explains, pointing to his head: “the whole idea is to keep your body in shape as much as you can. up here is the thinking part of the rest of the dive. you do train, but only on 10 metres and the rest of it happens in the mind.” before the athletes attempt the actual dive, they have already performed it in their mind a hundred times. Why? “because you have to know what you are going to do and what it is going to feel like,” explains Gary hunt, the two-time World series champion. for training reasons, professional athletes break their manoeuvres down into parts as they dive from 5 to 10m boards, working on their flexibility and muscular strength.

“no matter how fit your body is, you cannot dive from 27 metres with a mind that’s not ready,” Russian Artem silchenko reduces the complex goings-on in a diver’s mind to a simple explanation. the fact that the mere thought of a high dive in a neutral and relaxed environment sees the heart rate and the body tension rise to the same high level as before the actual execution – as proved in the Red bull diagnostics and training Centre in Austria – underlines the mental and physical pressures to which the athletes are exposed. “When i step to the edge of the platform, i’m ready to go. if i’m not comfortable, i don’t even get on the platform. i don’t exceed a certain point; i have to make sure that every step before the dive is right. if something is not right, i have to figure out the problem, get it sorted and only then can i make that last step to the edge

of the platform,” is how 2009 Red bull Cliff diving World series champion orlando duque (CoL) explains what goes through a cliff diver’s mind in the moments before a dive.

Mental strength is the second key component of a balanced training program. for Kent de Mond, the 29-year-old san diego-based high diver, the natural ability to learn and train a dive on a mental basis is something that makes the difference between a good diver and an exceptional diver and is essential in high diving. someone who has nine world championship titles to underline his talent is orlando duque: “i have been in the sport for a long time and we have to deal with a lot of difficult situations, difficult locations and tough competitions. the physical part is always there; you are always strong when you do your preparation. but you have to deal with that mental thing. We are all scared because we understand how hard the water is going to hit us when we make a mistake. however, we go through this whole process before we step on the platform. if i am diving today, i am going to be fit. i know it. if i show up to dive, i am fit to dive; mentally and physically, otherwise i wouldn’t come.”

27m above the water, the platform is much more than a passport to adventure, it is a “mental barrier you have to overcome,” according to Kent de Mond. Mental readiness makes the step to the edge of an eight-storey-high platform possible; however, the Red bull Cliff diving World series divers go one stage further, as silchenko explains: “one or two seconds before i go, my body is still there, but my brain is already flying.”

THE DIVERS

ALAIN KOHL LUXARTEM SILCHENKO RUSBLAKE ALDRIDGE GBRCYRILLE OUMEDJKANE FRADAVID COLTURI USAGARY HUNT GBRJORGE FERZULI MEXKENT DE MOND USA MICHAL NAVRATIL CZEORLANDO DUQUE COLSTEVEN LOBUE USA

Div ers

KOHL

The number six seems to be crucial in the life of Alain Kohl. He started his diving career at the age of six in the late 1980s. In the year 2008, six years after he changed from Olympic diving to cliff diving, he finished three of the most prestigious competitions – Red Bull Cliff Diving at Lake Wolfgang (AUT), Hamburg (GER) and Polignano a Mare (ITA) – in sixth place. The southern Italian town was a location in 2009 and 2010 as well and, of course, the 29-year-old took sixth place each year. The new competition mode forced multilingual Kohl to qualify again in January 2011. He succeeded by finishing – make an educated guess – sixth. In his best World Series campaign to date, which also included a first podium in La Rochelle, Alain Kohl could look ahead to the 2012 World Series with his place already assured… as he finished 6th once again in the overall rankings for 2011.Before the Luxembourgian became a professional cliff diver, he worked as a correctional facility officer for about one and a half years. Prior to that, Alain spent time in uniform. For how long? Well, rumours say that it was about six years.REPRESENTING

LuxembourgDOB August 25, 1982HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.68m/68kgCITY OF RESIDENCE InnsbruckPROFESSION Cliff diverMY SECRET PASSION Making children laughSTARTED CLIFF DIVING IN 2002FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT Polignano a Mare, ItalyFAVOURITE DIVE Flying frontACHIEVEMENTS2011 3rd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in La Rochelle (FRA)2006 5th Cliff Diving World ChampionshipFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 6th overall2010 7th overall2009 11th overall

it was about six years.

“The quality of the guys in the top six last year was unbelievable. You only had to do one

mistake and score lower than a 7 and you’d drop back down to 10th or 11th. It’s a good achievement for me to come in the top six.”

THE DIVERS

SILCHENKO

“I got so many 10s – give me the dive sheet so I can count them all! This is my record.” After four second-placed finishes in 2011, Artem Silchenko once again saved his best for last, claiming no fewer than six 10s and securing a massive 518.30 points in the final competition in Ukraine to register the highest score ever in a Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition. Is it true that Russians are afraid of nothing? Legends say that they kill bears with their bare hands and put hungry wolves to flight, but who knows... a little bit more traceable is Artem Silchenko’s story. Born in Russia’s southwest, the 28-year-old moved to China six years ago to start his high diving career. Over the years, the tight-lipped Russian has become one of the heavyweights of cliff diving. He won the world championships in 2006 at the age of only 22 and is now famous for his great diving technique and his never-ending motivation: “I always want to win because I’m a professional Russian sportsman.”

REPRESENTING RussiaDOB February 3, 1984HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.81m/80kgCITY OF RESIDENCE MiamiPROFESSION TrainerMY SECRET PASSION ChessSTARTED CLIFF DIVING IN 2004ACHIEVEMENTS2011 Winner Real Diving, Chiapas (MEX)2006 World ChampionFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 2nd overall2010 & 2009 3rd overall

“One or two seconds before I dive, my body is still on the platform

but my brain it is already flying.”

ALDRIDGE

Former British diving world champion Blake Aldridge did his first dive from 27 metres in June 2011 at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition in La Rochelle, France. Under challenging conditions and, after three rounds, the 29-year-old finished his first high diving event in sixth position. He had had his first taste of blood and was invited as a wildcard again for the final competition in Yalta, Ukraine.After accomplishing his first goal of the year – “I came to Australia to qualify for the World Series and that’s what I’ve done” – the finalist at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing went straight back to England to do some homework: “I’m going to put an extra twist on my armstand dive, which will give me the equal highest DD for a dive in the Series. That’s my next goal. So I’ll learn how to do that well to compete with the top guys on the tour.”

NICKNAME Blakey BoyREPRESENTING Great BritainDOB August 4, 1982HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.70m/65kgCITY OF RESIDENCE LondonPROFESSION Olympic DiverMY SECRET PASSION High divingFAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT Locarno, SwitzerlandFAVOURITE DIVE Back armstand 2 ½ ss with 3 twistsACHIEVEMENTS3 times world medallistFormer world champion2012 2nd qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2011 6th Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in La Rochelle, France (wildcard)2009 & 2010 European champion2008 Olympic finalist

“To be in the Series now is massive. I only came on the tour last year as a wildcard. I didn’t even do the qualification and I’ve only done two competitions. Everything has been a learning curve. It’s all been happening so fast; now I am part of the tour. I just can’t wait to start scoring points.”

THE DIVERS

OUMEDJKANE

Cyrille Oumedjkane was born in Strasbourg, but – as his name suggests – he is of Maghreb origin, Algeria to be precise, and it’s a heritage he proudly recalls. Considering himself a sportsman by nature, the Frenchman takes every opportunity to be active – whether cycling, swimming or diving just for the fun of it. He got into the whirl of cliff diving back in 2001. Adrenaline is what drives him and, after two average seasons - he had never come higher than sixth place in years 2009 and 2010 – he started the 2011 year in great shape. He narrowly missed the podium twice and qualified automatically for the fourth edition, but still has a score to settle: after two 7th places and one 10th place, he wants to finish in the top three in his home event in France. Could a new location bring a change of luck?

NICKNAME AubergineREPRESENTING FranceDOB April 5, 1976HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.83m/80kgCITY OF RESIDENCE StrasbourgPROFESSION LifeguardMY SECRET PASSION AntiquesSTARTED CLIFF DIVING IN 2001FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT HawaiiFAVOURITE DIVE Reverse LayoutACHIEVEMENTS2006 2nd Cliff Diving Acapulco 1992-1994 French champion 10mFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 5th overall 2010 10th overall2009 10th overall

COLTURI

Veni, vidi, vici – not the competition but certainly the approval of the experts. Last August, David Colturi came to Boston on very short notice and entered the competition with only the minimum required training. His diving convinced the judges of his potential and the 23-year-old’s selection for the qualification competition in Australia was the next step.Veni, vidi, vici, take two – the competition which defines the final line-up for the 2012 edition of the sport’s most respected series of contests. He earned a 10 from the judges for his favourite dive, the reverse double somersault with four twists, and stood out ahead of British Olympian Blake Aldridge, in the season’s first meeting of the best cliff diving athletes. At only 23 years of age, the former US national 10m champion is the youngest permanent diver in the World Series to date.

REPRESENTING USADOB April 30, 1989HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.73m/70kgCITY OF RESIDENCE Ann Arbor, MichiganPROFESSION Student/AthleteMY SECRET PASSION Learning to play an instrumentFAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT Atop the ICA in Boston, USAFAVOURITE DIVE Reverse double with four twistsACHIEVEMENTS2012 Winner qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2011 14th Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Boston, USA (wildcard)2011 Winner International High Diving Competition in Liuzhou, China2009 3rd World University Games 10m synchronized and team award2009 US National Champion 10m individual and synchronized

“Competing in Red Bull’s World Series is

the culmination of a life committed to training

and a love for the sport of diving. Qualifying

for the 2012 tour is a dream come true and a start to a new chapter

in my diving career. I’m so new to the sport still. I’ve been training my ass off. I’m going to try and

keep getting better.”

He was handed the crown by his predecessor, Orlando Duque, after an impressive cliff diving season in 2010, and there was no let-up in 2011 as Gary Hunt won four successive competitions to wrap up a second World Series win even before the final stop in Ukraine to prove once again that he heads the list of top athletes in the sport. In recent years, Gary Hunt has tried a lot: he studied maths for two years, changed to sports and stayed for another year, and then turned to criminology. A constantly changing personality, the Englishman is the most progressive diver within the Series. He always has a new and innovative dive in mind, in order to stay ahead of his rivals. He premiered the “Triple Quad” in 2009 and within 12 months attempted a dive with a running take-off. It’s another link in the chain that connects Olympic and high diving.

HUNT

NICKNAME GazREPRESENTING Great BritainDOB June 11, 1984HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.75m/68kgCITY OF RESIDENCE ParisPROFESSION Cliff diverMY SECRET PASSION Well, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore if I wrote it down!STARTED CLIFF DIVING IN 2006FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT Polignano a Mare, ItalyFAVOURITE DIVE Back 1.5 piked from 10mACHIEVEMENTSWinner of 10 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competitions2009 Winner High Diving World Cup2006 3rd Commonwealth Games 10m SynchroFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 & 2010 World Series Champion2009 2nd overall

“It’s a feeling that’s out of this world. There are

not many other sports as extreme where you don’t

need any other machinery or equipment. The feeling when you are in the air is

really like you are free and in the wild.”

THE DIVERS

FERZULI

Jorge Ferzuli was last season’s ‘lucky loser’ as he made it into the starting 12 after one of the confirmed divers got injured before the kick-off. During the season, the 31-year-old struggled a bit with the pressure but proved his talent with a sixth place in Boston, USA.An 11th overall finish meant he had to travel to Australia earlier this year to take part in qualification for the second successive year. With a strong and consistent performance during both competition days, the Mexican took the fourth available slot and proved that he has what it takes to compete with the very best.

NICKNAME FerzuliREPRESENTING MéxicoDOB March 11, 1981HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.65m/70kgCITY OF RESIDENCE Mexico CityPROFESSION Mechanical engineer and professional diverMY SECRET PASSION I can’t tell you, that’s why it is a secret!FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOT Yalta, UkraineFAVOURITE DIVE Twist tripleACHIEVEMENTS2012 4th qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2011 9th qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2010 World ChampionFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 11th overall

“Qualification this year was definitely harder, everybody was

really good and ripped their dives. It was hard and this makes me

even happier that I made it into the World Series.”

Mechanical engineer and professional diver

THE DIVERS

DE MOND

After a “mond-strous” finish to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series‘ premiere edition in 2009, Kent carried his impressive performances over to the second season of competition in 2010. A third-placed finish in La Rochelle was the near-perfect start to 2010 and, by the end of the year, the 29-year-old had secured an excellent fourth place overall. Tipped by many to continue his rapid development and be one of the closest challengers to Gary Hunt and Orlando Duque in 2011, Kent struggled with injuries from the start and, despite another third-placed finish in his home event of Boston last August, an eighth-placed finish overall meant the native of Potomac, Maryland, would have to qualify to appear in the World Series‘ fourth season.After coming fifth in the qualification in Australia, and narrowly missing out on a place in the 2012 World Series to the top four, Kent was the ‚lucky loser‘ when Ukrainian veteran Slava Polyeshchuk withdrew from competition.

