Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2021

O F F I C I A L P E R FO R M A N C E PA RT N E R

CLIFF DIVING – THE SPELLBINDING COMBINATION OF BODY & MIND – ENTERS NEW ERA

ENTERING ITS 13TH YEAR, THE RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES IS BACK WITH SIX EXCITING LOCATIONS FOR AN ATHLETES’ ROSTER OF 18 NATIONALITIES. WITH FOUR BRAND NEW LOCATIONS, THE YOUNGEST EVER PERMANENT DIVER AND THE SAME STANDARDS FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN, THE WORLD SERIES PROGRESSES INTO A NEW DECADE. FEATURING REIGNING CHAMPIONS RHIANNAN IFFLAND (AUS) AND GARY HUNT (FRA), THE SPORT THAT COMBINES ACROBATIC FREE FALLS FROM UP TO 27M AND SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 85KM/H, RETURNS REFORMED FOLLOWING A RECORD-BREAKING SEASON.

WO R L D

THE RED BULL CLIFF DIVING

SE R I E S

WELCOME BACK TO THE WORLD OF CLIFF DIVING AND A NEW ERA FOR THE RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES, A NEW DECADE OF BEAUTY, CHALLENGES, AND PROGRESS AFTER THE LONGEST BREAK IN HISTORY.

I am proud to be a part of an organization who is at the forefront of pushing for gender equality, with equal number athletes. The equal format as well showing the progress of talent on the tour as the women will be adding difficulty with an intermediate dive. Also, the women will be awarded equal prize money.

A very exciting prospect for the sport and the tour!

Even though the sport’s iconic figure Orlando Duque retired in 2019, his presence will continue by mentoring and inspiring young divers. He passes the torch to our youngest-ever athlete on the permanent line up, Maria Paula Quintero. At 21, Maria Paula shows promise and professionalism I am sure Orlando can be proud of for Colombia.

It is great to see many new high diving training facilities popping up all over the world, giving tremendous opportunity to the progress of the exposure and nurturing of talent for the evolution of this exciting and highly technical sport.

Location, location, location! Four new locations with new beauty, grace and challenges. The French Côte d’Azur as well as Downpatrick Head

NAMASTE, GREG LOUGANIS

in Ireland both add a lot of natural flavour to the calendar. Oslo, an urban back drop, and then the finals in Baku, Azerbaijan with its all new indoor experience. New locations always mean new challenges. This should be a very energy charged year for our athletes, especially after such a long pause from competition.

2021 will be a tremendous kickoff to a new decade, with reigning champions Gary Hunt and Rhiannan Iffland returning ready to prove themselves another year. But the competition is getting closer with Constantin Popovici following Gary on his path of perfect dives, and the other divers training to improve their degree of difficulty and accuracy of execution. Also, the talent pool from the wildcards vying for positions on the permanent tour roster - get ready for an exciting 2021!

Good luck divers! Have a blast! We hope you, our fans, join us and we will see you on the tour!

If that’s not possible, make sure you watch the action live on Red Bull TV, our Facebook page and YouTube channel.

It’s the fourth season 4-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis serves as the World Series’ sports director.

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REVIEW 2009 The inaugural Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series kicks-off in La Rochelle, France.

Orlando Duque (COL) is crowned the 1st World Series champion after winning 3 out of 8 events and finishing on the podium 3 more times.

2010 Gary Hunt (GBR) becomes the ‘brilliant Brit’ with 4 wins and 2 podiums in 6 competitions. He is the youngest champion ever at 26 years old.

The final is held in Hawaii, the sport’s birthplace.

2011 The World Series travels to one of its remotest venues in Rapa Nui, Chile, 3,700km flight distance from the mainland.

2012 The World Series is decided during the hottest finale in Oman’s Wadi Shab at temperatures over 40°C. In the last dive Gary Hunt wins the title by only 1.85 points ahead of Orlando Duque.

The Fédération Internationale de Natation, FINA, recognises high diving as a professional sport and includes it in their calendar for the aquatic sports.

France’s Cyril Oumedjkane, now a World Series judge, dives during the 2013 season show down in Thailand.

2013 Four different locations in Thailand’s Krabi Province make for a pure cliff diving adventure.

After 8 competition dives Artem Silchenko (RUS) wins the stop and the overall title.

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2014 A new era starts when the Women’s World Series is introduced.

Rachelle Simpson (USA) has the perfect year and wins all 3 competitions to become the 1st female World Series champion.

2015 The homecoming of a legend: Orlando Duque competes in Colombia for the first time in front of his family. He finishes 3rd.

Steven LoBue (USA) hits the platform with his head, finishes his dive and comes out with only a small scratch on his forehead. Since then, he’s called the ‘miracle man’.

The original divers’ line-up for the first-ever World Series competition in La Rochelle, France, on May 8, 2009.

2016 The biggest ever World Series with nine stops around the globe culminates with the first-ever night event in Dubai.

An intermediate dive in the men’s is introduced and results in a bigger diversity of dives.

Gary Hunt performs the hardest dive to date; a front 3 somersaults with 4½ twists free, DD 5.6.

A wildcard, Australian cliff diving sensation Rhiannan Iffland, is crowned Women’s World Series champion.

2017 The Degree of Difficulty table is adjusted according to the sport’s recent evolution and includes new dives. The new table is also adopted

by FINA. Greg Louganis follows Niki Stajkovic as sports director.

With a failed dive in the season finale in Chile, Gary Hunt opens a door for Jonathan Paredes (MEX) to win his first overall title. The ‘style master’ delivers and wins the King Kahekili Trophy.

2018 The World Series celebrates its 10th anniversary with seven competitions in classic venues.

The format changes to no cut after the 3rd round. All 14 male and 10 female divers do 4 competition dives.

Rhiannan Iffland becomes the sport’s most decorated athlete with a hat-trick of World Series championship wins.

Jonathan Paredes celebrates after his last dive in Chile in 2017. He’s the new champion.

NEW IN 2021 Same number of athletes, same number of dives and same format for women and men.

Born in 2020, Maria Paula Quintero (COL) is the youngest-ever athlete in the permanent divers’ line-up 4 brand new locations: Saint-Raphaël (FRA), Oslo (NOR), Downpatrick Head (IRL), Baku (AZE).

Points scratch system: Each diver will strike one individual competition result.

2019 For the first time an athlete wins every stop - Rhiannan Iffland makes it a perfect season.

Gary Hunt scores the perfect dive in his 77th appearance to become the first man ever to be awarded all 10s from the judges in the history of the World Series.

The most tens in a single competition are awarded in Mostar: 13.

Colombia’s Orlando Duque bows out from an illustrious career during the final in Bilbao.

2020 The World Series is cancelled due to the worldwide health situation.

All 10s from the five judges for the brilliant Brit Gary Hunt in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2019.

OVERALL RANKINGS 2019 WOMEN 1- Rhiannan Iffland AUS – 1200pts.

2- Jessica Macaulay GBR – 670 3- Lysanne Richard CAN – 660 4- Yana Nestsiarava BLR – 580 5- Eleanor Smart USA – 500 6- Maria Paula Quintero (W) COL – 450 7- Adriana Jimenez MEX – 340 8- Iris Schmidbauer (W) GER – 280 9- Xantheia Pennisi (W) AUS – 240 10- Antonina Vyshyvanova (W) RUS – 210

MEN 1- Gary Hunt GBR – 1160pts.

2- Jonathan Paredes MEX – 750 3- Andy Jones USA – 540 4- Constantin Popovici ROU – 470 5- Michal Navratil CZE – 460 6- David Colturi USA – 339 7- Oleksiy Prygorov UKR – 320 8- Catalin Preda (W) ROU – 300 9- Alessandro De Rose (W) ITA – 298 10- Blake Aldridge GBR – 260

8 A platform for exhilarating free-falls from up to 27m and dives of ever-growing complexity – since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has featured elite divers while also spotlighting young up-and-coming talent; a women’s competition was introduced in 2014.

As the most recognised series of cliff diving

competitions, the 2021 World Series once again stars the sport’s top athletes. Through the world ranking, which considers the FINA World Cup and World Championships besides the World Series competitions, the top eight performers secured a permanent ticket from 21m and 27m.

THE PLANET’S FINEST DIVERS

Equalised athletes’ roster of 18 nationalities Eight men and women plus four wildcards per stop will once again leap, twist and somersault from breath-taking heights with no protection, except their concentration, skill and physical control during six demanding competitions around the globe.

SCAN ME TO FIND OUT MORE!

CLIFF DIVING SCIENCE A DIVE IN NUMBERS 27 M | 90 FT FOR MEN 21 M | 70 FT FOR WOMEN 3 SECONDS LONG 85 KM/H | 53 MPH FAST UP TO 10G PHYSICAL FORCE

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Risks – The highest risk of injury occurs during the landing phase, 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 crucial. 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.

Roughly five dozen athletes worldwide engage in this elite extreme sport. Generally speaking, high diving over 28 metres does not bring a lot of time benefit due to the rapid acceleration; yet, the risk of injuries increases disproportionately.

Platform ˇ Stable take-off board construction ˇ Minimum length: 1.5 m | 4 ft ˇ Minimum width: 0.75 m | 2 ft ˇ Platform rim at least 2 m | 6 ft beyond the vertical fall line

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series heights 28 m | 92 ft max. height 26.5 m | 87 ft min. height

22 m | 72 ft max. height 20 m | 65 ft min. height

Olympic Diving

10 m | 33 ft

IMPACT UP TO 9 TIMES HARDER THAN FROM 10M PLATFORM Heights can vary due to tides and waves

Saftey divers/paramedics On standby next to the diving point, three saftey divers at landing point.

