Gravity-defying freefall punctuated by awe-inducing tricks – that is cliff diving. The sport’s best athletes leap aesthetically from almost three times the Olympic height with no protection at all…
Red Bull is hosting various events across the year including motorsport, surfing, adventure and snow and skateboarding which are hosted on breathtaking spots around the world.
Between April and September, cliff diving, the pure extreme sport will touch waters in natural and urban surroundings as well as remote and iconic venues across South America, the US and Europe
This weekend the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series was hosted in Polignano a Mare, Italy with Gary Hunt and Rachelle Simpson celebrating the victory.
Polignano a Mare, Italy
Gary Hunt
Gary Hunt, the 31-year-old Englishman pulled off five 10s in three rounds of competition and finished with a running take-off and a personal best of 548.20 points, making it six out of seven victories this season.
Literally skipping to first place, the ‘brilliant Brit’ settled old scores with the venue in Italy’s south by successfully performing a running take-off – a technique that only he has ever attempted.
“I’m just ecstatic. The last dive that I did in Polignano a few years ago was the only dive I’ve ended up in hospital after. When the calendar came out for this season I knew I had to finish that business from 5 years ago and do a running dive again. Thankfully it worked out, and to finish on a high note is amazing.”
Gary Hunt
Andy Jones
Andy Jones
Jacqueline Valente
Over in the women’s World Series, all questions were answered in today’s final when America’s Rachelle Simpson (241.60pts.) secured her second season victory ahead of fellow American Ginger Leigh Huber (231.40pts.) and Yana Nestsiarava (209.50pts.) from Belarus to retain the overall title. USA women – Simpson, Leigh Huber and wildcard Cesilie Carlton, occupy the final podium in the 2015 Red Bull Cliff Diving Women’s World Series.
While the women closed their season in Europe’s mecca of cliff diving this weekend, the male cliff diving elite travels to Spain’s Bilbao, where the fight in the overall rankings gets tighter as only the season’s best six athletes will be granted a permanent spot in a 2016 Series. All will be revealed in Bilbao with the coronation of the season’s best athletes during the World Series’ 50th stop in two weeks’ time.
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2015
America’s Rachelle Simpson (241.60pts.) secured her second season victory.
Gravity-defying freefall punctuated by awe-inducing tricks – that is cliff diving. The sport’s best athletes leap aesthetically from almost three times the Olympic height with no protection at all, except their concentration, skill and physical control. In less than three seconds, gravity propels the divers’ bodies as they fall the equivalent of eight stories, reaching speeds in excess of 85kph.
Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has provided a platform for breathtaking action and dives of incredible complexity, spotlighting the sport’s top athletes as well as young talent and in 2014 it introduced a Women’s World Series. In its seventh season, this rapidly-evolving sport will crown new champions during eight demanding competitions for the men and three stops for the women.
Between April and September, this pure extreme sport will touch waters in natural and urban surroundings as well as remote and iconic venues across South America, the US and Europe and top it all with the season finale and the 50th World Series competition.