REPRESENTINGUSANICKNAMEDemond-sterDOBMarch 6, 1983HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.73m / 72kgCITY OF RESIDENCESan Diego, CaliforniaPROFESSION Acrobatic performerMY SECRET PASSION To be a filmmaker and a stuntman in moviesFAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOTIt’s hard to decide the best cliff diving spot. Different locations are better for different reasons.FAVOURITE DIVES My favourite dive is a flying front flip because it is really easy and it feels the most like youare actually flying. But my favourite difficult dive is a back double with three twists.ACHIEVEMENTS2011 winner Real Diving Acapulco, Mexico2008 4th High Diving World Cup2008 6th Marmeeting2008 5th Bled World CupFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 8th overall2010 4th overall2009 8th overall

“It’s a moment, just a split second before

you actually lift up from the platform and

at that point there is just no turning

around. This one split second before you go is the most intense.”

After winning the qualification competition for the third Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, an inspired Michal Navratil went on to finish third overall in 2011, claiming no fewer than four podiums to emerge as the closest challenger to Gary Hunt and Artem Silchenko. A fan vote on www.redbullcliffdiving.com awarded him the 2011 title for the “most improved diver”.For the 27-year-old, cliff diving means pushing his limits to excel. In September 2009 ‘Supratil’ – so named because of his Superman-style dives – signed up to perform on one of the world’s biggest cruise ships. Working alongside celebrities, like singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, the Caribbean Sea has been his ‘home’ for the past two and a half years. For the World Series competitions, he leaves a paradise that he calls his place of work behind, diving into the real world in order to make his mark in high diving.

REPRESENTINGCzech RepublicNICKNAMESupratilDOBJune 5, 1985HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.84m/85kg CITY OF RESIDENCEFort Lauderdale, FloridaPROFESSION StuntmanMY SECRET PASSION Find a good sponsor and get some world records!STARTED CLIFF DIVING IN2003FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOTPolignano a Mare, ItalyFAVOURITE DIVES Triple 1/2 pike, back flip to swan dive and the ‘Superman’ACHIEVEMENTS2011 Winner Marmeeting2011 Winner High Diving World Cup2009 3rd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series GermanyFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 3rd overall2010 9th overall2009 7th overall

“I feel free when I’m diving. I love the risk and the speed in cliff

diving. My body is very important to me; as it is the machine that makes

me dive safely from 27m.”

2009 3rd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

NAVRATIL

THE DIVERS

He started the 2011 season most successfully, winning both of the first two competitions in Chile and Mexico, before a broken ankle sustained in an unfortunate skydiving accident ended the favourite‘s chances. The off-season was fully dedicated to recovery, training and hard work as the Colombian’s expressed target is a return to top form once again by the time the 2012 World Series kicks off.With nine world championship titles, one World Series title and two Guinness world records on his side, the 37-year-old cliff diver has proved his tremendous ability, reaching a special position within the high diving scene over the last fifteen years. He was the clear favourite for the 2009 World Series and of course he measured up to expectations. He won three competitions, was off the podium only once and took the overall title. In 2010, he had two new dives in his programme, took six out of six podiums, including one victory and finished second overall. The left-hander is a perfectionist whose dedication is unswerving and the new season will be all the more interesting and the challenge even greater.

REPRESENTING ColombiaDOB September 11, 1974HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.75m/68kgCITY OF RESIDENCELaie, HawaiiPROFESSIONCliff diverMY SECRET PASSION It’s a secret! : )FAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOTHawaiiFAVOURITE DIVE Back twistACHIEVEMENTSNine-times world champion2008 winner of six Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competitions2005 winner of Red Bull Cliff Diving, Lake Wolfgang and Winner Adriatic High Diving Cup FINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 8th overall (injured after Stop 2)2010 2nd overall2009 World Series Champion

“What we live for is that passion that we have for the sport. It’s the short period of time that we

have in the air, we enjoy it like we enjoy every

split second all the way until we hit the water.

What moves us is a sequence of fear, relief and a tremendous rush that we feel when we

finally get safely out of the water.”

DUQUE

LOBUE

Steven LoBue is a small athlete with big aims: “I think over the next year I’ll be able to accomplish things that I don’t think anybody else is capable of. I know this is a huge goal I am shooting towards and it takes time to get there but I really think I have the right body type and the ability to do these things.” The 27-year-old has been diving since he was seven years old and describes the 2004 Olympic Trials final as his best result before entering the world of high diving. In his first full season as a cliff diver, the American, who, according to cliff diving expert Joey Zuber, is a potential powerhouse, struggled most with his consistency between learning new dives and the variety of the locations. The highlight of his first year was a fifth-placed finish in Boston.At the season finale he was, together with Ukraine’s Sasha Kutsenko, awarded “Rookie of the Year” and was thus among the favourites to win through at the qualification competition in Australia. He did not quite win but claimed another ticket for the 2012 World Series with his third-placed finish after the eight-dive competition down under.

REPRESENTING USADOB June 17, 1985HEIGHT/WEIGHT 1.61m/62kgCITY OF RESIDENCEMuncie, IndianaPROFESSIONStudentMY SECRET PASSION Watching cartoonsFAVOURITE CLIFF DIVING SPOTAustraliaFAVOURITE DIVE NoneACHIEVEMENTS2012 3rd qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2011 7th qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai, Australia2004 Olympic Trials finalistFINAL RANKINGS RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES2011 10th overall

“I feel just incredibly excited that I’ve got another go at

the World Series. To compete at such a high level with the

best cliff divers in the world is an honour. I am excited and humbled by this experience.”

REPRESENTING

DOB

2012 3rd qualification competition Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Cattai,

Questionnaire

Hunt

get to know

close up

How you make a two-time World series champion

scratch his head? Pitch him

a whole bunch of

questions and ask for answ

ers.

wHAt Is A peRFect DAY FoR You? Having no plans at the start of the day and then having a day filled with friends, food, juggling, diving and maybe a few beers.wHo ARe soMe oF tHe Most IMpoRtAnt AnD InFluentIAl people In YouR lIFe, YouR cAReeR? My mum has supported me throughout my sporting career so she has been the most influential, my friends and family are definitely the most important people in my life.wHAt FIRst got You Into DIVIng? Being a swimmer I was always at the pool and after a while the divers looked like they were having more fun.IF You weRen’t A clIFF DIVeR, wHAt woulD You Be? Very tough question, a criminologist, forensic scientist, struggling artist, mathematician ...?Do You HAVe AnY ADVIce FoR BegInneRs?take it step by step, be inventive, and don’t be scared to try things other people wouldn’t do.wHAt HAs Been YouR Best HIgH DIVIng eXpeRIence? learning the back triple quad. I was so nervous and it was a really big step for me. the feeling of successfully completing this dive was one of the best feelings ever.