Ambulance on standby.

Water spray The water spray breaks the surface and provides an important reference point for the divers.

-5 m Minimum water depth

SCAN ME TO FIND OUT MORE!

A N D

RULES

R E G UL AT I O N S Five international judges award points between 0 and 10 in half point increments based on take-off, execution in the air and water entry.

COMPETITION FORMAT Ahead of each competition a draw determines the diving order for the 1st round.

Competition format can change due to local dive condition difficulties.

12 DIVERS 8 permanent + 4 wildcards

ROUND 1

DAY 1

maximum DD MEN 2.8 WOMEN 2.6

ROUND 2 maximum DD MEN 3.6 WOMEN 3.4

ROUND 3

DAY 2

Reverse starting order based on the previous round’s cumulative score.

FINAL ROUND Reverse starting order based on the previous round’s cumulative score.

OPTIONAL DIVE ROUNDS No capped Degree of Difficulty (DD). Every element of the dive counts as per DD table in the rule book.

The winner of any individual stop is the diver with the highest point total from this competition after 4 dives.

#SUPERPRECISE

O F F I C I A L P E R FO R M A N C E PA RT N E R

PRECISE AND ATHLETIC, MIDO’S OCEAN STAR 600 CHRONOMETER WITH ITS OUTSTANDING WATCHMAKING PERFORMANCES PERFECTLY REFLECTS THE QUALITIES REQUIRED IN CLIFF DIVING.

JUDGING &

FIVE INTERNATIONAL JURORS WILL JUDGE EACH DIVE ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: ˇ TAKE OFF ˇ POSITION IN THE AIR ˇ ENTRY IN THE WATER

SCRATCH RESULTS In 2021, a scratch result will be implemented for all participants of the World Series in anticipation of the current health and travel situation.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY The degree of difficulty of each dive – also known as DD – is calculated based on the difficulty of the execution of each manoeuvre and the junction of each dive component. ˇ Type of take off ˇ Number of somersaults ˇ Number of twists ˇ Position during the somersaults ˇ Type of entry

The DD table was adjusted for the 2017 World Series in alignment with FINA and since then ranges from 2.6 (women) and 2.8 (men) for the Required Dives to up to 5.6 for the sport’s currently hardest dives.

200 160 130 110 92 76 62 50 39 29 20 12

According to the official Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 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.

POINTS Points are awarded from 1st to last place, including wildcards.

SCORING SCORES from 0 to 10 in half point increments.

5 scores by 5 judges.

HIGHEST & LOWEST score are discarded.

The remaining three scores are added together.

2.8 3.6 4.1 4.6 4.8 5.3

25.0

THE SUM is multiplied by the degree of difficulty for each dive.

70.0

88.2

110.7

SCORES from all 4 rounds are cumulated to produce the final competition result.

POINTS PER COMPETITION The points from each competition are tallied towards the total score and standings of the World Series.

All individual competition results count for the World Series overall ranking.

383.90 398.25 393.70 380.95 378.00

115.0

115 .0

JUDGES

FIVE JUDGES 1 head judge & 4 judges will be selected for each competition from a pool of 12 members.

Judges for each stop will be chosen based on geographical location of the event and availability.

Claudio de Miro (ITA) Head judge, former Italian diving team member

Anke Piper (GER) Three-time European champion 10m, head judge

Antonio Martinez (MEX) FINA judge, former diver and high diver, head judge

Olivier Morneau-Ricard (CAN) FINA high diving judge, former Canadian diving team member, head judge

Cyrille Oumedjkane (FRA) FINA judge, World Series diver between 2009 and 2016

Dmitry Sautin (RUS) Two-time Olympic Gold medallist, five-time World Champion, 12-time European Champion

Ildiko Kelemen (HUN) Participant Olympic Games Moscow 1980 and Seoul 1988

Jeff Arbon (AUS) Participant Olympic Games Seoul 1988

Julian Llinas (ESP) FINA judge, judge at three Olympic Games

Marion Reiff (AUT) Participant Olympic Games Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004

Simon Latimer (NZL) Former New Zealand Diving Team Member, three-time Olympic judge

Steve Foley (AUS) Triple Olympian (1976, 1980, 1984)

DOS & DON’TS Take Off ˇ The diver does not show a steady balance and control in an armstand dive.

The body should come to rest in a vertical and straight alignment for no less than two full seconds before initiating the dive action.

THE JUDGES DEDUCT POINTS FROM THEIR SCORES WHEN…

Execution ˇ An intermediate break of position, a break in position at or just before the entry occurs and if a dive is done in a completely different position than announced. ˇ The straight position upon take-off is not shown for at least one quarter of a somersault in all flying dives. ˇ An obvious break of straight position occurs after at least one complete somersault has been performed in either tuck or pike position.

Entry ˇ The arms at the entry are away from the body and either below or above the shoulders. ˇ A dive is over- or under-twisted by more than 90° the Head Judge declares a failed dive.

Powerless take-offs, incorrect distance to the platform.

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

Short and non-vertical entries, under- or over-rotated entries.

WHAT THE JUDGES REGARD AS MISTAKES:

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Olympic bronze medallist Oleksiy Prygorov from the Ukraine dives into the pristine waters of the Small Lagoon on Miniloc Island in the Philippines’ Palawan region during 2019’s season opener.

KING KAHEKILI TROPHY THE RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS’ AWARD OF VIRTUE & EXCELLENCE

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It’s the silk ribbon of cliff diving and reserved for the best of the best - the King Kahekili Trophy for the overall title is awarded in honour of the great Hawaiian chief. As the last independent ruler of Maui, Kahekili first leaped from the holy lava cliffs of Kaunolu, the birthplace of this majestic sport in the late 1700s.

The old Hawaiian principles of ‘mana’ and ‘pono’, power and balance, were crucial when lele kawa, which loosely translates as ‘leaping feet-first from a high cliff into the water without making a splash’, was born on the islands in the midst of the Pacific. They are principles that have been upheld since the 18th century and are today prerequisites for the sport of cliff diving.

The King Kahekili Trophy was created by the Hawaiian artist Kuaho Zane. The overall form references the shape and stance of ki’i or wooden images, traditionally carved as three-dimensional representations of gods and protective ancestors called aumakua. The trophy with its asymmetric, cliff like top is completely printed on the right side – similar to the tattoo completely covering the right side of Kahekili’s body. The base is made of Koa wood and symbolizes the feet of both the ki’i and the diver who must hit the water feet first.

The World Series takes up the challenge to establish which athlete has enough ‘mana’ and ‘pono’ to perform the best ‘lele kawa’ and take the overall victory in 2021.

NAMES ON THE KING KAHEKILI TROPHY TO DATE

Who will have a shot at the highly attractive trophy in 2021?

MEN Orlando Duque, COL 2009 Gary Hunt, GBR 2010 Gary Hunt, GBR 2011 Gary Hunt, GBR 2012 Artem Silchenko, RUS 2013 Gary Hunt, GBR 2014 Gary Hunt, GBR 2015 Gary Hunt, GBR 2016 Jonathan Paredes, MEX 2017 Gary Hunt, GBR 2018 Gary Hunt, GBR 2019

WOMEN Rachelle Simpson, USA 2014 Rachelle Simpson, USA 2015 Rhiannan Iffland, AUS 2016 Rhiannan Iffland, AUS 2017 Rhiannan Iffland, AUS 2018 Rhiannan Iffland, AUS 2019

8x Gary Hunt

4x Rhiannan Iffland

2x Rachelle Simpson

1x Jonathan Paredes

1x Orlando Duque

1x Artem Silchenko

DIVE POSITIONS 3 POSITONS ALL THREE POSITIONS (STRAIGHT, PIKE, TUCK) MUST BE SHOWN.

PIKE With knees straight but a tight bend at the hips.

STRAIGHT With no bend at the knees or hips.

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

SCAN ME TO FIND OUT MORE!

FREE Body position is optional but the legs shall be together and the toes pointed.

DIVE COMPONENTS

BARANI One somersault forward rotation with a ½ twist. The entry manoeuvre allows the athlete to see the water for as long as possible.

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

Sommersault The diver rotates head over end, forwards or backwards. The record number of somersaults is currently 5.

TWIST The body twists on axis whilst rotating. The record number of twists is currently 5.

25 FLYING Dives consisting of at least one complete somersault performed in the straight position, maintained for not less than 90° of movement. The straight position must then be followed by either tuck or pike position.

DIVE GROUPS Each one of the five groups can also incorporate an axial twisting movement and will be considered group 6 to 11.

FRONT, Group 1 The diver takes off facing forwards and rotates forwards.

BACK, Group 2 The diver takes off with his back to the water and rotates backwards.

ARMSTAND, Group 5 The armstand can be executed forward, back or reverse with no twists.

REVERSE, Group 3 The diver takes off facing forwards and rotates backwards.

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SCAN ME TO FIND OUT MORE!

INWARD, Group 4 The diver takes off with his back to the water and rotates forwards.

HOW TO WATCH

WATCH ALL STOPS OF THE 2021 RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES LIVE ON REDBULLCLIFFDIVING.COM , RED BULL TV , YOUTUBE , AND FACEBOOK.

Immediately after the event, the complete broadcast will be available as a Video On Demand on all our channels.

Red Bull TV is available on the web, connected TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices, and more. For a full list of devices that support Red Bull TV visit about.redbull.tv.

PLEASE, CHECK REDBULLCLIFFDIVING.COM FOR YOUR LOCAL TIMES.

USA GER BRA CAN COL CAN AUS BLR

ELEANOR SMART IRIS SCHMIDBAUER JACQUELINE VALENTE JESSICA MACAULAY MARIA PAULA QUINTERO LYSANNE RICHARD RHIANNAN IFFLAND YANA NESTSIARAVA

202 1

PERMANENT DIVERS

WOM E N Top marks for style and poise combined with growing acrobatic complexity from 21m are up for grabs for the eight permanent athletes of seven nationalities and up to four female wildcard divers.

ELEANOR SMART

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS: PASSIONATE, ADVENTUROUS, AND CARING.

Representing United States Date of birth October 21, 1995 Height/Weight 1.65m/57kg City of residence Minneapolis, MN Profession Professional High Diver, Founder of “The Clean Cliffs Project,” Sport Psychology MA Student Secret passion I don’t think it’s much of a secret anymore, but I’m extremely passionate about plastic pollution.

Started cliff diving in 2016 Favourite cliff diving spot Agios Nikolas, Greece

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Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Smart earned the golden ticket to join the permanent list in the 2019 season with a third place at the FINA World Cup. After a bumpy start into her debut year as a permanent diver, the Missouri-born athlete jumped on the podium in Mostar for the very first time. “Two days earlier I was in the hospital with a really bad migraine and did not even think that I’d be able to get up and compete.

It’s one of my proudest moments ever.”

An ambitious personality with high goals, Smart would want to be Oprah Winfrey for a day: “She’s such an amazing woman and philanthropist.

With the ‘Clean Cliffs Project’ and its mission to prevent plastic pollution and inspire others to take action, she’s set a first step towards making a point as well as a difference. “Wherever we go we see humankind’s footprint. I hope that by cleaning and creating an awareness I’ve been helping that my kids will get to experience these beautiful places that I have.”

Achievements

2018 3rd FINA High Diving World Cup

Rankings Year

9* 2017

13* 2018

Favourite dive Back double, triple 1st World Series appearance 2017 Best result in a World Series competition 2nd place

2019 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 2019

* Wildcard

Date of birth April 11, 1995 Height/Weight 1.67m/63kg City of residence Auckland, New Zealand Profession Student Secret passion Painting and drawing

YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS: NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE UP.

IRIS SCHMIDBAUER

Representing Germany

Started cliff diving in 2014 Favourite cliff diving spot Sisikon, Switzerland Favourite dive Flying somersaults 1st World Series appearance 2016 Best result in a World Series competition 4th place

For Iris Schmidbauer, a well-earned post-competition holiday in New Zealand at the end of 2019’s season turned into a long-term stay. Training in the local diving club, exploring what nature has to offer, learning to surf and adopting a Kiwi-accent is what the 26-year-old has mainly filled her time with.

A sports enthusiast but without any background of professional training, Schmidbauer was fascinated by cliff diving ever since she made first contact with the sport. “When I saw the girls competing in Barcelona in 2013 during the first ever FINA High Diving World Championships, I was amazed. I knew if they could do it, I must be able to do it too.”

It wasn’t a lot later that Schmidbauer converted to the surprise wildcard from Lebanon, to become one of just three women who can do a back triple somersault with a double twist from twice the Olympic platform height. It was the tiny margin of 0.10 points that decided against her first ever podium but helped make her the 2nd permanent German athlete since the introduction of the World Series in 2014.

Achievements

2019 5th FINA High Diving World Cup

2019 4th Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Beirut

Rankings Year

11* 2016

11* 2018

12* 2017

8* 2019

2021 Permanent diver of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

* Wildcard

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JACQUELINE VALENTE

Date of birth September 18, 1985 Height/Weight 1.60m/58kg City of residence Florianopolis SC Profession High diver/ Performer Secret passion Hanging out with family/friends and make the most of it

PRO

GR

ES

SO

ORDEM E

HAVE YOU LOST THE ABILITY TO JUMP IN THE WATER LIKE A ‘NORMAL’ PERSON? I DON’T KNOW IF I EVER WAS A NORMAL PERSON.

Representing Brazil

Started cliff diving in 2014 Favourite cliff diving spot Every place has something different and special that makes it unique; I can’t pick just one.

Favourite dive Armstand forward half somersault

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Jaki Valente achieved the impossible when she became the first ever woman to re-qualify as a permanent diver during the 2019 season; despite missing one wildcard invitation, the Brazilian will return to full-time duties from the 21m platform for the first time since 2014.

The silver medal at the 2019 FINA High Diving World Cup behind serial winner Rhiannan Iffland really opened the door for the 35-year-old to get this permanent ticket despite a roller-coaster season on the World Series.

A trained gymnast since the age of seven, she was recruited by a talent scout into a professional club and started to represent Brazil on an international level before getting selected for the Olympic Games in 2000. However, a serious elbow injury in 1998 buried the dream of becoming an Olympic athlete.

It was in 2017 when everything fell into place and the acrobat finally turned into a high diver: second place in Polignano a Mare sealed her successful transformation. “Red Bull Cliff Diving is my family, and I can’t wait to return!”

Achievements

2014 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Italy

Rankings Year

7 2014

9* 2015

2019 Reclaims World Series permanent status

9* 2018

11* 2019

1st World Series appearance 2014 Best result in a World Series competition 2nd place

2019 2nd FINA High Diving World Cup

* Wildcard

Date of birth November 10, 1992 Height/Weight 1.78m/63kg City of residence Montreal Profession High Diver / Performer Secret passion Cooking Started cliff diving in 2015 Favourite cliff diving spot Azores, Portugal

YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS? PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON MYSELF AND SETTING HIGH STANDARDS

JESSICA MACAULAY

Representing Canada

Favourite dive Back triple 1st World Series appearance 2017 Best result in a World Series competition 2nd place

The runner up of the 2019 World Series in her first season as a full-time participant launched into the year with a big move, literally. After competing for Great Britain during the last three years, the 28-year-old moved to Montreal early in 2021, where she started training for a successful first season under the Canadian flag.

“The reason why I made the decision is because of what the Canadian federation could offer for my diving career. I’ve never had a facility with a 20m platform, with a coach that created a programme for my specific needs for me to peak at the perfect time for each competition. So, it was basically the energy they’re putting into my career that made me want to switch.”

Away from sports, Macaulay lists ‘exploring Machu Picchu’ and ‘swimming with whales’ as two of her top bucket list items. She already ticked one box and created ‘Empowered Coaching with Jess’ - a tailored health and fitness online coaching business.

Achievements

2018 Three podiums as a wildcard to qualify for a permanent ticket

Rankings Year

11* 2017

4* 2018

2019 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Portugal

2 2019

2019 3rd FINA High Diving World Championships

2020 2nd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

* Wildcard

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LYSANNE RICHARD

SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO BUT NEVER DARED TO SO FAR? TAKE REAL VACATION, WITHOUT ANY WORK, COMPUTER, ETC. 34

Representing Canada Date of birth August 30, 1981 Height/Weight 1.59m/53kg City of residence Chambly Profession Speaker, stunt woman, TV expert for cliff diving Secret passion Pyjamas Started cliff diving in 2010 Favourite cliff diving spot Azores, POR, Sisikon, SUI Favourite dive Front 3 somersaults with 1 1/2 twists 1st World Series appearance 2014

Since her first appearance on the competitive 21m platform in 2014 – while still breastfeeding her youngest daughter – the former character at Cirque du Soleil has collected the second most podiums in the World Series in the women’s division: 14, including three wins in just 22 starts.

An ambassador for the sport of cliff diving in her home country, 39-year-old Lysanne Richard is the mastermind behind the high diving platforms in Montreal’s Olympic diving facilities, a high diving tower in the outdoor swimming pool at Parc Jean Drapeau as well as a training center in the countryside with a 22m tower. Together with the first ever high dive in her native region in the Saguenay Fjord, all these efforts share the same goal: make cliff diving more accessible and better known while creating a safer training environment for future generations.

A creative mind by nature, the oldest female diver to win at the age of 36, defines herself as a creator of wind: “We create a wind given the speed that we reach in the air; I am always conquering this wind.”

Achievements

2004 Graduate from National Circus School of Montreal

Rankings Year

9* 2014

5* 2015

2016 Winner FINA High Diving World Cup

2016 2nd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

2 2016

3 2019

3 2018

Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

2018 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Sisikon (SUI)

* Wildcard

Date of birth June 23, 2000 Height/Weight 1.65m/57kg City of residence Cali Profession Student Secret passion I’m a big soccer fan Started cliff diving in 2016 Favourite cliff diving spot Cali Favourite dive 5242 D 1st World Series appearance 2017 Best result in a World Series competition 2nd place

WHAT HEADLINE WOULD YOU WANT TO READ ABOUT YOURSELF? THE YOUNGEST WORLD CHAMPION OF CLIFF DIVING IN THE HISTORY.

MARIA PAULA QUINTERO

Representing Colombia

“My earliest childhood memory of diving was when I dove from 5m for the first time. It was my first training session ever. I wanted to go higher and higher, but my coach didn’t let me. That feeling of height is simply the best!” This is Maria Paula Quintero as she lives and breathes. A high diver by by nature.

