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Hunt and Iffland Begin Red Bull Cliff Diving Season with Victories in the Philippines
Titleholders kick off the new season with impressive displays in El Nido.
France’s Gary Hunt returned to the top of the podium for the first time in three years, and Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland made a perfect start in her bid to win a ninth straight King Kahekili Trophy as the 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series kicked off in the spectacular setting of El Nido, Philippines.
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The new season transported the sport back to its purest form, featuring three days of competition on the cliffs surrounding the picturesque Blue Lagoon. Competitors showcased their most daring dives from man-made platforms, highlighting the beauty and thrill of the event.
In the men’s competition, 10-time champion Hunt, who returned as a wildcard after vacating his permanent spot on the tour to pursue his Olympic dream, clinched victory with an impressive Back 3 Somersaults 4 Twists Free in the final round.
Hunt, 40, expressed his excitement, saying, “I feel great! I can’t wait to tell my wife. We’ve been traveling for the past six months, and I’ve only had about eight or nine sessions in the pool since the Olympics. My performance was critical; if I didn’t do well here, it would have meant the end of the season. Now, they’ll have to invite me back.”
Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes achieved his best result since 2019 with a surprise second-place finish, joined by Romanian Constantin Popovici in third. This marked the first time in history that two wildcards secured a 1-2 finish, while the combined ages of the top three created the ‘oldest’ podium ever. In contrast, Iffand dominated the women’s 21m platform competition, claiming her 42nd victory in 52 starts.
Iffand, 33, expressed, “I’m incredibly happy and relieved. I entered with doubts about my abilities, but I succeeded. This beautiful yet challenging location reveals that those with experience will have an advantage.”
The reigning champion stood atop the podium alongside two emerging talents, both competing as permanent athletes for the first time after their upgrades last season. American Kaylea Arnett, who briefly led the standings after round one, secured second place with four podium finishes in six starts, edging out 18-year-old Ukrainian Nelli Chukanivska, who finished third, mirroring last year’s finale performance.
Popovici and Iffand not only earned points for their final positions but also secured bonus championship points for their exceptional dives. Popovici executed a Forward 2 Somersaults ½ Twist Pike in round two, while Iffand clinched victory with an Inward 3 Somersaults ½ Twist Tuck.
After three intense days, the cliff diving elite will take a brief break before returning to Polignano a Mare, the home of European cliff diving, for the second stop of the season at the end of June in Italy.
Results Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series El Nido
WOMEN
- Rhiannan Iffand AUS – 352.95pts.
- Kaylea Arnett USA – 320.65
- Nelli Chukanivska UKR – 313.80
- Meili Carpenter USA – 280.20
- Molly Carlson CAN – 279.65
- Simone Leathead CAN – 275.90
- Iris Schmidbauer (W) GER – 265.95
- Xantheia Pennisi (W) AUS – 261.40
- Maria Paula Quintero (W) COL – 260.60
- Elisa Cosetti ITA – 255.55
- Ginni van Katwijk NED – 231.00
- Eleanor Smart (W) USA – 223.60
MEN
- 1. Gary Hunt (W) FRA – 422.10pts.
- Jonathan Paredes (W) MEX – 381.90
- Constantin Popovici ROU – 381.15
- Oleksiy Prygorov UKR – 353.35
- Carlos Gimeno ESP – 339.10
- Nikita Fedotov (W) ARM – 328.10
- Yolotl Martinez MEX – 313.85
- Miguel Garcia (W) COL – 270.60
- Braden Rumpit (W) NZL – 247.35
- Catalin Preda (W) ROU – 238.30
- James Lichtenstein USA – 219.65
- Andrea Barnaba ITA – DNF
Standings (after 1 of 4 rounds)
WOMEN
- Rhiannan Iffand AUS – 21pts.
- Kaylea Arnett USA – 16
- Nelli Chukanivska UKR – 13
- Meili Carpenter USA – 10
- Molly Carlson CAN – 8
MEN
- Gary Hunt (W) FRA – 20pts.
- Jonathan Paredes (W) MEX – 16
- Constantin Popovici ROU – 14
- Oleksiy Prygorov UKR – 10
- Carlos Gimeno ESP – 8
Explore more Red Bull Cliff Diving content HERE.
For more information and updates, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok )
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Hunt and Iffland Begin Red Bull Cliff Diving Season with Victories in the Philippines
Melo Villareal
Out of Town Blog
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