Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 – Teaser Clip – France, La Rochelle

More than 70,000 spectators flooded La Rochelle’s old port this Saturday afternoon for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 kick-off in France. In a sunny La Rochelle the 29-year-old Russian Artem Silchenko achieved his premiere goal – a victory ahead of reigning World Series champion Gary Hunt and former Olympic diver Blake Aldridge, both from England. The fifth season of the sport’s most prestigious series of competitions got underway at possibly the scariest location of them all a...

Artem Silchenko won the first competition of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2013 in France, La Rochelle. The podium is completed by three-time World Series champion Gary Hunt in second and qualifier Blake Aldridge in third place. La Rochelle presented itself in the best way and welcomed the huge crowd of 70,000 enthusiastic spectators with bright sunshine. © Red Bull Media House

In 2013 the title is decided during eight competitions between May and October. Until today we have seen three different winners in four competitions and it’s not always the most difficult dives that earn the highest scores from the judges. Consistency is what counts in a long season and now everybody can handle that and finish in the top every single time. Why is that? And what is more important – to show a new and more difficult dive or stick to your “tried and trusted” programme? Why do so...

It was his comeback competition and the Colombian began exactly where he ended last year: on top of the podium receiving the winner's trophy. In a thrilling head-to-head battle from 27 metres, reigning World Series champion Gary Hunt was the lucky loser and the last diver to go through to the final at the season opener on the island of Corsica on Saturday evening. More than 1,200 people on boats saw Steven LoBue, from the United States, take his first ever second place, with Czech diver M...

Red Bull Cliff Diving has its first female winner – Anna Bader from Germany. It was the eagerly-awaited competition and this Saturday afternoon four athletes proved why they were chosen to compete in the first-ever Red Bull Cliff Diving women’s competition. In a close fight, 29-yearold Anna Bader (214.70pts) took victory ahead of America’s Ginger Huber (207.90) with Tara Hyer-Tira (184.55) from San Francisco completing the podium and Canadian diver Stephanie De Lima (158.10) finishing fourth....

Fitness is an absolutely important part for cliff divers not to get injured. One competition after the other within seven days – that’s hard for a cliff diver’s body. What’s the perfect training for bones and muscles to deal with a challenge like this? Is it an advantage to be a rookie diver in a young body or does experience play a role as well? © Red Bull Media House

85kph, aesthetic gravity-defying freefall – cliff diving is the purest extreme sport on earth. The world’s best cliff divers launch from 27 meters with no protection at all, except their concentration, skill and physical control. Let’s dive into the science of what the body endures upon a monumental 85kmph impact. The impact on the body is enormous and a cliff diver has to handle it over and over. What the divers need to do in the air in order to find a vertical position when they hit the wat...

Pure cliff diving directly off the cliff face, the reigning champion on top of the rankings and the youngest athlete on the podium – the circular-shaped Vila Franca do Campo islet offshore from São Miguel in the Azores archipelago made the perfect backdrop for the third stop of the current World Series season. Despite rough conditions throughout the entire week, the previous seasons’ dominant figurehead from the British Islands took over the reigns from Russia’s Artem Silchenko in Portugal to...