She was 16 when she first attempted the 20m platform and hardly 17 during her first showing in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, 18 when she claimed her first podium. “I saw Miguel and Orlando diving from the scaffolding they had built in the pool in Cali. That day it clicked, and I decided to go for it,” the youngest woman to ever finish on the podium remembers. “Miguel started coaching me and Orlando shared all his knowledge.”

The newcomer of the 2019 season, the 2000-born athlete became the youngest diver ever to secure a spot in the permanent divers’ line-up and steps in to represent Colombia in this evolving sport even after the sport’s ponytailed legend retired from competitive cliff diving.

Achievements

Youngest female diver to finish on the World Series podium at 18

Rankings Year

13* 2017

12* 2018

Youngest diver to secure a permanent ticket for the World Series

7* 2019

2019 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Italy

* Wildcard

35

RHIANNAN IFFLAND

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET IN CLIFF DIVING? TO BE COURAGEOUS, PERSISTENT AND RESPECT THE HEIGHT.

Representing Australia Date of birth September 9, 1991 Height/Weight 1.67m/60kg City of residence Newcastle Profession Show diver Secret passion Scuba diving and traveling Started cliff diving in 2015 Favourite cliff diving spot Italy; Ik kil cenote, Mexico

Favourite dive Back triple one twist 1st World Series appearance 2016

36

In 2019, Rhiannan Iffland enjoyed the type of year most athletes can only dream of, winning all seven Red Bull Cliff Diving stops to complete an historic perfect season.

“I’m still pinching myself really,” Iffland said following her history-making win in the season finale. “This year was amazing for me and I just want to keep this confidence going. I want to continue enjoying the sport as much as I have this season.”

After that stunning debut in Possum Kingdom Lake in 2016, Iffland won four of the next six events, wrapping up her first title under the lights in Dubai. Three more successive King Kahekili trophies have followed for the 29-year-old, who names fellow Aussie athletes Loudy Tourky and Layne Beachley as her inspirations growing up.

The seemingly unstoppable diver from Newcastle, whose other passions include skiing, rock climbing, bouldering and surfing, is clearly aiming to ride this wave of success for many more years to come.

Achievements

Most successful female cliff diver

2016 – 2019 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving Women’s World Series

Rankings Year

1* 2016

1 2018

1 2017

1 2019

2017 & 2019 Winner FINA High Diving World Championships

Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

2018 & 2019 Winner FINA High Diving World Cup

* Wildcard

Date of birth June 14, 1992 Height/Weight 1.68m/60kg City of residence Minsk Profession Diving and swimming coach Secret passion Playing drums Started cliff diving in 2012 Favourite cliff diving spot Mexico

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS TRUE LUXURY? HONESTLY, I GOOGLED THIS WORD. I’M FROM BELARUS, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT LUXURY IT. A LOT OF POTATOES?

YANA NESTSIARAVA

Representing Belarus

Favourite dive 5244 B 1st World Series appearance 2014 Best result in a World Series competition 2nd place

“I was seven years old when in I did my first straight dive from 10 meters. I hit my hands because they were spread apart and my face because I landed over.” Since this first welcome to diving, the 28-year-old Belarusian has progressed into a multiple FINA High Diving World Championships medalist and podium finisher in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

Nestsiarava credits all these successes to her parents, who decided to channel their daughter’s energy into sports after objects in the household suffered from the excess. Long days at school and regular trainings calmed down family life again. “My friends at the pool became my second family and although there was no plan to make a brilliant career, diving became my life.”

While on contract for a stunt show in China, Nestsiarava got noticed by her team captain, World Series diver at that time, Steve Black. A video application later she received an invitation for first ever competition for women in the World Series. “I am forever grateful that everything turned out the way it did.”

Achievements

2015 3rd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Polignano a Mare (ITA, wildcard)

Rankings Year

8* 2016

7* 2017

2015 3rd FINA High Diving World Championships & FINA High Diving World Cup 5 2018

4 2019

2017 3rd FINA High Diving World Championships

2019 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in the Philippines

* Wildcard

37

38 Germany December 12, 1983

Ukraine March 27, 1998

CELIA FERNANDEZ

ANTONINA VYSHYVANOVA

ANNA BAKUNOVYTSKA

ANNA BADER

AT EACH STOP FOUR OF THESE WOMEN WILL ADD EXTRA ZEST TO THE WOMEN’S DIVISION IN ITS 7TH SEASON.

Mexico January 20, 1985 Canada August 24, 1994

Ukraine May 14, 1995

Spain November 25, 1988

AIMEE HARRISON

ADRIANA JIMENEZ

WILDCARDS

GINNI VAN KATWIJK

GENEVIEVE BRADLEY

Netherlands March 5, 1985

XANTHEIA PENNISI

USA December 08, 1987

MOLLY CARLSON

USA April 19, 1993

MEILI CARPENTER

KAYLEA ARNETT

USA June 12, 1992

39 Canada September 23, 1998

Australia November 26, 1998

Beirut’s primary landmark, the Raouché, also known as ‘Pigeon Rocks’, served as take-off spot for the men

and women of the World Series in 2019. The limestone outcrops grow up to 40m above sea and are just off-

shore with one of the rock formations having an archway eroded through it. Here Catalin Preda (ROU) dives from one of the gigantic sentinels.

ITA USA ROU USA FRA MEX CZE USA

ALESSANDRO DE ROSE ANDY JONES CONSTANTIN POPOVICI DAVID COLTURI GARY HUNT JONATHAN PAREDES MICHAL NAVRATIL STEVEN LOBUE

202 1

PERMANENT DIVERS

ME N In 2021, the World Series features six male athletes of six nationalities during six competitions, and up to four wildcard divers per stop.

ALESSANDRO DE ROSE

IF YOU WEREN’T A CLIFF DIVER, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BECOME INSTEAD? I THINK I’LL BE A CHEF; I LOVE COOKING. 44

Representing Italy Date of birth July 2, 1992 Height/Weight 1.73m/75kg City of residence Trieste Profession Coach Secret passion Playing guitar Started cliff diving in 2013 Favourite cliff diving spot Indonesia Favourite dive Forward 3 somersaults 2 ½ twists 1st World Series appearance 2013

In 2016, Alessandro De Rose broke into the top 10 at a competition for the first time, and just 12 months later he provided perhaps the most heart-warming and uplifting moment in World Series history. Having never even made it onto the podium before, he defied the odds to become the first-ever wildcard to win a competition.

A feat that would have been stunning in any setting was made more historic and emotional due to the fact it was played out in front of a raucous and passionate Italian crowd at the home of European cliff diving in Polignano a Mare.

Just a week later, he was back on the podium again, this time celebrating a bronze medal at the FINA World Championships in Budapest.

De Rose hasn’t been back on the World Series podium since 2017, and it’s something he’s looking to put right in style in 2021: “My goal is to score a 10 and get back on the podium again this season.”

Achievements

Multi medallist in national competitions

Rankings Year

16* 2013

26* 2014

Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

2017 3rd FINA High Diving World Championships

2017 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Italy (wildcard)

2019 Reclaims permanent World Series athlete status

20* 2015

4* 2017

9* 2019

11* 2016

8 2018

* Wildcard

Date of birth April 21, 1985 Height/Weight 1.82m/81kg City of residence Santa Monica, California Profession Stunt and Cirque du Soleil Performer Secret passion Film production Started cliff diving in 2008 Favourite cliff diving spot Lake Powell, Southern Utah Favourite dive Flying back somersault 1st World Series appearance 2011 Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

WHAT ARE THE 3 MAIN THINGS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST FOR 2021?

LEARN TO BRAID HAIR. CATCH A WAVE IN BALI. BECOME A PROFESSIONAL FORMULA 1 DRIVER. I PROBABLY WON’T ACCOMPLISH ONE OF THESE.

ANDY JONES

Representing United States

One of the most consistent performers on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series over the last decade, Andy Jones has 10 podium finishes to his name, including one victory and two overall third-place rankings.

The tall, multi-talented athlete describes himself as sarcastic, clever and genuine, and lists baseball, acrobatics and freestyle skiing as his major passions. That’s not to mention his time at Cirque du Soleil and his impressive catalogue of stunt work, which includes credits on major Hollywood films such as Logan, Captain Marvel and the upcoming Avatar sequels.

As for cliff diving, it all goes back to his childhood days in the local pool in Sandy, Utah: “If you passed a swim test, they gave you a credential that allowed you to jump from the diving boards. Once I got my credential my brothers and I were playing on the boards every summer,” Jones recalls.

At the 2016 season final in Dubai, the 36-year-old scored his one and only victory at the first-ever night-time event, earning himself the nickname ‘the master of aerial awareness’.

Achievements

2016 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Dubai (UAE)

Rankings Year

9 2014

6 2015

2016 3rd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

2018 3rd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Sisikon (SUI)

3 2016

5 2018

5 2017

3 2019

2019 3rd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

45

CONSTANTIN POPOVICI

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS OPTIMIST, BELIEVER, DOER.

Representing Romania Date of birth October 2, 1988 Height/Weight 1.72m/69kg City of residence Bucharest Profession Artist/athlete Secret passion Cooking Started cliff diving in 2018 Favourite cliff diving spot Sisikon, Switzerland Favourite dive Reverse double with double twist 1st World Series appearance 2018

46

A relative latecomer to the world of cliff diving, Constantin Popovici didn’t make his debut in the sport until the age of 29. Just three years on, this talented diver has firmly positioned himself as one of the biggest threats to champion Gary Hunt’s long reign at the top.

