| The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returns to the cliffs of Lake Uri, a new spot for 14 out of the 24 participants, to continue its closest title challenge to date. |
| Cheese, chocolate and cliff diving – an original location from the inaugural World Series season in 2009, Sisikon was on the schedule in 2010 and 2018 again. Historically, the return to Lake Uri marks a rather significant stop of the 2022 World Series: Switzerland plays a leading role in the history of the sport as Red Bull Cliff Diving as such was born in Brontallo (Ticino) in July 1997 with the very first standalone event 25 years ago. The cliff diving elite returning to Switzerland are in prime shape to celebrate this special milestone: Last weekend’s competition in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was one for the books as Romania’s Constantin Popovici broke the records for a single dive as well as the competition score. The reigning champion in the women’s, Rhiannan Iffland from Australia successfully faced her ‘fear location’ to secure her 27th World Series win. The 30-year-old ‘awesome Aussie’ will step onto the 21m platform mounted on the Uri-Stone with a score to settle: out of the 16 countries that Iffland has competed at since she joined the World Series as a wildcard in 2016, Sisikon is the only one where the record winner has not yet succeeded.Her main title challenger, Canada’s Molly Carlson, will certainly do her all to maintain that anomalous statistic. The 23-year-old has already ended the Australian’s winning streak of 13 victories at the season opener in Boston and announced a new dive for the Swiss leg in her champion chase.However the outcome of the competition, the women will see a new winner as 2018’s dominant diver, Lysanne Richard (CAN), has hung up her competition robe.In the men’s it is Gary Hunt who has a title to defend. The Frenchman won here in 2010 and 2018 and with all three of his main challengers being new to the Swiss stage, he can play the experience card. 2022’s only two-time winner and European High Diving champion Constantin Popovici knows this location from a spectator’s point of view back in 2018, while current World Series leader Catalin Preda as well as Boston-winner Aidan Heslop will touch uncharted territory.Local hero Matthias Appenzeller, along with 14 divers for who the fresh water of Lake Uri represents new diving grounds, will spice up one of history’s most competitive cliff diving seasons. Just 382 inhabitants live in the charming village of Sisikon permanently and it will be a flotilla of hundreds of small rubber boats, surfboards and home-made rafts that will multiply this neat number when they come to watch 24 aesthetic athletes plunging into the fresh water at speeds up to 85km/h next weekend. Wildcards (women, men): Meili Carpenter (USA), Elisa Cosetti (ITA), Aimee Harrison (CAN), Iris Schmidbauer (GER), Ginni Van Katwijk (NED); Matthias Appenzeller (SUI), Matthew Cooper (USA), Miguel Garcia (COL), Artem Silchenko (IAT).Click here for more details on 2022’s permanent athletes and wildcards. Standings Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series (after 5 of 8 stops) WOMEN 1- Rhiannan Iffland AUS – 960pts. 2- Molly Carlson CAN – 790 3- Eleanor Smart USA – 552 4- Jessica Macaulay CAN – 538 5- Xantheia Pennisi AUS – 466MEN 1- Catalin Preda ROU – 760pts. 2- Gary Hunt FRA – 680 3- Aidan Heslop GBR – 646 4- Constantin Popovici ROU – 609 5- Alessandro De Rose ITA – 493 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Since 2009 the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has provided a platform for aesthetic free falls and dives of ever-growing complexity, spotlighting the sport’s finest athletes as well as the most promising breakthrough talents. A pure extreme sport, the World Series is hosted in exceptional locations where athletes launch from pure rocks, historical bridges or next to waterfalls always with the aim of acting environmentally responsible and increasing the awareness for the sustainability of our planet. In 2022, 24 of the world’s best cliff divers – 12 women and 12 men – will once again leap, twist and somersault from breathtaking heights of up to 27m and at speeds in excess of 85km/h, with no protection but their concentration, skill and physical control, at eight demanding stops around the world. A thrilling quest for perfection and excellence to win the glorious King Kahekili Trophy is guaranteed in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series’ 13th season. |
