Red Bull Cliff Diving Championships Coming to Hilo Sept 12

Red Bull World Championship Series Concludes in Hilo

FINAL DESTINATION IN THE LAND OF CLIFF DIVING’S ORIGIN

Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2010 Comes to Hilo, Hawaii for Final Stop

Kahekili, the last independent king of Maui, used cliff diving as an initiation rite for his warriors back in the 18^th century. “Leaping feet-first from a high cliff into water without making a splash” – otherwise known as “Lele Kawa” – is still the ultimate goal these brave modern warriors are aiming for. This season’s dominator, Gary Hunt, along with the world’s best athletes in this traditional extreme sport will come to Hilo, Hawaii, on September 12 in an attempt to twist and tuck their way to the crown in the culminating event of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

With a commanding lead of 19 points and only one point away from securing the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series overall title – Englishman Gary Hunt is more than just close to finally bagging his personal season goal: “After last year I was very happy to be second, but being so close to first I really wanted to give myself every chance this year of being in that first position. So I’ve made sure that I’m a little bit more reserved, I take care in every aspect in my life and I just want to give myself every chance of being the champion.” As Russia’s Artem Silchenko (67 pts) kicked himself out of the fight for the title at the competition in Switzerland – he missed his second dive and only finished ninth – it’s only 2009’s series champion Orlando Duque (COL, 74 pts), the nine-time world champion and current Oahu resident, who could mathematically beat the 26-year-old Hunt from Southampton.

In the United States’ wettest city of Hilo on the Big Island, with 200in (5,100mm) of annual rainfall, it’s not only the divers’ final destination that may get wet. After leaping from the 85ft (26m) platform adjacent to a beautiful and powerful waterfall, the entry point into the waters below is likely to be wet as well. Previously used to turn the water wheel that powered electricity for the Onomea Sugar Mill, the privately owned and natural Kawainui Falls ( ka=’s the, wai=’s water, nui=’s large, great)  has not only been chosen as the home for several Hollywood feature films, but will be the backdrop for the 2010 World Series winner to be crowned.

And Big Dog has 2 tickets to the event!

Standings after Stop #5

1	Gary Hunt	GBR	93
2	Orlando Duque	COL	74
3	Artem Silchenko	RUS	67
4	Kent De Mond	USA	47
5	Hassan Mouti	FRA	37
6	Steve Black	AUS	32
7	Alain Kohl	LUX	31
8	Michal Navratil	CZE	25
9	Cyrille Oumedjkane	FRA	23
9	Eber Pava	COL	23
11	Slava Polyeshchuk	UKR	17
12	Andrey Ignatenko	UKR	7

 

About Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2010

Quite simply, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series features 12 of the world’s best high divers competing in six challenging competition venues around the globe.  The divers jump 85 feet (26 metres) from the platform, smoothly entering the water below, vying for athletic perfection. The event backdrops include a selection of famous and well-known diving spots, as well as extraordinary natural and challenging urban settings. For the second year, the split between existing and new venues is 50-50. Starting on May 15 in La Rochelle (FRA), the series then took a leap over the Atlantic Ocean to Mexico (Yucatán) and came back to Europe for competitions in Norway (Kragerø), Italy (Polignano a Mare) and Switzerland (Sisikon), before reaching the land of the sport’s origin, Hawaii (Hilo), on September 12 for the grand finale. Red Bull Cliff Diving competitions are judged by five international jurors with scores awarded according to the degree of difficulty and the execution of the dive.

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will air on the Universal Sports network as part of their Adventure Week. Check your local TV listings for times.

Monday, October 11 at 1030 pm EST = Episode 1 from FRANCE

Tuesday, October 12 at 900 pm EST = Episode 2 from MEXICO

Wednesday, October 13 at 930 pm EST = Episode 3 from NORWAY

Thursday, October 14 at 800 pm EST = Episode 4 from ITALY

Friday, October 15 at 930 pm EST = Episode 5 from SWITZERLAND

Saturday, October 16 at 900 pm EST – Episode 6 from HAWAII

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