Less than three months after he broke a bone in his foot during 2019’s Italy-leg, a fairy tale return to action in Mostar added the next chapter to a short but stunning career: a perfect dive, becoming only the second athlete in the World Series to receive all 10s from the judges, and victory number two in three attempts.

Amazingly, the Bucharest-based diver is also still a 10m professional and missed out on a ticket for Tokyo by a mere 10 points during the FINA World Cup in the beginning of May. No doubt the 32-year-old’s incredible drive and dedication will be on show once in again in 2021, when this versatile diver targets success from almost three times the Olympic diving platform height.

Achievements

5 times 10, the highest note from the judges, in Mostar (BIH) as the 2nd diver only

Rankings Year

11* 2018

4 2019

2018 2nd FINA High Diving World Cup

2019 3rd FINA High Diving World Cup

Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

2019 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina * Wildcard

Date of birth April 30, 1989 Height/Weight 1.73m/70kg City of residence Los Angeles, California Profession Cliff diver Secret passion Learning new languages and instruments Started cliff diving in 2011 Favourite cliff diving spot Krabi, Thailand Favourite dive Reverse double with four twists

IF YOU WEREN’T A CLIFF DIVER, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BECOME INSTEAD? I STUDIED MEDICINE AND BECOMING A DOCTOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PASSION THAT STILL SITS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

DAVID COLTURI

Representing United States

1st World Series appearance 2011 Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

David Colturi is forever thankful that he took a summer job in an amusement park after graduating from college. It was there, while working in a water stunt show, that he took his first dives from a 20-metre perch, and his passion for the sport he loved was reignited.

Looking back, I can’t believe that trip to the qualifier in Australia in 2012 would permanently change my life,” says the 32-year-old. “For the past 9 years I’ve been fortunate enough to live my dream, competing in the sport I love, traveling the world with my best friends, who have become family. It really is incredible.”

Despite having endured more than his fair share of injuries over the years, including a ruptured spleen in the lead up to the Sisikon competition in 2018, Colturi has been one of the standout cliff divers over the last decade. The California-resident, who names Greg Louganis as his inspiration growing up, has 14 podiums in 52 starts, including becoming the youngest ever winner of a World Series event at the age of 24.

Achievements

Youngest diver to win a World Series competition

Rankings Year

5 2012

6 2013

2009 US National Champion 10m individual and synchronized

2013 1st victory Red Bull Cliff Diving in Malcesine (ITA)

2019 2nd Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Lebanon

5 2014

9 2016

9 2018

5 2015

6 2017

6 2019

47

GARY HUNT

WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO BE FOR A DAY? WHY? I WOULD LIKE TO BE A BALLET DANCER. I’D LOVE TO FEEL THAT FLUIDITY OF MOVEMENT, I’D BE JUMPING AROUND AND DANCING ALL DAY. 48

Representing France Date of birth June 11, 1984 Height/Weight 1.75m/68kg City of residence Paris Profession Cliff diver Secret passion I secretly dream of becoming a clown Started cliff diving in 2006 Favourite cliff diving spot Yucatan, Mexico Favourite dive Back 1 ½ somersault piked from 10m 1st World Series appearance 2009

“I want to break barriers and do things that no one has ever done before.”

Gary Hunt is certainly a man of his word, having spent over a decade now pushing the sport of cliff diving to new limits in his pursuit of success and excellence.

The London-born athlete, who now represents France in competition, has amassed astonishing numbers in his unrivalled career in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series: 8 overall titles, 39 victories, and 66 podiums in 79 competitions.

“My first memory of high diving was seeing a video of a long-haired diver scoring 10s on a back double with 4 twists, I think we all know who that was,” reveals Hunt. “At that point I started imagining what dives I would be able to do from those heights and the seed was planted. The rest is history.”

The multi-talented Frenchman is also a keen juggler, a skilled piano and guitar player, and loves learning new languages. But his biggest hobby is still collecting medals and world titles, and at the age of 37 there are no signs of him giving that up just yet.

Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

Achievements

8-time Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

Winner of 39 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competitions to date

First athlete to receive all 10s from the judges in the World Series

2019 & 2015 FINA High Diving World Champion

Rankings 2 Year 2009

1 2010

2 2013

1 2016

1 2018

1 2012

1 2014

2 2017

1 2019

Date of birth August 14, 1989 Height/Weight 1.65m/62kg City of residence Mexico City Profession Cliff diver Secret passion American football Started cliff diving in 2011 Favourite cliff diving spot Azores, Portugal, and Chichen Itza, Mexico

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 10-YEAROLD SELF? PUSH YOUR LIMITS TILL THE END.

JONATHAN PAREDES

Representing Mexico

Favourite dive Double front and 1 ½ twist 1st World Series appearance 2011 Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

When it comes to style, precision and rip entries, look no further than Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes. The 31-year-old, a former champion and perennial title contender, has been effortlessly and immaculately displacing water in the World Series for the last decade.

One title, three wins, 21 podiums and five overall top three finishes are the bare statistics from his World Series career; a career which Paredes says he owes to his mentor, cliff diving legend Orlando Duque: “Orlando inspired me in the sport in so many ways. It became an obsession to me to become the best and he helped me a lot, especially to make me believe in myself.”

It’s no surprise then that the Mexican has been spending the pre-season with his hero and close friend, training at Duque’s place in Colombia. The two even had time to enjoy a cliff diving adventure in Mexico, where no doubt Paredes was honing his new weapon - a front quad with 4 ½ twists - as he attempts another title tilt in 2021.

Achievements

2015 2nd FINA High Diving World Championship

Rankings Year

4 2013

6 2014

2017 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Champion

2019 3rd FINA High Diving World Championship

2019 2nd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

3 2015

1 2017

2 2019

2 2016

3 2018

49

MICHAL NAVRATIL

WHAT PROFESSION WOULD YOU WANT TO TRY OUT? A SECRET AGENT. TO BE MULTI SKILLED, SMART AND HAVE AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE.

Representing Czech Republic Date of birth June 5, 1985 Height/Weight 1.84m/83kg City of residence Prague Profession High diver, Stuntman Secret passion Doing handstands everywhere I can.

I love adrenaline sports.

Started cliff diving in 2004 Favourite cliff diving spot All kinds of natural cliffs around the world.

Favourite dive ‘Superman’, running take-off dives

50

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series athletes don’t come much more experienced than Czech Republic’s Michal Navratil. Not only is he one of just two divers who remain from the sport’s inaugural competition back in 2009, he has also competed in 75 out of a possible 79 events over the last 12 years.

While his name may now be synonymous with energy and passion, for years he was also forced to display a great deal of patience. After seven years and 53 attempts, Navratil finally landed his first win in Wales’ Blue Lagoon in 2016. Incredibly, he followed that up with another victory at the very next stop in Mostar.

Away from the platform, the married father-of-one is also a working stuntman, with credits in TV and major movies including Babylon A.D. and Wanted.

With no sign of competition-fatigue, the 36-year-old, who does handstands and push-ups wherever and whenever he can, will continue working on his preferred news headline: ‘Michal Navratil won the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series!’

Achievements

7-time Czech high diving champion

Rankings Year

9 2010

7 2009

3 2011

2011 & 2012 Winner High Diving World Cup

6 2012

6 2013

7 2014

2016 Winner Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Pembrokeshire (GBR) & Mostar (BIH) 7 2015

4 2016

1st World Series appearance 2009 Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

2017 2nd FINA High Diving World Championships

8 2017

4 2018

5 2019

Date of birth June 17, 1985 Height/Weight 1.61m/62kg City of residence Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Profession Full-time husband & father Secret passion Anime Started cliff diving in 2011 Favourite cliff diving spot Thailand

WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO MEET ONCE IN YOUR LIFE? WHY? ALAN WATTS. HIS WRITINGS AND LECTURES ON PHILOSOPHY HAVE REALLY TICKLED MY BRAIN JUICES.

STEVEN LOBUE

Representing United States

Favourite dive Quint half 1st World Series appearance 2011 Best result in a World Series competition 1st place

The first cliff diver ever to pack five somersaults into a three-second freefall, ‘turbo spinner’ Steven LoBue has been dizzying and dazzling World Series crowds with his aerial acrobatics for the past 10 years now.

Standing 5’3”, the Florida-based athlete is perfectly proportioned for the gravity-defying ‘quint’ dive, a weapon that has helped to land him five World Series wins as well as a gold medal at the 2017 FINA High Diving World Championships.

In 2011, he travelled to Australia for the qualifying competition, and despite having very little experience diving from 27m, he managed to nab the last spot by just 0.01 points. Since then, 18 event podiums and three overall season podiums have followed.

A family man, the husband and father-of-one is soon to welcome a baby boy, and has recently announced that 2021 will be his final full-time competitive season: “The goal for this year is to leave every ounce of effort at each location, while also enjoying each moment and appreciating every last beautiful detail.”

