More than 3,000 people visited the Aran Islands for the 2014 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, a two day event which saw 14 divers from all over the world diving from a 28 metre platform specially constructed over Serpent’s Lair on Inis Mór.
The adrenaline pumping event resulted in UK diver Gary Hunt winning the third leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series after an incredible performance last Sunday afternoon. Mr Hunt, who has three World Series titles to his name, secured another personal goal, beating 13 other divers, from 10 different countries.
Commenting on his win, Mr Hunt said: “It’s quite special this one. Having come here two years ago and having a really tough competition when I was not at my best and got the worst result of my career, it’s been great to get the win. I have to say that I was bit nervous when I saw this competition on the calendar. It’s such a challenge, but to have got through it and taken the win, it’s pretty special. Two wins in a row definitely makes a statement and is definitely going to help me in my challenge for the top spot. I’ve got a nice lead now, but with just one mistake you could miss a final and then that lead is gone so I’m not taking anything for granted.”
Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has revolutionised the sport of cliff diving. The event involved seven stops on three continents, with just one champion emerging at the end. Described as the purest extreme sport on earth, cliff divers defy gravity, perform tricks of breataking complexity, and reach speeds of more than 85kph in less than three seconds. Now that the Aran Islands’ leg of the world series is complete, the cliff diving elite will head north to the Kragerø archipelago in Norway for the next stop in two weeks’ time.
