Champions Gary Hunt of France and Rhiannan Iffland of Australia return to the podium to kick off the Cliff Diving World Series in the opening leg held in El Nido, Palawan.
France’s Gary Hunt returned to the top of the podium for the ?rst time in three years and Australia’s Rhiannan I?and made the perfect start in her bid to win a ninth straight King Kahekili Trophy as the 2025 Red Bull Cli? Diving World Series kicked o? in the spectacular setting of El Nido, Philippines.
The new season saw the sport transported back to its purest form with three days of competition on the cli?s surrounding the ethereal Lagen Island. Competitors were able to showcase their most daring dives from man-made platforms into the picturesque Blue Lagoon.
In the men’s competition, it was 10-time champion Hunt — appearing as a wildcard after vacating his permanent place on the tour last season in order to ful?l his Olympic dream on home soil — who claimed victory with a brilliant Back 3 Somersaults 4 Twists Free in the ?nal round.
"I feel great, I can’t wait to tell my wife. We’ve been travelling the last six months and I’ve only had maybe eight or nine sessions in the pool since the Olympics. My head was on the chopping block and if I didn’t do well here it was goodbye to the season. They’re going to have to invite me back now," the 40-year-old Hunt said.
@onesportsphl SUCCESSFUL HUNT 👏 French cliff diving sensation Gary Hunt came in as a wildcard in the opening leg of a cliff diving world series in El Nido, Palawan—and nailed it, soaring to the top of the standings after four rounds. Hunt spoke about the pressure to impress the judges and fight for his place in the competition. | via LJ Abadinas/One Sports #OneSports #OSOnTheSpot ? original sound - OneSportsPHL
Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes secured his best result since 2019 with a surprise second-place ?nish, while Romanian Constantin Popovici completed the top three. This meant that it was the ?rst time in history that two wildcards had posted a 1-2, while the combined ages of the top three made it the ‘oldest’ podium ever.
There were no such twists on the 21m platform as I?and, the dominant force in the women’s competition since 2016, once again showcased her quality by ?nishing on top of the podium to claim her 42nd victory in 52 starts.
"I’m super, super happy, and I feel relieved to be honest. I came in not so con?dent, I didn’t know if I could do it and I’ve done it. It’s a beautiful but challenging location, and it shows those who have experience are going to have the upper hand," the 33-year-old Iffland shared.
@onesportsphl WAY TO GO RIRI 🙌 Eight-time world champion and Australian cliff diver Rhiannan Iffland is stoked after clinching the win in the women’s division of the opening leg of a cliff diving world series in El Nido, Palawan. This also marks her second straight victory in El Nido, following her triumph at the same event in 2019. | via LJ Abadinas/One Sports #OneSports #OSOnTheSpot ? original sound - OneSportsPHL
The reigning champion was joined on the podium by two rising stars in the sport, both of whom were competing for the ?rst time as permanent athletes following their well-earned upgrades at the end of last season.
American Kaylea Arnett, who brie?y led the standings after round one, claimed the runner-up spot to make it four podiums in six career starts, edging the young up-and-comer Nelli Chukanivska into third place , a repeat of last year’s ?nale performance for the 18-year-old Ukrainian.
As well as the points earned for their ?nal positions, Popovici and I?and both pocketed a bonus championship point for laying down the best dives of the competition; a Forward 2 Somersaults ½ Twist Pike for the Romanian powerhouse in round two, and a victory-clinching Inward 3 Somersaults ½ Twist Tuck for the invincible Aussie.
Following three intense days, the cli? diving elite will not take a two-month break before returning to Polignano a Mare – the home of European cli? diving – for the season’s second stop at the end of June in Italy.
Results Red Bull Cli? Diving World Series El Nido
WOMEN
1. Rhiannan I?and AUS – 352.95pts.
2. Kaylea Arnett USA – 320.65
3. Nelli Chukanivska UKR – 313.80
4. Meili Carpenter USA – 280.20
5. Molly Carlson CAN – 279.65
6. Simone Leathead CAN – 275.90
7. Iris Schmidbauer (W) GER – 265.95
8. Xantheia Pennisi (W) AUS – 261.40
9. Maria Paula Quintero (W) COL – 260.60
10. Elisa Cosetti ITA – 255.55
11. Ginni van Katwijk NED – 231.00
12. Eleanor Smart (W) USA – 223.60
MEN
1. Gary Hunt (W) FRA – 422.10pts.
2. Jonathan Paredes (W) MEX – 381.90
3. Constantin Popovici ROU – 381.15
4. Oleksiy Prygorov UKR – 353.35
5. Carlos Gimeno ESP – 339.10
6. Nikita Fedotov (W) ARM – 328.10
7. Yolotl Martinez MEX – 313.85
8. Miguel Garcia (W) COL – 270.60
9. Braden Rumpit (W) NZL – 247.35
10. Catalin Preda (W) ROU – 238.30
11. James Lichtenstein USA – 219.65
12. Andrea Barnaba ITA – DNF