Achievements

2004 Olympic Trials finalist

Rankings Year

10 2011

3 2012

2017 FINA High Diving World Champion

7 2013

3 2014

8 2015

2018 2nd overall Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

5 2016

7 2017

2019 2nd FINA High Diving World Championship

2 2018

12 2019

51

52 Great Britain August 4, 1982

Romania June 29, 1991

MATTHIAS APPENZELLER

CATALIN PREDA

CARLOS GIMENO

BLAKE ALDRIDGE

THESE ATHLETES WILL GET A CHANCE TO PROVE THEIR TALENT, IMPROVE THEIR DIVING AND CERTAINLY SPICE UP THIS YEAR’S COMPETITIONS IN THE MEN’S CATEGORY.

Great Britain April 18, 2002 Russia February 3, 1984

Spain October 24, 1989

Switzerland June 21, 1994

ARTEM SILCHENKO

AIDAN HESLOP

WILDCARDS

NIKITA FEDOTOV

MIGUEL GARCIA

OWEN WEYMOUTH

Russia May 27, 1995

OLEKSIY PRYOGOROV

Colombia March 20, 1991

SERGIO GUZMAN

SLAVIK KOLESNIKOV

Great Britain December 24, 1998

Ukraine June 25, 1987

Mexico February 26, 1991

Ukraine March 25, 1982

53

The athletes are exposed to the pure elements when they dive from the volcanic rocks in the Azores archipelago.

The podcast that takes you beyond diving into the adventurous world of body and mind, the challenges of consistently performing on top of your game and the joy of transformation and progress.

Following his 20 year career as a professional cliff diver, Colombia’s Orlando Duque shares the skills and life lessons he’s taken from an extreme sports career into his day-to-day life. Each episode sees him joined by influential people in his career in and outside the sport. From the divers he began his journey with, to the judges, coaches and physios on the team of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, as well as other extreme sports athletes and high performers in various fields at the very top of their game.

Get inspired by new stories and make sure you follow wherever you get your podcasts!

Stay tuned via @orlandoduque and our website redbullcliffdiving.com

55

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MUST HAVES

1 Goggles secure an undisturbed view of the water below the landing spot during a check out dive or during the daily swimming routine.

2 + 2 Shammy or ‘chamois’ is a multipurpose towel that keeps the divers’ bodies dry before a dive. Not too dry though, the shammy takes away just the right amount of water to leave the skin slightly moist and sticky. This is important as the hands and legs need to be dry so as not to slip out of position in the air. In case of low temperatures, the divers also use the shammy to dry their bodies and stay warm. It dries as soon as you wring it out!

1 2

3 Clean Cliffs trash bag to collect own trash and that left on the beaches and dive areas.

3 4 Drinking bottle to stay hydrated on hot summer days, reuse and refill.

4

5

5 Power band for warm up and keeping the muscles in the right tone for dives from up to 27m.

56 A cliff diver doesn’t need much more than the obvious: a skilled body, lots of guts and of course a cliff with a stretch of water below to break it down to the real ‘essentials’.

Getting into the mood, finding the right state of mind, and fine-tuning the body for the

imminent task, however, is mostly what distinguishes a good from a bad dive. Anything that helps to focus or provides ease and comfort is what a diver really needs. Well, and maybe a swimsuit or a pair of swimming trunks are worth mentioning…

1 Sunglasses are a typical gadget for people living the desirable life of a ‘sunny boy or girl’. However, high quality sunglasses are a necessity to give their eyes a welcoming break from the bright sunshine, allowing them to see the actual dive of their competitor in the sunlight, hide emotions or simply make them look even cooler!

1

2

3 Smartphone to always stay connected, up to date and ready to share the latest high diving achievements and gossip.

3

4

5

4 Watch for precise timing – one of the most vital factors in cliff diving.

5 Swimming trunks in their female and male versions are the only real essential on a cliff diver’s body.

6 Beach slippers to save the soles of the feet from spiky stones on the way to the platform.

6

57

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. GARY HUNT

FRA NOR BIH IRL ITA ITA

SAINT-RAPHAËL OSLO MOSTAR DOWNPATRICK HEAD PUGLIA POLIGNANO A MARE

ENTERING ITS 12TH SEASON, THE WORLD SERIES IS BACK WITH SIX EXCITING EVENTS, INCLUDING FOUR BRAND NEW LOCATIONS.

ARO U N D

ICONIC PLACES

TH E WO R L D At venues ranging from natural wonders and visual feasts to historic sites and untouched waters, this rapidly progressing sport will push the boundaries again in 2021 and produce two new champions during six tough and testing competitions between June and October.

SAINT-RAPHAËL 60

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE MEDIEVAL SQUARE TOWER ON THE ILE D’OR, 200 METRES ACROSS FROM THE CAP DRAMONT WAS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR HERGÉ – THE CREATOR OF TINTIN - FOR HIS COMIC BOOK “L’ILE D’OR”.

CAP DRAMONT FRANCE | Saint-Raphaël For the restart after its longest break in history, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will return to the country where it all began in 2009 – France.

12 years ago, 13 brave cliff divers took the leap of faith from La Rochelle’s daunting Tower of Saint Nicolas, and it will be no less petrifying for the 12 women and 12 men when they launch themselves from up to 27m for the first time in almost two years since the last competition.

The 12th season will kick off in Cap Dramont, a brandnew location on the famous Côte d’Azur, just outside of the village of Saint-Raphaël.

In a celebration of the world’s purest extreme sport, the 80th World Series stop since its introduction will allow the athletes to take-off from the plain rocks during their Required Dive round before they return to the platforms for the remaining three dives.

It’s the first time that the women will compete on French soil, after the men visited La Rochelle six times and Bonifacio in Corsica once. In another debut, Gary Hunt, the World Series’ record 8-time champion, will compete under the French flag for the first time and there’s a chance that at the end of the competition ‘La Marseillaise’ will sound through the Estérel Mountains in honour of the World Series’ first French victor.

STOP 1 JUNE 12

Location Nature preserve offshore from Cap Dramont Coordinates 43.413058, 6.856933 Platform height 27m | 21m Water depth 5 to 6m Water temperature in June 21°C Air temperature in June 24°C Water Mediterranean Sea, seawater

OSLO Location The Oslo Opera House Coordinates 59.907618, 10.753106 Platform heights 27m | 21m Water depth 5m Water temperature in August 17°C Air temperature in August 20°C Water Oslofjord, seawater

OPERA HOUSE NORWAY | Oslo It’s been six years since the World Series last landed in Norway, and this highly anticipated return marks a premiere. The Oslo Opera House, home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and the national opera theatre, provides the platform for the athletes as the battle for the King Kahekili Trophy heats up. It is the first time the building has been used for a sporting event.

One of the most wonderful things about Norwegian nature is that it is free and accessible to everyone. The new Opera House, which was inaugurated in 2008, is an extension of that idea, and the roof rises like an iceberg at the head of the Oslo fjord.

The angled exterior surfaces of the building are covered with marble from Italy and make it appear to rise from the water, and the sight of cliff divers descending majestically into the fjord will only serve to enhance an already picturesque scene.

The roof of the building angles to ground level, creating a large plaza that invites pedestrians to walk up and enjoy the panoramic views of Oslo. The roof is also an amphitheater and provides a perfect view of the outdoor scene.

Here, there are many events such as concerts and outdoor performances during the summer season.

WALKING ON THE OPERA ROOF HAS BECOME AN ATTRACTION IN ITSELF.

STOP 2 AUGUST 14

61

MOSTAR 62

DESTROYED DURING THE WAR IN BOSNIA, THE BRIDGE WAS REBUILT USING THE ORIGINAL STONE BLOCKS AND REOPENED IN 2004.

STARI MOST BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA | Mostar

STOP 3 AUGUST 28

It’s no wonder that Mostar’s famous old bridge has served up so much recent drama. For the past three years in a row, Stari Most has played host to the penultimate stop of the season, a crucial point at which pressure can make or break an athlete’s season.

In 2019, Gary Hunt and Rhiannan Iffland secured their titles here, while Constantin Popovici scored five 10s for a perfect dive. In 2018, Steven LoBue allowed the British record winner Hunt back into a thrilling title fight after missing the podium. And in 2017, Iffland almost lost her crown after a poor warm up entry left her injured and out of the competition.

Diving off Stari Most dates back to the 17th century, when young men started to dive from the bridge in a sort of maturity test in a very traditional technique. Today, the fine art of cliff diving is equally respected.

Built in the 16th century, the iconic bridge gracefully arches over the emerald freshwater, connecting two parts of the old town in Mostar. On both sides surrounded by fortified towers, it fits seamlessly into the landscape, creating an impressive sight. Together with the surrounding part of the Old City, the bridge is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

Previous Winners 2019 – Constantin Popovici & Rhiannan Iffland 2018 – Gary Hunt & Adriana Jimenez 2017 – Gary Hunt & Cesilie Carlton

Location Old bridge in Mostar Coordinates 43.33730, 17.81496 Platform heights 27m | 21m Water depth 5m to 5.5m Water temperature in August 15°C Air temperature in August 31°C Water Neretva river, freshwater

2016 – Michal Navratil & Lysanne Richard 2015 – Jonathan Paredes

DOWNPATRICK HEAD Location Headland between Ballycastle village and the archaeological site of Ceide Fields Coordinates 54.32784, -9.34809 Platform heights 27m | 21m Water depth 8m Water temperature in September 14°C Air temperature in September 15°C Water North Atlantic Ocean, seawater

BALLYCASTLE IRELAND | Downpatrick Head For their fifth visit to Ireland since 2012, the world’s best cliff divers will find themselves competing from a brand new launchpad on the sheer cliffs of Downpatrick Head. After three stops in the rough waters of Inis Mór, and more recently a showing in Dublin Bay, the World Series heads to the north coast of County Mayo where the Atlantic waters will once again test these talented athletes to their limits.