wHAt ARe YouR BIggest stRengtHs? My training background, my guts and my determination.YouR MAIn goAls FoR 2012? stay consistent, train hard, and obviously take home the championship.one tHIng You cAn’t leAVe HoMe wItHout: My house key.wHeRe’s YouR FAVouRIte plAce to tRAVel? Mexico, united states, london, paris.ARe You In loVe? Yes.IF You cAn onlY tAke one tHIng to A DeseRt IslAnD wHAt woulD It Be? the internet.IF You coulD Be soMeone else, wHo woulD You Be? A woman, just to understand them a little more.YouR FAVouRIte MusIc Is … At the moment Bright eyes and company of thieves.AnYtHIng You woulD lIke to get oFF YouR cHest? I’m doing it right now with all these questions!wHen I AM 40 YeARs olD I woulD ReAllY loVe to ... still be able to do a backflip.

get to know

MotIVAtIon If you are motivated you can achieve anything.

RIsk Risk-taking is the spice of life, calculated risk is one of my strong points.

DReAMs

I think it’s a very interesting

subject but I

don’t think too much should be

read into

their meaning. I’m not a Freudian.

success Success is always relative, it’s

just how you look at it. Having

realistic and reasonable goals is

the most important.

tRustI think trust is very important, I try to be trustworthy so that the people I meet will act the same

way in return.

egoIsM

I am not a fan of people who love

themselves too much or talk about

themselves lots. If you are a g

ood person

or do good things you won’t need to

boast

about them, people will compliment you.

FeARII battle with fear every time I step onto the platform, I think

it’s the most enjoyable part of high diving. If we weren’t scared we wouldn’t have that same adrenaline rush and it wouldn’t be

exciting. It’s important to use fear to your advantage.

YouR AppRoAcH to…

RelAtIonsHIpI think a relationship is a

lovely

thing, I have no idea how they

work but they are what build our

lives and shape how we live.

successSuccess is always relative, it’s

just how you look at it. Having

realistic and reasonable goals is

the most important. egoIsM

I am not a fan of people who love

YouR AppRoAcH to… YouR AppRoAcH to…

HEIGHT

CLIFF DIVING — OLYMPIC TIMES THREE!

No matter how high your ambition and tal

ent takes

you in the future, it all sta

rts at the side of a

pool; when it comes to the definition of ‘top

’,

opinions start to differ, tho

ugh. In an Olympic

year, we thought, it’s time to elaborate

on the definition of height.

What is the

absolute limit for most is only a third

of the way for a select few. Cliff

diving almost triples the height

of Olympic high diving and

demands, besides other

requirements, a special

mindset. requirements, a specia

l

mindset. requirements, a specia

l

mindset.

A HEAD FOR

European 10m Championship and took the last two World Series championship titles, “this really separates the two sports and makes cliff diving unique. And it’s the only place where you can do this amount of somersaults and twists.”

With Blake Aldridge, the 2008 winner of the FINA Diving World Series and a British national team diver at the Olympic Games in 2008, a former Olympian gets his chance at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series after a successful qualification in Australia earlier this year. He explains what it takes to dive off 27m: “You have to have an extreme mentality and real guts to be able to stand up to what you do and make the transition to high diving.”Orlando Duque has made this transition the most successfully and has given the sport a face. Being qualified for the Olympic Games in 1992, the Colombian has competed in cliff diving for more than 13 years. Besides winning nine world championships, he also took the World Series title in 2009 and has finished on the podium in all but two Series competitions in which he has competed. “

One of the great things about the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is that we are diving from at least 26.5m which allows us to show more difficult dives. This height, however, demands control. Usually, if you are a bit late with your movements, you can cheat a little bit at the entry, but at 26.5m you’ve got to be in control of your dive. At this height, you need to be sure of what you’re doing. Every metre you add, you’re adding on at the end of the dive and, travelling at 90kph, one metre is nothing; however, the impact on the water is much harder,” explains the 37-year old, who considered cliff diving as “the next logical step” after his Olympic career.

With the London 2012 Olympic Games in mind, Greg Louganis conjures up an appealing idea: “I think both sports are very respectable and it would be interesting if there was a diver who could be successful in Olympic diving as well as in cliff diving.”

Standing on the very edge of a 27m platform and looking down takes already a lot of guts, but actually leaping from the height of an eight-storey building, and performing precisely-executed twists and somersaults, asks for a whole lot more. “High diving is an extreme sport and it takes a special mentality to get into a sport like that. You could be the best 1m, 3m or 10m diver in the world, but if you don’t have what it takes to put yourself up to something like 27m, then it’s not going to happen,” reveals university diving coach and 2010 World Series judge Tommy Michael. Even Greg Louganis, the most famous diver of all time and four-time Olympic gold medallist, says: “I can’t imagine diving from 27m. It’s insane to me and amazing at the same time. Where I finished, it’s only these guys’ lead-ups. 10m is practice for them.”

For the American, who joined the World Series’ judging pool in 2011, one of the main challenges in high diving is the way the athletes have to prepare for their dives: “I’d always be able to visualise a dive in order to perform it. To perfect it, I had to do it; repetition after repetition. This is where the perfection comes in, but the cliff divers don’t have this opportunity and that’s where the challenge is. It’s how much they trust their imagination and visualisation and that is the key to success in cliff diving. They are doing dives that they have not done before. They’ve done parts of it, but never actually done it. They can’t do as many repetitions from that height; otherwise they risk injury. Doing a 10-metre platform workout for me was doing 50 dives.”

“Of course, the initial thought is fear,” admits Gary Hunt, “but you know what you have to do and you just do it. When I did the Triple Quad for the first time, it was more or less a leap of faith.” In recent years, and certainly since the start of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2009, the high divers have begun to do very difficult dives and are performing dives which are not possible from the 10-metre platform. According to the Englishman, who participated in the 2006

“You have to have an extreme mentality and real guts to be able to stand up to what you do and make the transition to high diving.”Blake Aldridge

“Of course, the initial thought is fear, but you know what you have to do and you just do it.”Gary Hunt

THE LOCATIONS

NATURAL AND URBAN, REMOTE AND ICONIC

six of the seven selected lo

cations are new to the

calendar and promise challengin

g competitions in

Europe, North America and the Middle East.

