There is a short window in Auckland when the weather is kind and events of plentiful. This year, Auckland was fortunate to be hosting the finale of the 14th Redbull Cliff Diving World Series.
The athletes leap from platforms up to 28m high and hurtle gracefully towards the water, reaching speeds of 85kmph. The impact to the water is the equivalent of 10Gs of force. It is no wonder that many of the competitors have various parts of their body covered in bandages.
Click on image for full size (some are portrait).
King Kahekili trophy
Rhiannan Iffland won her record seventh title in the women’s series and Constantin Popovici won his first in the men’s series. I was fortunate to get a front row seat at the award ceremony. If the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series visits a city near you, be sure to check it out!
Not only was the diving an amazing spectacle, the divers themselves also seemed like genuinely nice people who enjoyed each other’s company and performing for the crowds. They acted more like a group of travelling friends than a field of competitors.
It is difficult to capture the extreme athleticism of these divers in a single photo.
