Taking a dive!

OVER 145,000 high-flying fans gathered in Dún Laoghaire for the first-ever Red Bull Cliff Diving event that saw divers leap from a 27m height at the Southside harbour.

This was the highest-ever spectator turnout in the World Series’ 10-year history. The Irish stop saw a new name on the top step of the men’s podium, while reigning women’s champion, Rhiannan Iffland, continued her winning streak on the Irish shores. 

Romania’s Constantin Popovici won in only his second event. He had placed second in his debut event at the 2019 season opener in El Nido in the Philippines.

Popovici’s victory ends Gary Hunt’s five-event winning streak. He beat the British seven-time champion by just 1.85 points – one of the closest winning margins in World Series history.

American David Colturi placed third in the men’s competition, over 75 points behind Hunt.

There was a more predictable result in the women’s event, with reigning champion Rhiannan Iffland of Australia claiming the win by a dominant 30-point margin.

Canada’s Lysanne Richard placed second, with Mexico’s Adriana Jimenez a further 30 points back in third.

Constantin Popovici, the winning men’s diver, said: “I was hoping for a podium place, and wanted to come first, but I wasn’t sure I was going to get it. Some of the athletes went for easier dives today because of the windy conditions, but I went full on and managed to perform bet-ter than everyone. Gary [Hunt] is one of the best divers in the world, so I’m really happy with my result.”

Rhiannan Iffland (AUS), the winning women’s diver, added: “Each competition brings new challenges. There are always ups and downs. Today went really well. I was scoring straight nines, which is what we all hope for. 

“I went in cold [with no practice dive] to save my body a bit from the cold water and that really worked for me.”

World Series now moves to the south of Italy, to Polignano a Mare, in just under a month’s time. 

Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has provided a platform for aesthetic free-falls and dives of ever-growing complexity, spotlighting the sport’s finest athletes as well as the most promising talents.

In 2014, it introduced a Women’s World Series. In its 11th season, the sport's best athletes will once again leap, twist and somersault from breath-taking heights with no protection, except their concentration, skill and physical control, dur-ing seven demanding competitions around the world. 

Between April and September, this pure extreme sport will hit waters in natural and urban environments as well as remote and iconic venues at oceans and rivers across Asia, Europe and the Middle East to crown two new champions.