David Colturi of the USA dives from the 28 metre platform during the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Inis Mor, Aran Islands, Ireland on June 29th 2014. // Romina Amato
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2014 – It’s pure, it’s fast and it takes your breath away. Cliff divers leap aesthetically from almost three times the Olympic height and hit the water at speeds of 85kph, protected only by their concentration, skill and physical control. Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has featured the biggest talents, the most promising newcomers, and since 2013 has also provided a platform for women. Seven tough competitions for the men, three challenges for the women – in its sixth season this jaw-dropping sport will hit new as well as proven ground in the Caribbean, the continents of North and South America and Europe between May and October to determine a new champion for both men and women.
Midway point of the 2014 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place in Norway on July 12 July takes the divers back to Norway’s Kragerø, the place of 495 islands, islets and skerries and – recalling 2010 – just as many boats. In a land famous for its Vikings, the ‘pearl of coastal towns’ welcomes another set of adventurers ready to take to the sea in an attempt to conquer. 14 men and eight women will dive from 27m and 20m respectively into a floating arena of boats and ships. Can Gary Hunt, the winner of the US stop, repeat his victory from four years ago? Who will be the first female athlete to win a World Series competition on European soil?
Three down and three to come after the northernmost stop on the 2014 calendar – Scandinavia’s most popular summer destination marks the halfway point of a season that has so far exceeded expectations. New faces on the podium, new high scores and personal bests; however, the introduction of a whole new competition – the first-ever women’s World Series – has taken the sport to the next level. After the kick-off competition to find a female World Series champion in Texas, the ladies get their next chance to show diving grace from two times the Olympic height in the Kragerø archipelago.
When a country has 25,148 kilometres of coastline, one might think that there will be few places suited to cliff diving. In the southernmost municipality of the county of Telemark, and amidst almost 500 islands, islets and skerries, a 27m tall rock will be the focal point of high diving this July. The athletes’ breathtaking twisting and flipping action will only be stopped by entry into the Skagerrak strait at almost 90kph.
Besides the permanent divers, four male wildcards were invited to prove their talent in acrobatic threesecond flights: Anatoliy Shabotenko, of Ukraine, Kai Kirbs, of Germany, American Kent De Mond and
Colombia’s Miguel Celis. The five women in the World Series will be pushed by wildcards Lysanne Richard, of Canada, Tara Hyer-Tira, of the United States, and 22-year-old Yana Nestsiarava, from Belarus. All 22 divers’ performances will be assessed by five international judges, among them for the first time this year the former World Series competition winner Andrey Ignatenko, of Ukraine.
It was in the beginning of the 20th century that expressionist painter Edvard Munch came to town to find relaxation from daily life. His personal “pearl of coastal towns” has been a summer hot spot ever since. Tripling in size in July, more than 4,000 holiday homes house a population of over 30,000. For the weekend of July 12, a special group of people are coming to town in order to find their very own pearl. The competition to determine the half-time leader of the 2014 World Series starts Saturday, July 12, at 1pm local time.
Anatoliy Shabotenko of the Ukraine dives from the 28 metre platform at Hells Gate during the second stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas, USA // Romina Amato
STANDINGS AFTER 3 STOPS (MEN)
1. Gary Hunt | UK | 530pts
2. Steven LoBue | USA | 380
3. Jonathan Paredes | MEX | 360
4. Blake Aldridge | UK | 300
5. Artem Silchenko | RUS | 270
5. Michal Navratil | CZE | 270
7. Orlando Duque | COL | 230
8. David Colturi | USA | 170
9. Andy Jones | USA | 160
10. Mat Cowen (wildcard) | UK | 60
11. Anatoliy Shabotenko (wildcard) | UKR | 50
12. Jucelino Junior (wildcard) | BRA | 48
13. Alain Kohl (wildcard ) | LUX | 30
14. Kris Kolanus | POL | 29
15. Kent De Mond (wildcard) | USA | 20
16. Miguel Garcia Celis (wildcard) | COL | 10
16. Cyrille Oumedjkane (wildcard) | FRA | 10
18. Edivaldo Keda Moura (wildcard) | BRA | 9
19. Jorge Ferzuli (wildcard) | MEX | 8
Standings after 1 competition (WOMEN)
1. Rachelle Simpson | USA | 200pts
2. Anna Bader | GER | 160
3. Cesilie Carlton | USA | 130
4. Adriana Jimenez (wildcard) | MEX | 110
5. Tara Hyer-Tira (wildcard) | USA | 90
6. Ginger Leigh Huber | USA | 70
7. Jacqueline Valente | BRA | 60
WILDCARD DIVERS in Norway (Men)
Anatoliy Shabotenko | UKR
Kai Kirbs | GER
Kent De Mond | USA
Miguel Celis | COL
WILDCARD DIVERS in Norway (Women)
Adriana Jimenez | MEX
Tara Hyer-Tira | USA
Yana Nestsiarava | BLR
JUDGES in Norway
Claudio de Miro (Head Judge) | ITA
Anke Piper | GER
Andrey Ignatenko | UKR
Jeff Arbon | AUS/UK
Renato Rosi | ITA
CALENDAR & LOCATIONS
May 10 | Havana | CUBA
June 07 | Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas | USA
June 29 | Inis Mór | IRELAND
July 12 | Kragerø | NORWAY
July 26 | Azores, S. Miguel | PORTUGAL
September 20 | Bilbao | SPAIN
October 19 | Niterói, Rio de Janeiro | BRAZIL
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