STOP

FRANCE BELONGS TO THE WORLD SERIES CALENDAR AS THE SPEEDO BELONGS TO THE DIVERS. It was host for the very first competition back in May 2009 and La Rochelle’s St. Nicolas Tower was the scariest venue to date. In its fourth year, the world’s best cliff divers come back to France for the Series’ first competition again, but have chosen the southern tip of the island of Corsica for their opening. The athletes will dive from the top of the remnants of the Saint François canon base, overlooking the Strait of Bonifacio. In the heart of the Corsican-Sardinian Marine Park, the diving site is at the entrance of a unique fjord in the Mediterranean. It offers an exceptional panoramic view over nearby Sardinia and on the small red Madonetta lighthouse set on its triangular boulder commanding the entrance of the 1.5km long bottleneck. Orlando Duque, winner of the premiere edition in 2009, has used the off-season for extensive training and will come back to the World Series after his non-diving ankle injury last April. Another athlete will celebrate his World Series comeback: French diver Hassan Mouti. He sustained injury in training last May and fought hard to make his way back up on the platform; although not qualified for the 2012 edition, he is invited to Corsica as a wildcard and will support countryman Cyrille Oumedjkane. Perched on a limestone pedestal, Bonifacio is one of the most spectacular towns in the Mediterranean. The citadel walls and ancient houses appear to rise seamlessly out of sheer cliffs that have been hollowed and striated by the wind and waves. Beneath, an inlet about 100 metres wide forms a natural harbour, home to a buzzing port. Only 12 kilometres from Sardinia, the town is distinctly more Italian than French in atmosphere, and even has its own dialect based on Ligurian Italian.

JOUR FIXE!

FRANCE, CORSICABonifacio | City Wall of the St François Headland

JUNE 22-23

THE LOCATIONS

NORWAY Grimstad | Barselkilen

JULY 6-7

AFTER A BREAK LAST SEASON, NORWAY IS BACK ON THE CALENDAR FOR THE WORLD SERIES. After kicking off in the south of France, Grimstad represents the most northerly point in the 2012 season. While it’s normal for the villagers to go fishing for the catch of the day, the divers will be fishing for compliments and adulation for their breathtaking performances from the 27m platform.Despite the literal meaning of Grimstad – ‘sour town’ – its roughly 20,000 permanent residents are widely known for their genuine happiness. Probably because of the region’s good weather and the picturesque landscape surrounding the archipelago that stretches 500km from Oslo to the southern tip of Norway. This typical Norwegian coastal town was a part-time home to famous playwright Henrik Ibsen and author Knut Hamsun; the yearly Short Film Festival and the Enjoyment Festival, which focuses on cuisine and pleasure of most kinds, maybe descendants of its literary past.To keep up with two of Grimstad famous sons (and daughters), Tour de France hero Thor Hushovd and 1976’s Playmate of the Year, Lillian Müller, the cliff diving elite is called upon to perform at their highest possible level to leave their traces on one of Norway’s major tourist spots.

FISHING FOR …

STOP

ROCK‘N’DIVE

PORTUGAL, AZORES S. Miguel | Vila Franca do Campo

JULY 20-21

STOP

BACK TO THE ROOTS IS THE MOT TO FOR THE FIRST EVER CLIFF DIVING COMPETITION ON PORTUGUESE SOIL.Diving directly off the cliff – the small islet of Vila Franca allows the athletes to perform two of their dives straight from the rocks in a very special moment for the divers as well as the spectators. Never before in the World Series has a competition been held in such a natural cliff diving environment. Situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – 1,369km west of the European mainland – the Azores archipelago comprises nine islands spread over three groups. This territory symbolizes the beginning of the grand adventure of discovery that began in the fifteenth century and led the Portuguese to have a presence in the four corners of the globe. Of volcanic origin, the Azores are undoubtedly one of the last paradises in Europe - appearing often in legends of the lost continent of Atlantis.Vila Franca do Campo islet, named after the village just in front in the mainland, is located around one kilometre from the coastline and came about following the collapse of a former volcano. After being used for many purposes over the centuries – from a military fort area to a vineyard – this islet was classified as a nature reserve in 1983. It is almost circular in shape but broken by a sea entrance through one section of its perimeter. The crater walls are home to much local vegetation. Inside, the crystalline waters of the natural swimming pool have an added beauty and feature their own stunning beach. To the south of the islet stand two volcanic rock peaks used for nesting by the many marine birds that visit the island.

THE LOCATIONS

“THE SERPENT’S LAIR IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT YOU ONLY HEAR STORIES ABOUT,” commented Orlando Duque during a photo shoot together with Gary Hunt ahead of the first ever Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition in April 2009. “Finding the place and being able to dive there was one of the highlights of my career. Hopefully in the future we can bring a cliff diving competition to Ireland.” His hopes will get answered on the first weekend of August 2012, when the world’s best cliff divers come to the Aran Islands for the season’s halfway stage.Rumours of the legendary Serpent’s Lair – ‘Poll na Peist’ in Gaelic – circulate world wide throughout the cliff diving community. Similar to numerous other locations on the islands, the Serpent’s Lair is what fishermen call a “blowhole,” or a shoreline window to subterranean caverns, which spurt out water each day as high tide approaches. What differentiates the Serpent’s Lair from other blowholes, though, is that it’s a near-perfect rectangle, thus giving it an inexplicable and mysterious nature.Weathered monuments on awesome cliffs, great labyrinths of limestone, meandering walls, patchwork fields, quiet beaches and a welcoming island of people combine to make the island of Inis Mór breathtaking. It is literally the ‘big island’ among a group of three islands referred to as the Aran Islands and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Off the west of Ireland, on the edge of Europe, a ferry journey from Galway city brings you to this amazing island with its unique geology, archaeology and tradition. It is a place to sense the spirit of Gaelic Ireland and to touch the past.

POOL DIVING

IRELANDInis Mór | Serpent’s Lair

AUGUST 3-4

STOP

AFTER FOUR STOPS IN EUROPE, THE WORLD SERIES LEAPS OVER THE ATLANTIC AND TOUCHES DOWN IN ONE OF AMERICA’S OLDEST CITIES – BOSTON, MASSACHUSET TS. After last season’s premiere, the world’s most prestigious series of cliff diving competitions comes to town once again as the athletes of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series climb to the top of the 75-foot-high Institute of Contemporary Art building on Fan Pier to put on an exhibition of their own.As the latest ‘exhibit’ at a place of inspiration and imagination, the high diving elite will once again try to propel their performances towards perfection. The 89-foot-high platform, built on top of the ICA building, beckons individual expression and creation by way of complex diving manoeuvres. Founded in 1936, the ICA’s mission is to exhibit contemporary art. Count on the divers to deliver unforgettable impressions in this sports-mad city.

