Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
Athens, Greece
26 Mei 2024
Watch Replay on Red Bull TV
Finals – Athens
Min, 26 Mei 2024
It’s back! The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has soared into a new season from the clifftops of Lake Vouliagmeni, as a brand new lineup of the world’s best divers begin their hunt for the 2024 King Kahekili Trophy.
01
What went down on Day 1 in Athens?
13 years have passed since the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series last saw athletes leap from the lakeside cliffs of this ancient city. With only the men diving back in 2011, 2024 sees the women take their first-ever dives from the shoreline of Lake Vouliagmeni in the city’s southern suburbs – a picture-perfect backdrop to some intense diving action.
David Colturi soaking up the atmosphere
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
The new three-day format, along with an updated
Degree of Difficulty (DD) rating, means the stakes are higher than ever as the athletes took to the rocky cliffs to begin their quest for the World Series on Day 1 in Athens. Both the men and women performed their dives from the same spot at the cliff edge, with both categories' dives set at a DD of 2.6.
Simone Leathead's perfect start
Friday saw all the action kick-off in Round 1 of the season opener at the stunning Greek location. First out on the rocks were the women, with the United States' Ellie Smart leading the charge with her required dive.
Ellie Smart kicks off the first ever women's dives in Athens
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
Defending World Series champion Rhiannan Iffland and her closest rival Molly Carlson were also early out on the cliff edge, with Carlson getting the upper hand in the opening round, finishing in second with two 8.0 scores and an 8.5. Iffland, taking time to warm up, was close behind in third, having picked up two solid 7.5 scores and one 8.0.
Simone Leathead’s first outing on the permanent diver roster couldn’t have had a better start, with the Canadian diver throwing down an elegant Forward 2 Somersaults 1/2 Twist dive and confidently ripping the entry from the cliff.
Tight margins in the men's field
In the men's competition, the hustle for the new world title began in earnest. In 2024, every point counts as the divers fought to take an early lead on the scoreboard. It was Mexican diver Jonathan Paredes who nailed the opening act of the 2024 season, when he made a triumphant return to the permanent divers list, finishing the opening round in first place with three 9.0 scores. Tied in first with Paredes was 2023's the rising star, Carlos Gimeno, who also picked up three 9.0s for his required dive after slicing the Forward 2 Somersaults 1/2 Twist into the thermal waters of the lake below.
Wildcard David Colturi and 2024 World Series champion Constantin Popovici tied in third, with both divers earning two 8.5 and one 9.0 apiece for their Forward 2 Somersaults 1/2 Twist. Meanwhile, wildcard Braden Rumpit, a last-minute stand-in, also put in a solid performance in only his second World Series outing, finishing in ninth overall.
Jonathan Paredes dives into first place in Round 1
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
The first event of the 2024 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series continues tomorrow, Saturday, May 25, as the divers go all-in, leaping from the platforms to complete Round 2 and 3 at Lake Vouliagmeni.
02
What went down on Day 2 in Athens?
Flawless diving conditions met the athletes for Day 2 of the season opener at Lake Vouliagmeni, the new 2024 format offering up two rounds of diving. “It’s a great location to start off the year… the crowd’s loving it and the energy’s there,” Rhiannan Iffland remarked as the action kicked-off.
The men were capped with a DD of 3.6 for their Round 2 intermediate dives from 27m, whilst the women were capped at 3.4 from the 21m platform. The Round 3 optional dives had no capped degree of difficulty, opening up the field for an array of spectacular aerial artistry.
Carlson and Iffland tussle for the top spot
The women launched a day of diving in Athens, with the first standout dive of the intermediate dives performed by Germany’s Anna Bader, one of the original pioneers of cliff diving, who wowed the crowds with her signature elegance and style.