With two dives directly off the cliff, the 24 athletes will get a chance to really connect to the purity of the place and display their sport in its most natural form, before returning to the platforms.

As they prepare to leap from the vertiginous cliffs, the divers will be treated to the most fantastic view of the nearby Dun Briste (Broken Fort) sea stack, a landmark which may well provide them with a valuable reference point as they spin and twist their way aesthetically towards the water.

Downpatrick Head is one of two discovery points on the Wild Atlantic Way in Mayo and hosts the 2014 Spirit of Place, a new installation to commemorate the natural power and richly-layered historical tales of the site. Other notable nearby landmarks include a statue of Saint Patrick erected in the early 1980’s, which replaced a previous one erected in 1912, and the ruins of a church he founded.

THE WORLD’S OLDEST KNOWN FARMING SETTLEMENT, ‘CEIDE FIELDS’, FROM NEOLITHIC TIMES, IS LOCATED 3KM AWAY FROM THE SITE.

STOP 4 SEPTEMBER 12

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POLIGNANO A MARE THE PLATFORM IS MOUNTED ON A PRIVATE ROOFTOP TERRACE.

BASTIONE DI SANTO STEFANO ITALY | Polignano a Mare

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A summer in beautiful Polignano a Mare, where houses rise from the rocks, isn’t complete without a visit from the World Series; 7 previous stops here in 11 years have helped rubber stamp its reputation as the sport’s European home.

The spectacle never fails to bring out the locals and tourists in huge numbers, with thousands of spectators surrounding the take-off spot on land and water every year.

Despite the familiarity, the unique route to the platforms never loses its charm, with divers having to emerge from the water, negotiate a crowded beach, walk barefoot through a bustling old town before finally, via a private living room, arriving at the platforms mounted on a rooftop terrace.

Part of the province of Bari, Puglia, the town is easily connected thanks to modern facilities such as the nearby international airport, the tourist and industrial port, and fast railway connections. Stretched over 750 kilometers of scenic coastline, the extremely pleasant climate makes this region the ideal setting for sports and nature activities all year round.

Discover how to easily reach Puglia at www.weareinpuglia.it

Previous Winners 2019 – Gary Hunt & Rhiannan Iffland 2018 – Gary Hunt & Rhiannan Iffland 2017 – Alessandro De Rose & Rhiannan Iffland 2016 – Artem Silchenko & Lysanne Richard

STOP 5 SEPTEMBER 22 STOP 6 SEPTEMBER 26 Location Bastione di Santo Stefano Coordinates 40.99720, 17.21860 Platform heights 27m | 21m Water depth + 5m Water temperature in September 22°C Air temperature in September 26°C Water Adriatic Sea, seawater

2015 – Gary Hunt & Rachelle Simpson 2010 – Artem Silchenko 2009 – Orlando Duque

BAKU Location Azerbaijan’s premier entertainment venue Coordinates 40.35824, 49.83659 Platform heights 27.5m | 21m Water depth 6m Water temperature in October 18°C Air temperature in October 25°C Water Fresh water

DENIZ MALL AZERBAIJAN | Baku A special season will reach its climax in a one-of-itskind season finale as the international cliff diving elite will travel to where Western Asia meets Eastern Europe in Azerbaijan. The unique setting in the capital city Baku’s latest architectural highlight, the Deniz Mall, will set aside everything the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has ever seen in regard to showing off this performance-based sport.

The 2021 champions will be crowned during a competition in the mall’s central atrium, which features a 12m diameter acrylic pool. Well visible from all levels, this extravagant show stage will put all 24 divers to the ultimate test as they dive towards the mosaic tiled bottom of the pool at speeds in excess of 85km/h surrounded by the visually challenging environment of a bordered area. Aerial awareness will be key and claustrophobia the angst to avoid.

Located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, Azerbaijan is an ancient country with first inhabitants settling there 1.8 million years ago. The cradle of ancient civilization located at the crossroads of geopolitical, economic and cultural interests of many tribes and nations, Azerbaijan has a rich cultural heritage.

30 years after it completed its independence from the Soviet Union, the country has implemented large-scale sports projects of international significance such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix and one of the original hosts of the UEFA Euro 2020. Hosting the final of the 2021 World Series will add to Baku’s reputation of skilfully interweaving tradition with state of the art.

THE MALL WAS OPENED IN MARCH 2020 AND WILL HOST THE WORLD’S FIRST INDOOR RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES COMPETITION.

STOP 6 OCTOBER 16

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CLIFF DIVING AROUND THE WORLD

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS AND DIVE DEEP INTO THE ATHLETES’ ADVENTURES Cliff diving goes beyond competition – it’s adventure, exploring and traveling while doing what you love. Cliff diving sparks the wanderlust in all of us!

Cliff diving has literally travelled the world and the divers have launched from icebergs in Antarctica, Indian step wells, sacred cenotes in Mexico and from the world’s largest waterfall in Zambia. They embarked on cliff searches from Puerto Rico to Bulgaria to Arizona, found shipwrecks in the Atlantic and dove into Croatia’s blue cave while digging deep into the indigenous culture of the Australian Aborigines…

The athletes of the World Series are not dry competitors but have an adventurous soul, a curious character and are constantly embarking on exotic trips and travels to some of the world’s remotest and most ravishing locations. They carry us away to unique places around the world but also explore local culture, traditions, and history, while always offering cliff diving wisdom.

The protagonists of these journeys come in all shapes and forms – multiple champions and young talents, male and female, debut diver and experienced explorer – united by their love for falling free from great heights in some of the most unexpected environments.

Follow the divers on their energizing endeavours as they scout spectacular settings in lush and wild territories on our YouTube channel.

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STATISTICS

FACTS,

& M E D IA Cliff diving is a mesmerising sport and provides extraordinary performances, images and stories. The series is poised once again to hit oceans, rivers, and lakes while amazing thousands of fans from all around the globe who flock to see these incredible athletes put on a display of athleticism and grace unrivalled in the world of diving.

MEDIA INFO

It’s not just all about dry interviews - media can get wet during their trip to a World Series stop, as most locations offer a dive workshop.

Falling free from the equivalent of eight stories combined with the most appealing acrobatics with no protection at all, except concentration, skill and physical control – that’s the essence of cliff diving, pure and fascinating.

The world’s oldest extreme sport continues to spread its unique spirit around the globe also in 2021.

70 286,300 OUTCOME NUMBERS 2019

spectators on-site

114 hours of TV news across international networks

453 international media on-site

1,135 print articles in 573 outlets

1.7 billion contacts across print, TV and online channels

3,356 online features on 1,283 platforms

Discover the editorial world of cliff diving!

The Red Bull Cliff Diving Newsroom is your central hub to stay up to date with the latest editorial products.

HD video and high quality images are captured and immediately made available for all media channels including television, film, print, mobile, social and digital. The content is available free of charge for editorial purposes after successfully registering.

NEWSROOM

RED BULL CLIFF DIVING NEWSROOM REDBULLCLIFFDIVINGNEWSROOM.COM

GET WHAT YOU WANT. IT’S QUICK AND EASY!

1. SIGN UP! You can now search for content. redbullcliffdivingnewsroom.com 2. FIND. Several options lead you to your desired content. Search specifically in drop-down menus and editorial sections or simply search full text.

3. USE. Download your favourite content in the format you need. All products are available in HD.

Get in touch mediaservice@redbullcliffdiving.com

71 thursday 27 june 2019

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CLIFF DIVER RHIANNON IFFLAND MAKES A SPLASH

25-Jun-19 2:48:52 PM

EDITORIAL ASSETS -14

-10

-3

-2

-1

Event +1

Pre Event Release

Feature Story

Day 1 Results

News Release

Commentators Handbook

Quotes of the Day

Quotes of the Day

Quotes of the Day

Location Day 1 Results Pictures Pictures Lifestyle Pictures Anouncement Clip

Products per stop

+2

+3

+4

+6

Additional Pictures

+10

Story Pictures

Best Pictures Tune-In Trailer

LIVE Broadcast

Pre News Cut

News Cut

Best Raw moments Clip Clips

Best dives Clips

Editorial 52min Clip Highlight

Winning Dives Clip

MOVING

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ˇ Clips Announcement, winning dives (men & women), best moments, best dives (men & women), raw clip, editorial ˇ Live (HD) on redbullcliffdiving.com, Red Bull TV, Facebook and YouTube ˇ News cuts (‘ready to air’ news, national & international news, regional selects & top 3 podium dives) ˇ Athletes’ profiles ˇ Highlight programme (52min, HD)

Extras throughout the year ˇ Generic sports clips ˇ Social media clips ˇ Pre- and off-season content ˇ Special activations and athletes’ projects

STILL ˇ Location | Lifestyle ˇ Action | Sequences ˇ Preparation | Portraits

EDITORIAL ˇ Pre-event release ˇ News release ˇ Quotes ˇ Feature stories All-purpose editorial content ˇ Athletes’ profiles ˇ Judges’ profiles ˇ Info graphics

Media Service – Moving and still images, editorial texts and special requests – during the entire season the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series’ editorial service provides the media with a variety of rich and distinct contents and formats.

A skilled team of photographers, TV crews and news, digital and social editors produces editorial content and distributes news, pictures, stories and TV-footage to the international media, providing background and inside information and bringing the sport closer to a wider audience.

When the diver breaks the water it’s his moment of truth: are all muscles tight and tense to absorb the impact?

THE CLEAN CLIFFS PROJECT

WORLD SERIES ATHLETE ELEANOR SMART IS ON A MISSION – THE FOUNDER OF THE CLEAN CLIFFS PROJECT WANTS TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

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Kansas-born and bred Eleanor Smart has been diving since the age of five and trained her whole life with the hope of making the Olympics. She ultimately fell short of that goal and when she got back involved with the sport of diving, she wanted to add a bigger meaning, a bigger purpose; it had to help people and impact the world in some positive way, not just herself. That’s when she founded The Clean Cliffs Project, whose mission is to prevent plastic pollution in our world’s bodies of water and inspire others to take action through the art of cliff diving.

A SIMPLE IDEA While professional cliff divers, Smart and Owen Weymouth from Great Britain, were traveling around the world cliff diving they kept noticing the same problem at every location: plastic pollution. The pair put their heads together and came up with The Clean Cliffs Project. It started with a simple idea: let’s keep doing what we love while leaving a positive impact on the environment.

MISSION The Clean Cliffs Project’s mission is to prevent plastic pollution in our worlds bodies of water and inspire others to take action through cliff diving and other outdoor activities.

Red Bull Cliff Diving supports the ambitious project, and in 2019 big beach clean ups were realized in the Philippines and Lebanon together with local communities during the preparation for the World Series competition.

Follow the Clean Cliffs’ adventures on Instagram @cleancliffs Watch the Clean Cliffs Project’s mission on Red Bull TV.

MEET THE FOUNDERS Eleanor Smart, 25, says: “I feel so blessed to have found cliff diving and I want to share that with others while also giving back. From the very first time I went cliff jumping I noticed how polluted these absolutely stunning places were and it broke my heart, which led me to the idea of the ‘The Clean Cliff Projects’. At the end of the day, being able to cliff dive professionally is a dream come true, but being able to give back and have a positive impact on something bigger than myself is the most important thing to me.”

Owen Weymouth, 22, is from Plymouth, England. He started diving at the age of 6 and has since achieved 4 national junior titles. At the age of 13, Weymouth decided to turn his attention to professional cliff diving. He balanced a 6-day training week with full time education and studied with the ambition of going to medical school. His breakthrough came in 2016 after a very successful amateur season, which led to invitations to his first professional events in Red Bull and FINA. He has put University studies on hold to focus on a professional diving career and making ‘The Clean Cliffs Project’ a reality.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA A

Acapulco In Acapulco, Mexico, pearl divers began to dive from the cliffs of La Quebrada in the 1930s 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.

B

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

Braking distance The braking distance for a high dive from 27m is approximately 4m after entry into the water.

C

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Chamois The chamois or ‘shammy’ is a small towel that serves a few purposes.

It keeps the divers’ body dry before a dive. This is important because the hands and legs need to be dry to not 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.

Champions Between 2009 and 2019 the World Series has crowned six different champions: Orlando Duque (1), Gary Hunt (8), Artem Silchenko (1) and Jonathan Paredes (1) in the men’s, Rachelle Simpson (2) and Rhiannan Iffland (4) in the women’s.

Chilly windy A weather condition often experienced at World Series events: chilly temperatures and windy weather. The term was coined by Michal Navratil and has turned into regular World Series lingo.

Clean Cliffs Project Founded by cliff divers Eleanor Smart and Owen Weymouth, the project’s mission is to prevent plastic pollution in our world’s bodies of water and inspire others to take action through cliff diving and other outdoor activities!

Find out more: www.cleancliffsproject.org

D

Degree of Difficulty The Degree of Difficulty of a dive is evaluated based on the following: take-off, number of somersaults and twists, position during the somersaults and entry into the

water. As of 2017 the World Series follows a new Degree of Difficulty table as an adjustment to the sport’s recent evolutions and includes - amongst other changes implemented by the sports committee and aligned with FINA - new dives.

E

Equipment There is no need for equipment. Falling free from great heights combined with the most appealing acrobatics – that’s the simple essence of cliff diving. It’s pure. It’s fast and it takes your breath away - the main reasons why so many people are intrigued by the sport.

Evolution Improvement and evolution are crucial aspects of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

Besides offering mesmerising diving action, the World Series also intends to push the limits of the sport. 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 – was the first dive conceived exclusively for cliff diving. The evolution of the sport, which began in 2009, continued in the past years following intense off-season preparation and with the introduction of a Women’s World Series in 2014.

More spellbinding action from up to 27m is guaranteed for 2021.

F

Female competition The first female competition in the history of Red Bull Cliff Diving was held in Malcesine, Italy, in July 2013 and won

by Germany’s Anna Bader. The Women’s World Series was introduced in 2014.

FINA In April 2012 the Fédération Internationale de Natation, FINA, included high diving as a professional sport.

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 break the water.

G

G-force At the highest point, the G-force value increases to around 10, which means that the diver experiences a force equal to ten times his own weight.

H

Height High diving competitions are generally 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 for a men’s competition – is the equivalent of an eight-storey building.

High Scores All tens from the judges to score 156.00 points - Gary Hunt and Constantin Popovici accomplish the first ever perfect dives in the history of the World Series.

I

Impact The force of the impact is nine times harder than from the 10-metre platform and can be compared with running full speed into a wall.

J

Jury An international jury of five people judges each dive. The judges consider take-off, position in the air and water entry and they award scores from 0 to 10.

HEROES Outstanding achievements, broken records and unforgettable moments – cliff diving has its heroes, like King Kahekili, Enrique Apac Rios, Lucy Wardle, Olivier Favre, Orlando Duque or Gary Hunt. Also Rhiannan Iffland, the Australian wildcard who won 5 of 7 competitions in her debut season to become the women’s champion in 2016; in 2019 she secured her fourth overall title with a perfect season.

K

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

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 The holy cliffs of Kaunolu, on the south western part of the Hawaiian island of Lanai, are considered the birthplace of this majestic sport.

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L

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

Live In 2021, all stops of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will be live on redbullcliffdiving.com, Red Bull TV, Facebook and YouTube.

Locations Saint-Raphaël (FRA), Oslo (NOR), Mostar (BIH), Downpatrick Head (IRL), Polignano a Mare (ITA) and Baku (AZE) are the six alluring locations in 2021.

M

O

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

P

Performance Cliff diving is a performance-based sport and everything that happens from take-off to landing requires absolute precision to score high. Precise and athletic, MIDO’s Ocean Star 600 Chronometer with its outstanding watchmaking performances perfectly reflects the qualities required in cliff diving. An exceptional autonomy up to 80 hour of power reserve and an extraordinary accuracy, the sporty automatic timepiece is water-resistant up to a pressure of 20 bar (200m / 660 ft). midowatches.com

Maximum height The maximum height for competitions in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is 22m | 72ft for the women and 28m | 92ft for the men. 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.

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NEW 2021 spotlights four brand new locations in France, Norway, Ireland and Azerbaijan, which is also a new country for the World Series. Maria Paula Quintero (COL) is the first athlete in the permanent divers’ line-up born in 2000.

Platform The platform must be a stable takeoff board constructed with a minimum length of 1.5m, a minimum width of 0.75m and a rim at least 2m beyond the vertical line.

Pressure The fact that the mere thought of a cliff 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, stresses the mental and physical pressure the athletes are exposed to.

R

Requirements The main requirements for cliff 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.

S

Safety Regulations for safety are a maximum height, a minimum water depth, a stable platform; a water spray at the entry area, rescue divers, paramedics as well as 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 cliff divers is at least 10 to 15 years of training in diving or a similar acrobatic sport.

Somersault A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which the diver rotates head over end, forwards or backwards. The record number of somersaults is currently 5.

Speed From 27m, the speed at which you enter the water is approximately 85km/h | 53mph; an acceleration that compares to a Lamborghini Murciélago.

T

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

Triple Quad Gary Hunt’s triple somersault with four twists – the Triple Quad – was the first dive conceived exclusively for cliff diving.

Twist The body twists on axis whilst rotating. The record number of twists is currently 5.

U

Under water As soon as the athletes land, they start their braking process under water. In less than a second the divers’ bodies decelerate from 85km/h | 53mph to zero.

V

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

W

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

Water entry The most precarious 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.

Web 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.

Wind Probably the most important factor if a competition is safe, is the wind. Getting hit by a gust of wind in mid-air is definitely one of the sports director’s main concerns. The international weather service Ubimet provides the best weather information everywhere the World Series goes to.

Women’s World Series In 2014, Red Bull Cliff Diving introduced the Women’s World Series and Rachelle Simpson (USA) was crowned the first-ever female champion and defended her title in 2015.

Ever since her wildcard title in 2016 Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) has dominated the sport.

Z

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 2021 Publisher Red Bull Media House GmbH, Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11-15, 5071 Wals bei Salzburg

Design, Layout & Graphics Zwupp – Design & Film zwupp.com

Photography Red Bull Contentpool (Romina Amato, Maximiliano Blanco, Jose Duch, Andy Green, Mats Grimsæth, Ricardo Nascimento, Jörg Mitter, Dean Treml, Andreas Vigl, Predrag Vuckovic), FBL Photographe, Andreas Sacherer, INPHO/Laszlo Geczo, MIDO Inc., private.