On June 4th, some of the world’s most daring athletes will gather at Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas to kick off the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Cliff diving is an extreme sport that draws athletes from around the world to test their strength and focus by diving into water from platforms as high as 28 meters above the water level. The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will test the best in the sport at nine different locations around the world.
In cliff diving, it’s integral to choose the right location and understand the physics behind the dive. The perfect cliff for safe diving must have a water depth of at least five meters according to the official rulebook of the World Series, with no dangerous rocks or debris under the surface or on the cliff face itself. For competitions, if a suitably safe natural platform is unavailable, a professional rigging team will set up a stable platform.
Visibility in the water is a key factor in judging ideal diving conditions. The water needs to be clear so divers have a full understanding of the depth of the water and the potential obstructions they need to avoid. Rough, choppy water caused by windy conditions can reduce visibility by churning up loose sand and debris from the bottom. It can also create dangerous currents, increasing the threat that a careless diver might be thrown against the rocky base. Sunny skies help promote visibility, while fog or precipitation reduce it, a consideration not only for participants but spectators as well. Fortunately the nine World Series sites in this year’s rotation were picked based on the judgment that they possessed favorable combinations of water depth and tranquil weather conditions.
The physics behind the dive are just as important as the dive itself. When a person jumps off a cliff, they are free falling, so the only force influencing their speed is gravity. Male divers in the Red Bull World Series dive from as high as 28 meters and reach the water in just three seconds at speeds up to 85 kph (52 mph). Compare that with Olympic divers who only jump from a height of ten meters and reach the water in 1.5 to two seconds at speeds up to 27 kph (17 mph). Divers do not generally dive from higher than 28 meters because it greatly increases the speeds at which divers hit the water, leading to a bigger risk of injury. Even at the standard 26 to 28 meters, a failed dive can be disastrous – landing the wrong way from a height of 28 meters into water has the same jarring impact as a jump from a height of 13 meters onto concrete.
To avoid injury upon entry into water, divers must enter the water upright with arms at their sides and muscles kept tight to avoid compression or contortion of the body by the impact with the water. In three seconds, the divers also must complete certain tricks to increase their scores before entering the water in the upright position. When the divers hit the water their velocity drops from 85 kph to zero in less than a second, and so must maintain their entry position perfectly. This specific position is to prevent the divers from absorbing too much force as they enter the water.
Want more? Follow the build up to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series at www.redbullcliffdiving.com.
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Photo: Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool