Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
Boston, United States
19 – 20 September 2025
Watch Replay on Red Bull TV
LIVE: Cliff Diving Boston
Sat, 20 September 2025
01
Location
Boston knows how to throw a sporting party, and it didn’t disappoint as the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series hit the Massachusetts capital for its grand finale. With blue skies overhead, a buzzing crowd on the waterfront, and the ICA building’s cantilever turned into a launchpad for the world’s best divers and one last shot at victory in 2025.
An iconic venue hosts an iconic sport
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
But while conditions above were near-perfect, the landing zone was anything but warm, as Boston Harbor served up a chilly 18°C (64°F) plunge. The women’s 21m and men’s 27m platforms loomed over the harbour, ready for two days of high-stakes aerial drama to close out 2025.
02
Who won?
Boston hosted an incredible season finale littered with record-breaking results and milestone moments, where the cliff diving GOATs ultimately reigned supreme. In the women’s competition, Rhiannan Iffland’s world-class consistency delivered a double podium – the Australian was not only officially awarded her ninth King Kahekili trophy after securing champion status in Mostar, but also closed her season with four-out-of-four wins, despite a fierce final challenge from Canada’s Molly Carlson at the US stop.
“I’m super proud that I’ve gone that consistently through a whole season, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. It’s crazy, it’s still sinking in!” Iffland said after taking the win. “I always love to compete with a bit of pressure, and I did in Boston – I had my eye on that perfect season.You know, I’ve got nine King Kahekili trophies, so what was next? It was that - the perfect season. And to have achieved it is a really big feat.”
GOATS Iffland and Hunt add another entry in the World Series history books
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And in the men’s category, it was comeback king Gary Hunt who claimed victory in the overall standings. Having kicked off the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series season as a wildcard after a long hiatus, the French diver battled title rival Constantin Popovici and title contender Carlos Gimeno all the way to the very end to earn his historic 11th King Kahekili trophy.
“I really thought this was going to be my last time when I won in Sydney [in 2022]. But to come here, to finish… what a season,” Hunt exclaimed after a nail-biting final round. “It was a struggle towards the end. It was a shame to finish with not such great dives, but I’ve done enough, and I can’t believe it.”
The Boston event finale belonged to James Lichtenstein, who held his nerve to deliver his trademark Back Quint and secure a milestone victory, making him the first US diver ever to win a World Series stop in the States. A razor-thin 0.75 margin in the men’s final Boston result summed up a year defined by pressure, as Lichtenstein edged out Catalin Preda to top the Boston podium.
James Lichtenstein became the first US diver to win on home turf
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
“My first three dives were some of the best I’ve ever done, and I was hoping to have a big dive as my fourth dive,” Lichtenstein stated. “But I was consistent on my first three and built up enough of a lead to make a mistake and still win.”
“To win in front of a home crowd, and in front of home fans and my friends and family is a really incredible feeling,” he added. “I just wanted to come in and do solid in front of my friends and family, and I accomplished that.”
03
What went down on Day 1 in Boston?
Boston wasted no time cranking up the drama, as Day 1 of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series finale unfolded from the ICA roof. With one Required Dive, capped at 2.6 in Round 1, and one uncapped Optional Dive on the agenda for Round 2, it was the perfect opener that allowed the athletes to put everything on the line and unleash some of their biggest, most significant dives of the season.
With Mostar barely two weeks behind them, the athletes had no time to ease in – and the first dives of Boston most definitely set the tone.
Carlson and Iffland battle for Boston victory
It was US wildcard Maya Kelly who had the honour – and pressure – of opening the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Boston competition in her debut, and the Women’s Round 1 Required Dives off the platform on the ICA roof. The 19-year-old had a tall order as the icebreaker, but retained a cool head and delivered a solid dive with plenty of poise.
Maya Kelly delivered the icebreaker in Boston on Day 1
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
As second woman to dive, Canadian Molly Carlson lit up Round 1 with a Reverse 2 Somersaults, nailing her entry. The statement dive earned a 9.0 and two 8.5s from the judges, producing a super-confident start at the location that launched her World Series career, and a career-defining first-ever win. Carlson’s closest contender in Round 1 was Ukraine’s Nelli Chukanivska, who slotted into 2nd place after earning an 8.0 and two 8.5s from the judges for her tidy Back 1 Somersault.
Round 1 continued to produce a string of stunning dives from the women, and it was US wildcard and 2025 World Series newcomer Lisa Faulker and the Netherlands’ Ginni van Katwijk who wrapped the opening round in joint third. Both divers drew on their wealth of competition experience and immense skill to earn three 8s from the judges, picking up 62.40 points for their opening dives.
Rhiannan Iffland was the diver who capped off the women’s Required Dives, but the Australian, who has already secured the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series title at the last stop in Mostar, found herself in the unusual position of 5th. Despite her mid-table start, with three dives left and razor-thin margins, Boston still offered three more opportunities to see her bite back.
Molly Carlson is challenging Rhiannan Iffland for the final podium of 2025
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
Carlson headed into Round 2 and the first Optional Dives of the event with over a 5-point headstart in the top spot, looking to ultimately bring Iffland’s 2025 winning streak to an end. Iffland was out on the 21m platform ahead of Carlson, and the 34-year-old was quick to flip the leaderboard with a classic under-pressure response. Despite a slightly flat take-off, her trademark control and precision earned three 8.0s and, with a 4.4 DD, a hefty 107.80 points to rocket into first.
“Today I did the dive that I’m not as comfortable with, with the biggest Degree of Difficulty. The main goal here was to hit that one, and I managed to put it down quite well, so tomorrow I’ll have two dives that I’m really comfortable with, and I really enjoy,” Iffland remarked after finishing up her first day in Boston. “So I feel like tomorrow is just going to be an enjoy-the-process kind of day.”
Her Canadian rival later answered back with a slick and stunning brand new dive, a Back 3 Somersaults 1 Twist, and was rewarded with two 8.5s and an 8.0. On execution alone she outscored Iffland, but the lower 3.9 DD meant that Carlson wrapped Day 1 with a points top up of 97.50 — leaving her just 3.80 points behind Iffland in the event standings.
Rhiannan Iffland is on track for 4 out of 4 in 2025
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
“To get to the end [of the season] and go for a clean sweep, that’s a big thing for any athlete in any sport,” Iffland commented on a possible four-out-of-four wins this season. “I’ll give it a shot, but I’m definitely proud of what I’ve been through this year.”
With both divers set to tackle identical DDs on Day 2, Carlson will need to dig deeper than ever and produce nothing less than two top-tier performances to deny Iffland a fourth victory, and claim the Boston crown for herself. While the pressure is on for both divers to deliver the goods at the season showdown, Iffland remains both focused and cautious about ending 2025 back on top of the event podium:
“Let’s wait and see – it’s never good to have those things in the forefront of my mind, because I like to push them back and just focus on going step by step at the event,” she explained. “So that’s how I’m going to play it, and hopefully it’ll work in my favour.”
Lichtenstein leads, as Hunt, Gimeno and Popovici square off for 2025 title
With the women’s overall title already decided, in the men’s category it was a totally different story, with both the men’s King Kahekili trophy and the Boston win still very much up for grabs on Day 1.
Perfect conditions set up two days of intense competition in the men's
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
The men’s Round 1 Required Dives kicked off the final battle for the Boston win and Gary Hunt, leader of the overall standings, was first to drop and posted straight 8s on the scoreboard – a steady opening move in his pursuit of an incredible 11th King Kahekili trophy.
The intensity of the season in the men’s competition was mirrored in the Boston opening round, as three divers quickly tied for top spot in Round 1 — Ukrainian powerhouse Oleksiy Prygorov, Boston’s local hero James Lichtenstein, and Romania’s Catalin Preda — all earning 71.40 points and effectively pushing Hunt into 4th after a fierce first round of diving.
2023 World Series champion Constantin Popovici, meanwhile, stumbled out of the gate in Round 1, a shaky start in his last bid to snatch a repeat title win. But never one to back down from a challenge, Popovici punched back in Round 2, his dive doing all the talking as he threw down a whopping 5. DD Armstand Back 3 ½ Somersaults 3 Twists in pike. Solid scores of 7.5s and a 7.0, combined with one of the biggest DDs of the competition, racked up 127.60 points for the Romanian. Hunt, meanwhile, wrapped Round 2 with a tally of 105.35 points, leaving his overall World Series standing lead cut to just three points, with two rounds remaining.
Ramping up the champion title race, Spain’s Carlos Gimeno was locked on a podium in Boston, after drilling down a Back Quad and pulling off a super-slick entry into the Boston Harbour from 27m, re-invigorating his bid for a first World Series victory.
James Lichtenstein is aiming for a win on home soil
© Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
But it was homegrown talent James Lichtenstein who skipped ahead to the top of the Boston event leaderboard, his Armstand Back 4 1/2 Somersaults packing in three seconds of pure dynamic power. Lichtenstein’s epic effort in Round 2 matched Gimeno’s scores from the judges, with both athletes picking up three 8.5s apiece. Once again, it was the slight difference in DD – Lichtenstein’s 5.4 to Gimeno’s 5.2 – which was the deciding factor, inching the US diver into 1st.
With Day 1 now in the bag, Boston is primed for a spectacular finale in the men’s competition. In the event standings, it could be a stunning home victory on the cards as Lichtenstein leads, followed by Spanish rocket Gimeno, whilst Prygorov continues his grind for a podium finish, in 3rd.
And all eyes remain locked on the World Series title fight: season-long rivals Hunt and Popovici head into the final day now separated by five points, but Spanish diver Gimeno has made a late surge in the standings, following a standout first half performance in Boston.
With Gimeno’s score now standing at 52 points, wedging him firmly in second between Hunt (55 points) and Popovici (50 points), only two dives stand between a second crown for the Romanian, a record-breaking 11th victory for the French cliff diving legend, or an inaugural title win for the Spaniard.
04
What went down on Day 2 in Boston?
The second and last day in Boston - and the final day of diving on the 2025 calendar – proved to be a test of nerve as much as skill. Each athlete had just one Intermediate and one Optional dive left to define their season – and, for some, secure a coveted Permanent Diver spot for 2026.
30,000 spectators turned out to see the season showdown unfold in Boston
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
As thousands of spectators crowded the waterfront of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the world’s best divers prepared for their two very last rounds of diving in the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series season.
An event podium was still up for grabs for both the men and women, and the King Kahekili trophies were on standby, each ready to crown a champion as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series drew to a dramatic close in Boston. With Rhiannan Iffland having already wrapped up her ninth women’s title in Mostar, attention on Day 2 turned to whether she could sweep the season unbeaten, while the men’s title was still wide open with Hunt, Popovici, Gimeno all in the mix.
Iffland dominates season with clean sweep
The women opened Day 2 with Round 3 Intermediate dives, capped at a 3.4 DD, and the Boston fans were treated to a contest that balanced elegance, control and raw determination.
Canadian star Molly Carlson, back on the World Series stage for the first time since her heart-stopping slip in Polignano a Mare, looked composed and confident. Her Forward 3 Somersaults ½ Twist flowed smoothly from takeoff to entry, drawing straight 8.0s from the judges and signalling a serious challenge for the Boston win.
Carlson's Boston performance hints at fierce competition to come in 2026
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
But with Rhiannan Iffland, there is always an answer. Matching Carlson’s dive choice, Iffland headed into her Intermediate dive with her focus dialled up to the max. Launching with assurance and carving cleanly into the chilly harbour below, Iffland’s confident display picked up two 8.5s and a 9.0 — the top score of the round – giving her more daylight at the top of the standings and keeping a flawless season well within reach.
Behind the leading duo, the battle for podium spots fired up the Boston crowd. US wildcard Lisa Faulker, Kaylea Arnett and Meili Carpenter locked down 3rd, 4th and 5th after Round 3, boosted by the home support, showing pure grit and crowd energy could still make a difference in the season’s final showdown.