USABoston | Institute of Contemporary Art

AUGUST 24-25

TOUCHDOWN

STOP

THE LOCATIONS

THE RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES WILL MAKE ITS UK DEBUT AT A SECRET LOCATION IN PEMBROKESHIRE, SOUTH WEST WALES, for the penultimate stop this September. Without letting the cat out of the bag, the competition takes place near St David’s in Pembrokeshire which is among the smallest cities in Europe with a population of only 1,800 and is built around the ancient cathedral of St David’s. Wales is steeped in history and even has its own language, spoken by almost a quarter of the population. Pembrokeshire is a spectacular maritime county measuring only 20 miles from north to south yet has 186 miles of breathtaking coastline. It has a diverse landscape of unspoilt pocket beaches, lakes, woodland and quaint villages, which have been the backdrop to films including blockbuster Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The entire coastline around Pembrokeshire forms part of Britain’s only Coastal National Park, which is home to a population of Bottlenose Dolphins and porpoises, which swim with the local surfers in many of the hidden surf spots. In its fourth season, Britain’s reigning champion Gary Hunt will finally get the chance to dive in front of a home crowd at the sixth stop on the 2012 calendar of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

WHERE THE ‘DUKE’ MEETS THE EARL

UNITED KINGDOM, SOUTH WALESPembrokeshire | St. David’s

SEPTEMBER 7-8

WHERE THE ‘DUKE’ MEETS THE EARL

STOP

FOR ITS GRAND FINALE, THE 2012 WORLD SERIES TOUCHES DOWN ON ARABIAN SANDS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. The Sultanate of Oman hosts the season showdown in the gorgeous Wadi Shab. The canyon-like valley provides a most spectacular backdrop for the crowning of the 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Champion. Who, if anyone, will be able to topple two-time champion Gary Hunt?Palm and date trees line the narrow, winding and old rock paths, with a series of streams, aquamarine pools and waterfalls — the Wadi combines the attractions of coastal areas and inland wonders.Wadi Shab lies in Niyabat Tiwi, a village between the capital, Muscat, and the town of Sur. Easy to reach from the Qurayyat-Sur highway; it has at least seven pools of emerald green water and is studded with dramatic boulders. One of the pools is in a cave where light streams in dramatically from above and there are fantastic echoes heard when one swims in it. Kingfishers add glorious splashes of colour.Although parts were damaged in a cyclone, it is still one of the most scenic Wadis in all of Oman. Some of the natural pools are not for swimming in, however, as the spring water is an important part of the local villages’ resources.

MAJESTIC ARABIA

OMANWadi Shab | Tiwi

SEPTEMBER 27-28

STOP

evolution

“Some years ago not many people knew that cliff diving is actually a sport in which you can compete, that it’s more than jumping from the rocks into a lake or the sea for the fun of it. the World Series opened the sport to a more mainstream audience and now good new divers are coming in,” American Kent De Mond recalls the early days, “most of them come from traditional olympic diving but being exposed to cliff diving makes them think higher.” Cliff diving is not something that you can learn and perfect in a short time; it takes at least eight to 10 years to make your way up – literally. Besides a technically-perfect education in diving or a similar acrobatic sport, the basic prerequisites for all high divers are self-confidence, concentration, absolute physical control and experience.

three somersaults and four twists in a three-second flight could not be executed cleanly and safely without the above-mentioned basics. “For example Gary Hunt came over to cliff diving from olympic diving in 2009 and has brought the technical requirements over to do much harder dives,” explains sports director niki

Stajkovic. the 28-year-old was runner-up in the World Series’ first season and has won the title in each of the past two years. His famous triple-Quad was world-premiered in 2009 and is the first dive conceived exclusively for cliff diving. With a degree of difficulty of 6.3, it is the hardest dive in the sport to date. the first dive executed with a running take-off is also the Brit’s brainchild and gives an example of how far dedication and continuity can push the sport.

“the quality of diving has always been good, but the difficulty wasn’t there. in the last years, it’s gone up exponentially,” nine-time world champion orlando Duque (Col) recalls, “you can show good quality of dives, but the real challenge is to do it over and over again, competition after competition and maintain that consistency.” not before the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series did the athletes have as many as six competitions in a row from a consistent height of at least 26.5 metres. only a dozen athletes worldwide were selected to be part of the first year; and, after two seasons, only the top six and seven, respectively, advanced automatically to the next year, the rest had

InnovatIon & evolutIon

What was beyond belief a few years ago is

now being achieved — there might

be a time for rest and relaxation, b

ut that is definitely not the

case with cliff

diving. the Red Bull Cliff D

iving World Series has seen a burs

t of development

for this gravity-defying extr

eme sport since the first competition in May 2009.

ever since then this series o

f competitions has created a massive impact on the

audience as well as the world of diving

.

on tHe top oF tHe

to enter qualifying together with new talent. 2011 saw the first three rookies entering the World Series, offering divers like Steven loBue (uSA) the chance to aim higher: “For me as a rookie having the first real season as a cliff diver, it’s really good to be around these guys. When i came to the qualification i could only do one dive and i had to learn more to get the chance to compete. Seeing all the experienced divers really helped to push myself. the set of athletes we have in the Series is definitely the best in the world.”

improvement and evolution are crucial aspects of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Besides offering jaw-dropping diving action, the World Series also intends to push the limits of high diving. Bringing together the best of their kind and providing them with a platform to excel and express their passion over and over again. “Before the World Series appeared we usually only had four to five competitions a season; which in my opinion is not enough to really make a step forward. the more competitions we have, the more comfortable we get with the height and the more we can improve and invent,” states Gary Hunt.

the sport’s rapid development has not just increased the level of complex manoeuvres in the air but is also reflected in numerous cover pages on international magazines and the increasing numbers of tv cameras at diving venues worldwide. in turn, more sponsors have emerged, supporting the athletes and allowing them to fully concentrate on pushing their personal and competitive limits.

three seasons on, the World Series’ participants have pushed the sport to such a high level that American Greg louganis – four-time olympic gold medallist and the most successful diver of all time – predicts an even brighter future for cliff diving: “this Series standardized the sport a bit. the height is always between 26.5 and 28 metres, they have the fixed degree of difficulty and a good panel of judges. thus, the divers know better what to expect and can prepare better. i think it’s very possible that cliff diving becomes an olympic sport. there is so much more talent coming into the sport. it’s an exciting time for cliff diving.”

FREE

STRAIGHT

TUCK

POSITIONSPIKE

with no bend at the knees or hips.

body folded up into a tight ball, hands holding the shins and toes pointed.

a sequence of the above positions.

with knees straight but a tight bend at the hips.

