PALAWAN, Philippines – Romania’s Constantin Popovici got his title-reclamation bid in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series to a rousing start.
Capitalizing on the absence of reigning men’s world champion Aidan Heslop due to a spine injury, Popovici topped the first round of the season-opening El Nido leg at the Lagen Island on Friday, April 11.
Popovici, who won the 2023 crown, posted 94.50 points as he edged the USA’s James Lichtenstein (89.25) for an early lead in the four-round leg.
To get the total, the scores from the five judges — excluding the lowest and the highest — will be added up and then multiplied with the difficulty score.
Popovici earned three 9.0 scores for his 3.5 difficulty dive.
In women’s action, reigning eight-time world champion Rhiannan Iffland of Australia placed second as the USA’s Kaylea Arnett topped the round.
Arnett did the same 3.4 difficulty dive as Iffland but received slightly better scores from the judges as she garnered 90.10 points.
Iffland, who ruled the El Nido stop in 2019 when the country hosted its first-ever cliff diving event, amassed 88.40 points.
“I’m very satisfied with my dive. I woke up this morning super anxious and super nervous but I know that just means that I care,” said Arnett.
“When I turned up to this location, I just started crying because of how beautiful it is — and I did not feel nervous at all after that.”
Ukraine’s Nelli Chukanivska landed third in the women’s division with 79.05 points, while Spain’s Carlos Gimeno ranked third in the men’s category with 84.0 points.
Filipina-Australian Xantheia Pennisi placed eighth among the 12 females with 55.90 points.
Aside from jumping from frightening heights — 27 meters for men and 21 meters for women — the 24 competitors were given an additional challenge as they needed to scale the towering rock formations of the Lagen Island.
Miscalculating the distance from the cliff to the waters, Italy’s Andrea Barnaba scored zero due to a costly head-first entry, which is prohibited in a sport that requires its athletes to land feet first.
The divers will return to action for the second round at the Small Lagoon. – Rappler.com