Women Round 4, pressure piled on and the women were definitely feeling it, with many divers appearing to benefit from experience in high-stakes… as a string of errors and late surges reshuffled the leaderboard.
Simone Leathead leapt ahead to secure a 3rd place finish overall
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While mid-air mistakes cost Lisa Faulkner and Kaylea Arnett a place on the podium, it was Canada’s Simone Leathead who made a late kick as she poured every ounce of energy and focus into her final dive, a Back 3 Somersaults 1 Twist (DD 3.9). Leathead’s power and precision was awarded with three 8.5s from the judges, leapfrogging her up the event leaderboard where she eventually settled in 3rd.
With the Boston win still within reach, Carlson was determined to deliver under pressure. Her final Optional dive was nothing short of epic – an almost perfect finish for the Canadian athlete – and drew two 8.5s and a 9.0 from the judges, raising the stakes for the last athlete of the night with only Iffland able to topple Carlson’s lead.
As the final diver, in the final round, at the final stop of the season, the reigning World Series champion demanded nothing less than perfection – and she delivered with style. Iffland's Inward 3 Somersaults ½ Twist was a flawless sign-off to the season – smooth takeoff, laser-straight lines, and a razor-sharp entry. The judges handed down a trio of 9.0s, sealing Iffland’s Boston victory and a complete clean sweep of event wins for 2025.
Unbeatable: Iffland signed off her 2025 season in style with a fourth win
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It was the perfect full stop to another history-making season: Iffland celebrated a 45th career win and her 53rd World Series podium, on the same day she officially collected a record ninth King Kahekili Trophy.
Following the Australian’s victory at the 2025 finale, it was also a stellar result for Canada as Simone Leathead finished the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series season in 2nd overall, while US athlete Kaylea Arnett topped her 2024 rookie year result of 5th with an incredible 3rd place finish overall, in only her second season in the World Series.
Hunt celebrates 11th King Kahekii trophy, Lichtenstein secures historic home win
The men’s Round 3 Intermediate Dives, capped at 3.6 DD, brought a new level of tension. With the King Kahekili trophy still undecided, and one last event podium in Boston there for the taking, every dive on Day 2 was set to carry the weight of a season’s worth of hopes and expectations.
Round 3 was a huge high-stakes moment for Gary Hunt, the most decorated diver in World Series history. Disgruntled and fuelled by the anger at his Round 2 result, Hunt’s Armstand Back 2 ½ Somersaults 1 Twist was a make-or-break opportunity to stay in the title fight. Leaping from 27m, Hunt left the disappointment of Day 1 behind as he drilled down into the harbour with a solid performance, though a fraction of over-rotation on entry cost him the flawless finish he wanted. Two 8.0s and a 7.5 kept him in contention for his 11th World Series, but left no margin for error going into the final round.
The Boston crowd buzzed as US wildcard David Colturi threw down a massive effort that lit up the scoreboard with two 8.5s and a 9.0. Colturi’s temporary surge into the top spot reshuffled the leaderboard, underlining just how much danger the wildcards have brought to the big stage in 2025.
David Colturi fought his way back to Permanent Diver status in 2026
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
Hunt’s title rival Constantin Popovici followed with ice-cool precision, showing no sign of folding under pressure. His Inward 3 Somersaults ½ Twist drew three 8.5s for 91.80 points, lifting him to 272.60 overall and edging him ever-closer to his repeat World Series title win by a razor-thin margin.
Ukraine’s Oleksiy Prygorov, meanwhile, continued his charge with another tightly executed, high-powered dive to stay within touching distance of the podium, while Spain’s Carlos Gimeno’s dynamism kept him close enough to the top of the leaderboard to potentially podium in Boston.
But it was America’s own James Lichtenstein who blew the roof off Round 3. His Reverse 3 Somersaults was delivered with power and style, earning the highest score of the round and giving him a real shot at becoming the first male US diver to claim victory on home soil.