Meili Carpenter also put down an early strong performance, followed by wildcard Elisa Cosetti, who retained form from Round 1, pursuing a podium place with another solid performance amongst the elite lineup. Carlson’s Back 2 Somersaults 2 Twists came in a little short and heavy on entry, which opened the door for Rhiannan Iffland, who's Forward 3 Somersaults Half Twist was a show of pure class and lodged the defending World Series champion into first at the close of the second round of dives.
Molly Carlson sits top of the results table after Day 2
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
In the women’s Round 3, the first of two rounds of optional dives, there was still plenty of room to play on the scoreboard. Maria Paula Quintero served up a stellar rip entry, moving the Colombian into the lead halfway through the round. Next up, Ellie Smart upped the ante with a 4.4DD and an armstand take-off, but the risk didn’t quite pay off as she was unable to find the perfect position for her landing. Simone Leathead looked to recapture her Round 1 success, confidently aiming for a podium finish in her first event as a permanent diver. The Canadian surged back into the top spot and only had to keep Molly Carlson, Cosetti and defending champion Iffland at bay.
Wildcard Elisa Cosetti remains in contention for a podium finish
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
Carlson’s dive featured the first running take-off of the day and the extra power added height and rotation to a powerful Forward 4 Somersaults with Half Twist, using the run-up to gain more height and perfect rotation for her 4.4DD dive. The 25 year old's confidence was growing ahead of the final round, with the title contender visibly stoked by her third round performance after picking up one 8.0 and two 7.5s to inch ahead of Leathead. Cosetti put the pressure on the veterans, gracefully diving a triple half tuck, but couldn’t dislodge Carlson or Leathead. Iffland was last out to cap off Round 3, but a slight miscalculation on the entry left the Australian closing out Round 3 in second place. The margins super-tight however, with Carlson leading 229.50 to Iffland’s 229.40.
Popovici sets up a tense season-opening final
Sergio Guzman was first out of the gates for the men on Day 2, kicking-off the action with plenty of charisma and flair. In the Intermediate dives, US diver James Lichtenstein gave a glimmer of what's to come this season, popping his entry and picking up three 8.0 scores from the five judges, propelling him up the rankings. Ukrainian Oleksiy Prygorov was a cool and confident powerhouse out on the platform, while Aidan Heslop finally threw his hat into the ring as a prospective podium finisher.
Aidan Heslop currenly in second place after Day 2's dives
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
It was Romania’s Constantin Popovici who showed his hand in Round 2, drilling down his Inward 3 Somersaults 1/2 Twist, his super-sleek entry strengthening his podium bid, as the reigning World Series champion picked up three 8.0 scores. Undeterred, Jonathan Paredes showed his natural aptitude and gave the crowd a taste of 'The Ripmaster', snatching the lead back from Popovici after scoring two 8.0s and an 8.5. Last out on the platform, Carlos Gimeno showed no signs of backing off his bid for the win, keeping Popovici in check on the scoreboards as the Spanish diver slipped into second place at the close of Round 2.
In Round 3, as the DD scores inflated, the main podium contenders showed no signs of backing-off. Heslop shredded through his daring 5.7DD Back 4 Somersaults 3 Twists, pulling the Brit into the lead. It was a short-lived stint at the top, as Popovici nailed his rock-solid armstand take-off from 27m, with three 7.5 scores allowing the Romanian to push past Heslop, as Paredes held on amongst a super-competitive field, finishing the day in fourth overall. Popovici wrapped the second day as the strongest contender, his 284.50 points heading the charge going into the final round, chased down by Heslop in second and Gimeno in third.
Carlos Gimeno prepares to launch
© Romina Amato / Red Bull Content Pool
03
What went down on Day 3 in Athens?
The women’s final round of diving was kicked-off by Canada’s Aimee Harrison, who set the tone with an impressive final Forward 4 Somersaults 1/2 Twist and a DD of 4.4. Australian Xanethia Pennisi also gave the crowd a heart-in-mouth moment when the Brisbane native teetered on the platform edge, seemingly psyching herself up to perform the hardest dive of her career. Despite the prolonged wait, Pennisi pulled-off her brand new dive in style, showing raw emotion and tears of relief as she resurfaced after a solid entry into the water.
Molly Carlson takes the first win of the 2024 season
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
With the breeze picking up, Italy's Elisa Cosetti – riding high on three strong rounds of diving – drilled it down to pick up the first 8.0 score of the day, the wildcard taking a temporary stint at the top of the scoreboard. Cosetti’s fellow 21-year-old competition, Simone Leathead, was the first of the top three out on the platform.
Leathead, appearing immune to the pressure, was on fire. An outstanding dive and rip entry guaranteed a podium finish after she picked up two 8.0 and an 8.5 from the five judges. Next up was Iffland, who fired up the crowd ahead of her final dive, her 44th World Series start. Iffland’s track record with this dive didn’t disappoint and it appeared that the Australian was on her way to her first victory. But Carlson had other plans, her miniscule lead accumulated from the first three rounds boosting her bid for the win.
Her final masterpiece in Athens saw the 25 year old pull out under three seconds of pure aerial artistry. In the end, with both Iffland and Carlson scoring exactly the same for their final dives, Carlson's Round 3 0.10 point advantage was all that ultimately separated first and second, with Carlson maintaining the edge that allowed her to walk away with the first win of the year.
“Last time I went out after Rhi I couldn’t handle the pressure, so for me to go out and do that… I’m just really proud of myself,” Carlson said. “ When I saw the scores and they made me wait for forever, I was like… 'who’s it going to be'? I’d forgotten about that little 0.1 from yesterday. So super, super cool, I absolutely love that we push each other. When we're all diving our best and you still come out on top, that’s the biggest, most exciting feeling.”
Dream season start for Popovici
The first shake-up of the final round of the men’s category was served by Catalin Preda, who enjoyed a final round comeback after battling with illness in the earlier rounds. His jaw-droppingly graceful, yet powerful dive – an Armstand Back 4 1/2 Somersaults with a massive 6.0 DD and the hardest dive in the competition – and the slickest entry earned the Romanian diver three 9.0 point scores across the board, catapulting him up to the top spot as the men’s finals round hit its midway stride.
Constantin Popovici claimed 139.65 points on his final jump to clim the win
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
It was, however, James Lichtenstein's Back Quint that prematurely ousted Preda from the podium. His solid scores combined with daring DD scores from previous rounds giving him the advantage. Britain’s Aidan Heslop was unable to match risk and reward with his huge dive. After stomping the take-off, a slight over-rotation causing him to land heavily in the water. Podium threat Carlos Gimeno plummeted into Lake Vouliagmeni in a supreme flex from 27m, his final Back Quint following the theme of picking-up big scores for gutsy manoeuvres. Finishing up with 395.70, the Spanish diver sent a message that he's ready for more wins in 2024.
It wasn't to be this time around for Gimeno, as colossus Constantin Popovici showed no signs of allowing the King Kahkeili trophy to slip from his grip this season. His final dive was a display of pure athleticism and power, the 5.7DD combined with two 8.0s and an 8.5 gave the 35 year old a decisive lead, as he closed out the season opener in Athens. Popovici wrapped the day with an eighth career World Series win, a 17th podium and a sizeable 28-point lead.
The winners congratulate each other
© Alex Grymanis / Red Bull Content Pool
“Some people need to focus to get every little thing right and that’s what I’m doing. The dive felt really good. It feels really good to say I won the first stop,” Popovici stated after taking the win. “Everybody is training hard and I try to put in more work. Sometimes injuries happen, and two days ago I wasn’t sure how I was going to end up. But everything turned out fine!”
The champions at round 1: Rhiannan Iffland, Molly Carlson, Simone Leathead
© Alex Grymanis / Red Bull Content Pool
Constantin Popovici dives in front of 5,500 spectators
© Romina Amato / Red Bull Content Pool
Rhiannan Iffland adds another second place to her epic tally
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
The smiles say it all!
© Alex Grymanis / Red Bull Content Pool
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