Everything
Have you ever dreamt of diving from heights of more than 20 metres into a narrow opening of water? Neither have we, but for Red Bull Cliff Divers like Rhiannan Iffland and Gary Hunt, it’s been a dream come true to dive from dazzling heights on the world stage.
Last weekend, Aussie cliff diving sensation Iffland and Frenchman Hunt were respectively crowned the official 2022 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Champions in partnership with MIDO watches, competing in the final event of the season in Sydney Harbour in front of thousands of onlookers.
Set against the picturesque backdrop of the iconic Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, the momentous win marks Iffland’s sixth consecutive championship title and Hunt’s tenth championship title.
“To be awarded my sixth consecutive championship win has been sensational. I guess I’m going to call it the pinnacle of my career – I’ve had many highlights throughout my career but this has been the most meaningful,” said Iffland.
“2022 was a tough season with a lot of events. Kind of a rollercoaster, emotionally trying to hold it all together, but all in all, if I look back now, it was one of the most enjoyable seasons.”
So what exactly is the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series? Essentially, it requires an athlete to be able to precisely execute incredible acrobatics from heights of more than 20m and speeds in excess of 85km/h with no protection, in what is the ultimate display of focus and skill. Throughout the season, divers will travel to a number of locations around the world, like Polignano a Mare in Italy and Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina, to compete in over 60 events against a host of professional cliff divers for the shot at the World Championship.
Over the last decade, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has provided a platform for an ever-growing list of promising diving talents to take their skill to the world stage. It’s a gruelling sport, nonetheless, and one that takes a particular set of skills (and fear conquering) to perform.
Now in its 13th year, Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series saw a purpose-built 27m and 21m platform built in the middle of Sydney Harbour for the first time – a spectacular finish to a nail-biting season.
Naturally, a sport that requires extreme precision and performance arguably deserves a partnership of equal greatness. Enter, Swiss watchmaker MIDO, who has been the official timekeeper of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series since 2009. The watchmaking brand and the sporting event share the same passion and the same ambitions: to surpass themselves and innovate continually to achieve perfection.
For more information on the 2022 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Final, visit www.redbullcliffdiving.com