Boston Harbour became a pressure cooker in Round 4 as the men psyched up for the last big push of the season with their second uncapped Optional Dive. To add to the intensity, the dimmed afternoon light added an extra challenge and one last test of skill, as the harbour landing zone became trickier to spot after less than three seconds of top-speed, high-G aerial manoeuvres.
It was all on the line for the GOAT on Day 2
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
As the men’s category whittled down Stop 4’s top scorers, Hunt was the first champion contender to drop into the Boston Harbour. A mediocre performance left the 41-year-old in doubt of an overall win, his dive a stark contrast to the performance that followed. Returning strong from a previous injury, Catalin Preda opted to pull out the risky 6.0 DD Armstand Back 4 1/2 Somersaults dive that resulted in his last long-standing withdrawal from the World Series. But after a confident and graceful performance, capped with a smooth entry into the water below, Preda emerged ecstatic and a little emotional, his courageous effort earning him three 8.5 scores, and a 2nd place event podium finish.
Redemption: Preda roars after nailing the dive that paused his diving dream
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Following Preda’s epic dive, a visibly nervous and agitated Hunt waited at the waterfront for Popovici, his closest rival who could easily snatch victory from Hunt’s grasp, to line up for his final Back 4 Somersaults 3 Twists. Popovici took his time, perched on the edge of the 27m platform with his back to the Boston Harbour before launching into his final take-off, but the Romanian came in too hot and a split-second lapse in control in his entry saw him strike out in the race for the title.
From here, realistically it was on Carlos Gimeno who could rock the boat as Hunt waited for his milestone win. With adrenaline pulsing and tension rippling, Gimeno whipped into his ambitious Armstand Back 4 1/2 Somersaults, but too much speed in the rotation meant that the Spaniard couldn’t find a perfect line on his entry, ending all hope for a World Series win.
James Lichtenstein saved his signature Back Quint for last
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With Hunt’s ultimate victory now unofficially in the bag, the Boston crowd was still amped to see if Lichtenstein could deliver one last win for the host nation with his signature Back Quint. The American didn’t linger for long, and quickly smashed out five somersaults, but followed the theme of adrenaline-spiked over-rotations in Round 4, going slightly off-vertical on entry. But the mistake didn’t dent his scores enough to deny Lichtenstein his milestone win, the huge DD edging him over the line into 1st place on the Boston event podium.
The win inked Lichtenstein into the World Series history books as the first ever male US diver to win on US soil. In a season defined in the men’s competition by the smallest margins, Boston fittingly wrapped with just 0.75 points separating 1st place Lichtenstein and 2nd place Preda, ultimately bringing the wild ride of 2025 to a close.
Champagne moment: Hunt and Iffland celebrate their title wins
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
Boston hosted the World Series final for the first time this season
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
L-R: Carlson, Iffland and Leathead made up the women's Boston event podium
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
Thousands crowded the waterfront to watch the divers launch from up to 27m
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
05
2026 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Permanent Diver line-up
After four gripping stops and with the King Kahekili trophy winners officially crowned, the 2026 World Series Permanent Diver line-up is now confirmed. Permanent Diver spots are awarded based on the top four rankings in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, with the remaining four spots allocated based on World Ranking:
Women
- Rhiannan Iffland (AUS)
- Simone Leathead (CAN)
- Kaylea Arnett (USA)
- Lisa Faulkner (USA)
- Molly Carlson (CAN)
- Nelli Chukanivska (UKR)
- Xantheia Pennisi (AUS)
- Ginni van Katwijk (NED)
Men
- James Lichtenstein (USA)
- Constantin Popovici (ROU)
- Carlos Gimeno (ESP)
- Gary Hunt (FRA)
- Jonathan Paredes (MEX)
- Catalin Preda (ROU)
- Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR)
- David Colturi (USA)
Want to relive the best moments of the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving season? Catch all the highlights from four spectacular stops around the globe right here.
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will return in 2026, when the world’s best divers and rising stars of the sport will return to push their limits once again in another adrenaline-fuelled fight for glory.
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