DIVE

explanation

TAKE OFF POSITIONS & DIVE GROUPSThE DIVERS hAVE TO chOOSE FROm ThESE FIVE TAKE-OFF POSITIONS: front, back, inward, reverse, armstand, front twisting, back twisting, reverse twisting, inward twisting.

_ On the front group (group 1), the diver takes off facing forwards and rotates forwards.

_ In the back group (group 2), the diver takes off with his back to the water and rotates backwards.

_ in the reverse group (group 3), the diver takes off facing forwards and rotates backwards.

_ In the inward group (group 4), the diver takes off with his back to the water and rotates forwards.

_ Each one of the four groups above can also incorporate an axial twisting movement and will therefore be considered among groups 5, 6, 7 and 8.

_ Any dive commencing from a hand stand is in the armstand group (Group 9). the armstand can be executed from either the forward or backward direction and can include twists as well.

DEGREE OF DIFFIcULTYthe degree of difficulty is the rating for the dives performed in a competition and is multiplied by the sum of the judges‘ scores, with the highest and lowest scores discarded. the DD of a dive is evaluated on the basis of these figures:

_ Type of take off

_ Number of somersaults

_ Number of twists

_ Position during the somersaults

_ Type of entry

the DD in the World Series ranges from 3.6 for the required dives to up to 6.3 for the “triple Quad” – currently the sport’s hardest dive, introduced by Gary Hunt in turkey in 2009.

according to the official Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2012 rulebook, the jury has to judge what is seen and not what wants to be seen. Moreover, each dive has to be judged disregarding any bias toward the diver or dive to ensure an objective result.

WhAT ExAcTLY ARE ThE cRITERIA ThAT ThE jURY TAKES INTO cONSIDERATION? Head judge Claudio De Miro explains: „at the take-off we look at the elevation from the platform, the trajectory and the distance from the platform. the body position – pike, tuck or straight – is important during the execution; they have to be performed correctly. at the entrance, the most important things are the body alignment, the position of the arms and the splash.“

aCRoBatiC

DIVESacrobatic perfection

from three times the height of the olympic high dive

149 dives / 5 take-off positions / 9 dive groups / 4 dive positions

TWIST

BARANI

BLIND ENTRY

INTERRUPTEDPOSITION

POSITIONFLYING

DEFINITIONSDIVE

A twist is any movement during a dive that occurs when the diver rotates around an imaginary vertical axis that runs from the head to the toes. Up to four revolutions can be performed in competition and can be added to dives in the forward, back, reverse, inward and armstand categories.

“Fly” describes dives consisting of at least one complete somersault performed in the straight position for no less than 90°. The straight position must then be followed by either tuck or pike position.

One somersault forward rotation with a 1/2 twist. Used as an entry manoeuvre, it gives the diver the best view of the water.

The last time the diver sees the water is at least half a somersault before entry and so lines up “blind”.

Interrupted dives incorporate a straight position after no less than one complete somersault in either tuck or pike position and must be followed by at least one additional somersault in either tuck or pike position.

explanation

TWIST

BARANI

BLIND ENTRY

INTERRUPTEDPOSITION

POSITIONFLYING

DEFINITIONSDIVE






TWIST

BARANI

BLIND ENTRY

INTERRUPTEDPOSITION

POSITIONFLYING

DEFINITIONSDIVE






_ Powerless take-offs, incorrect distance to the platform.

_ Unaesthetic execution, open or crossed legs, unpointed toes, legs that are not straight in pike or layout position or entry phase.

_ Short and non-vertical entries, under- or over-twisted entries.

_ If the arms at the entry are clearly extended above the head.

_ If the arms at the entry are away from the body but below the head.

_ For incomplete arm stands, as the body should come to rest in a vertical and straight alignment for no less than two full seconds before initiating the action of the dive.

_ “Flying” dives should display a full 90 degrees of rotation upon take-off before executing the described position.

_ If an obvious break of straight position occurs after at least one complete somersault has been performed in either tuck or pike position.

_ A break in position at or just before entry, an intermediate break of position and if a dive is done in a completely different position than announced.

WhEN DO ThE jUDGES REDUcT POINTS FROm ThEIR ScORES?

DOS & DON’TS: WhAT DO ThE jUDGES

NOT WANT TO SEE AND WhAT DO ThEY

REGARD AS mISTAKES

MEDIA & A–Z

"The elite are competing in a unique championship all year round, performing the most dizzying dives seen anywhere in the world.”Direct Sport, France

CLIFF DIVING IS FASCINATING,

BREATHTAKING & UNIQUE.

International news distribution and media coverage from

onsite provide background and inside in

formation and open the sport to

a broad public. Millions of people around the globe read

about this sport in

their favourite daily paper, hear about

it in the radio station of their choice

and watch the competitions on TV or online.

* 2011 compared with 2010

NUMBER OF PUBLISHED ARTICLES

+52%*

+155%*

+25%* +21%*

+26%*

+52%*

CONTACTS6.6 Million

SPECTATORS ON SITE134.300

1145WEB ARTICLES

595DIFF. WEBSITES

ON

+39%*

NUMBER OF MEDIA THAT REPORTED ON THE EVENT

1196

MEDIA ON SITE549

NUMBER OF TV REPORTS2784

MEDIA VALUE IN EURO8.6 Million

1025

International news distribution and media coverage from

onsite provide background and inside in

formation and open the sport to

a broad public. Millions of people around the globe read

about this sport in

A – Z

Acapulco In Acapulco, Mexico, pearl divers began to dive from the cliffs of La Quebrada in the 1930s – some with greater skill than others – in order to find the biggest and most valuable pearls. Legends recall

the heights from which they jumped. The figure of 36 metres is inscribed into the top of the cliff; however many people talk about jumps

in excess of 40 metres. The highest level on site is actually 25.90 metres above the sea.

Blind Entry The last time the diver sees the water is at least half a somersault before entry as he or she lines up ‘blind’.

Braking distance The braking distance for a high dive from 26m is approximately 4m after entry into the water.

Chamois The chamois or ‘shammy’ is a small towel that serves a few purposes. It keeps the diver’s body dry before a dive. This is important because the hands and legs need to be dry so as not to slip out of position in the air. At the same time, the athletes try to keep their hands wet – in the same way that some people wet the tips of their fingers to turn the pages of a book. In case of low temperatures, the divers try to stay warm by drying their bodies with the chamois. It’s dry again as soon as you squeeze the water out of the towel.

Degree of difficulty The degree of difficulty of a dive is evaluated on the basis of the following: take-off, number of somersaults, number of twists, position during the somersaults and entry into the water.

