Cliff diving is defined as the perfection in acrobatic of diving into water from a high cliff and it completely adds a new dimension to the sport of diving. In order to experience a thrill that lasts for a lifetime, the divers take a plunge in the hard-hitting water beneath braving the rough rocks. Even after centuries today, the activity has developed into an exciting sport that is marked by immense thrill, focus, courage, focus and risk. This exciting and sensational game of cliff diving have originated in 1770 from the Hawaiian Island of Lana´i. To prove their men’s loyalty and courage, Kahekili, the king, demanded that his men jump off high cliffs and hit the water feet first without a splash.
Gary Hunt is considered as one of the most successful and progressive divers in the World Series who has competed in all 50 World Series stops and won most of them. He is also the winner of twenty-five Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competitions till today.
This sensational sport requires an extensive training and sound technical education before one takes the first dive. Apart from extraordinary physical control, self-confidence, courage and possessing the ability to make quick decisions is a must requirement for this extreme sport. Uncompromising focus, unrelenting courage, and the ability to make efficient decisions in a second are what make a successful cliff diver. Extreme caution is a must as one of the riskier kinds of diving is cliff diving. Certain standards have been set to minimize the risk factors for the benefit of the cliff divers. Some of these include an ideal entering speed of 75 – 100 km/h, determining the height of the jump (18 – 23 meters for women, 23 – 28 meters for men) and a free fall time of 3 seconds.
Competitions of Cliff Diving
It is not uncommon for expert professionals to actually dive from heights that cross 45 meters although cliff diving competitions often involve divers diving from a height between 60 to 85 feet that is, (18 and 25 meters). It is not something that can be done successfully without practice and hard training as to do this one requires, daunting courage and a lot of training. Those who do dive off cliffs at heights of 20 meters or above know the area inside and out that they are diving at. They understand the sea conditions and fluctuating wave and know what to expect when they hit the cold water. However, this still does not prevent them from sustaining injuries.
The sport of cliff diving is usually done in areas surrounded by calm waters. All across the world, there are innumerable enticing natural sites that offers locations for this thrilling sport. Apart from the purpose of entertainment and a recreational activity, this extreme sport has also been taken up as a profession by brave heart cliff divers like Gary Hunt who continually organize and conduct spine-chilling shows for the audience at various venues all across the globe.