Equipment There is no need for equipment. Cliff diving is the athlete versus gravity – which is one of the main reasons why so many people are intrigued by the sport.

_DID YOU

A–Z

Height High diving competitions are held at heights ranging from 18-23 metres for female and 20-28 metres for male divers. 26.5 metres – the minimum height in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – is equivalent to an eight-storey building.

Heroes Outstanding achievements, broken records and unforgettable moments – cliff diving has its heroes, like King Kahekili, Enrique Apac Rios, Lucy Wardle, Olivier Favre and Orlando Duque.

Impact The force of the impact is nine times harder than from the 10-metre platform and can also be compared with a hard landing from 13m on concrete.

Jury Each dive is judged by an international judging panel of five people. The judges consider take-off, position in the air and water entry and they award scores from 0 to 10.

Kahekili In the 1770s, a no less illustrious personage than Kahekili, the last independent king of Maui, indulged in cliff diving in the 18th century.

Evolution Improvement and evolution are crucial aspects of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Besides offering jaw-dropping diving action, the World Series also intends to push the limits of high diving. Bringing together the best of their kind and providing them with a stable platform height and a set number of competitions broke new boundaries in its very first year of existence. Gary Hunt’s triple somersault with four twists – the Triple Quad – is the first dive conceived exclusively for cliff diving and has a degree of difficulty of 6.3. The evolution of high diving, which began in 2009, continued in 2010 and 2011 following intense off-season preparation. More jaw-dropping action is guaranteed in 2012, with 27-metres dives into unforgiving, concrete-like water.

Free fall During a dive from 27m, the athletes have about three seconds of free fall in which to perform their spectacular movements before they plunge into the water.

G-force At the highest point, the G-force value increases to three, which means that the diver experiences a force equal to three times his own weight.

Guinness world record There are two Guinness world records in cliff diving. Orlando Duque’s perfect dive during the WHDF Cliff Diving World Championship in Kaunolu, Hawaii, in 2000, when he performed a double back somersault with four twists from 24.40m. He earned a perfect 10 from all seven judges and scored 159.00 points; a number which has been noted as the highest scored dive ever. The Colombian has also participated in more world championships than any other cliff diver.

Kamehameha In the 19th century, the Hawaiian King, Kamehameha, was the first to allow the organisation of cliff diving contests with defined rules to determine the best and bravest athlete.

Kaunolu Cliff diving is a very traditional discipline, which has its origin during the 1700s in Kaunolu, on the south western part of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.

Lele Kawa Lele Kawa is an Hawaiian expression, meaning ‘leaping feet-first from a high cliff into water without making a splash’ and was used by Kahekili, the last independent king of Maui, as an initiation rite for his warriors.

Locations Corsica (FRA), Grimstad (NOR), Azores (POR), Serpent’s Lair (IRL), Boston (USA), Pembrokeshire (GBR) and Wadi Shab (OMN) are the seven stunning locations for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2012.

Maximum height The maximum height for competitions in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is 28m. Due to the rapid acceleration, almost no time benefit occurs from higher dives and the risk of injury increases disproportionately.

Mind A lot of things go through a diver’s mind just before a dive: They rehearse the whole process mentally before stepping onto the platform. Some of them mimic the dive, recreate it in their heads and try to feel it. In the last seconds before the dive they are completely focused and the fear is gone.

Origin Cliff diving had its origin during the 1700s in Hawaii.

Pancake landing A pancake landing, or crash landing, from cliff diving heights can be compared with a hard landing from 13 metres on concrete.

Platform The platform must be a stable take-off board constructed with a minimum length of 1.5m, a minimum width of 0.75m and a water-sprayed rim at least 1.5m beyond the vertical line.

Pressure The fact that the mere thought of a high dive in a neutral and relaxed environment sees the heart rate and the body tension rise to the same high level experienced before the actual execution – as proved at the Red Bull Diagnostics and Training Centre in Austria – underlines the mental and physical pressure the athletes are exposed to.

Requirements The main requirements for high divers are an extensive technical education, many years of experience in diving or a similar acrobatic sport, as well as courage, self-confidence, extraordinary physical control and the ability to make decisions within fractions of a second based on the following impulses: sight, space, time and experience.

Risk The highest risk of injury occurs during the water entry, when parts of the body are already exposed to absolute deceleration and others, above the surface, are still at top speed. Crash landings can be ruled out, however, because of the divers’ technical training and experience.

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Safety Regulations for safety are a maximum height

(28 metres), a minimum water depth (5 metres), a stable and water-sprayed platform with a minimum length of 1.5m and width of

0.75m and with a rim at least 1.5m beyond the vertical fall line, rescue divers, paramedics and

also an ambulance.

Skill Most athletes reach their maximum technical skill and mental maturity at around 30 years of age. Besides a technical education, the main prerequisite for all high divers is at least 10 to 15 years of training in diving or a similar acrobatic sport. Another necessary requirement is the ability to make split-second decisions based on impulses such as sight, space, time and experience.

Somersault A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person rotates around the somersault axis, moving the feet over the head. It can be performed forwards, backwards or sideways and is an important part of each high dive.

Speed From 27m, the speed at which you enter the water is 85-90kph; an acceleration that compares to a Lamborghini Murciélago.

Take-off At the take-off, the diver leaves the platform. After the take-off, the diver has about 10-12 metres in which to do his tricks. A good take-off almost guarantees a good entry.

Training A balanced training program includes springboard diving, flexibility and power training, as well as mental conditioning.

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Triple Quad Gary Hunt’s (GBR) triple somersault with four twists – the Triple Quad – is the first dive conceived exclusively for cliff diving and has a degree of difficulty of 6.3.

Twist A twist is one of the nine main groups in which dives are classified. Any dive incorporating an axial twisting movement comes under this group. Twists of up to four revolutions are performed in competitions and can be added to dives in the forward, back, reverse, inward and armstand categories.

Vertical Position To minimise the risk of injuries and the water splash, the water entry should be in a perfectly vertical position.

Water Water is the central element in high diving. Characteristics like temperature, density and colour play important roles when the diver approaches the entry point.

Water entry The most dangerous part in cliff diving is the water entry. Even if the divers have a good line and break the water’s surface perfectly vertical, it still hurts. With their bodies under tremendous pressure, the water is like a wall; with forces nine times harder than those faced by Olympic athletes from a 10-metre tower.

Web www.redbullcliffdiving.com is the official website of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. It contains up-to-date news, divers’ profiles, picture galleries, videos and the latest information about the stops and results.

Zero protection Cliff divers do not have any protection except their own experience. Their diving ability is their only protection against injuries.

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Red Bull Cliff Diving Magazine 2012

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