Incredible images have emerged showing daredevil divers plunging from platforms up to 88.5ft (27m) in height in Switzerland during an annual cliff-diving contest.
Close to 10,000 spectators turned out for the adrenaline-pumping event run by Red Bull last weekend on the shores of Lake Lucerne in the municipality of Sisikon.
Photos from the two-day competition show male and female competitors performing dizzying flips and spins as they head towards the water.
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Incredible images have emerged showing daredevil divers plunging from platforms up to 88.5ft (above) in height in Switzerland during an annual cliff-diving contest. Pictured, Miguel Garcia of Colombia
LEFT: Gary Hunt of France captured as he takes the plunge. RIGHT: British diver Aidan Heslop took home gold in the men’s contest
Close to 10,000 spectators turned out for the adrenaline-pumping event. Pictured, Gary Hunt of France
The divers were judged on various aspects of their jumps including the type of take-off they performed, the number of somersaults they could pack in and how they entered the water at the end.
The female divers jumped from a 72.1ft- (22m) high custom-built platform jutting out above the shimmering blue waters, while the men leapt from an 88.5ft- (27m) high ledge.
Aidan Heslop, 20, from the UK won in the men’s division while Rhiannan Iffland, 31, from Australia took home gold in the women’s competition.
Heslop performed four ‘high-quality dives’ over the two competition days, including one that featured four somersaults and three and a half twists that propelled him to a comfortable 40-point victory over his nearest rival, Gary Hunt.
Photos from the two-day competition show male and female competitors performing dizzying flips and spins as they head towards the water
The female divers jumped from a 72.1ft- (22m) high custom-built platform jutting out above the shimmering blue waters, while the men leapt from an 88.5ft- (27m) high ledge. Pictured, Molly Carlson of Canada
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series was established in 2009.
The 88.5ft height of the platform used in last weekend’s event is the altitude ceiling for the competition, with divers experiencing speeds of up to 52.8mph (85kmph) during their three-second descent.
They also experience up to 10 times the force of gravity.
During each stage of the annual contest, divers must perform four dives, with their routines planned beforehand.
Diver Iffland previously explained during an interview with the Irish Examiner that if you get a dive wrong it can be catastrophic.
‘The impact can be quite strong. It can feel like a car crash,’ she said.
In terms of what it feels like to dive from such heights the athlete, who previously worked as a diving entertainer on cruise ships, added: ‘It’s very intimidating. I don’t think it feels any different today than the first time, with that uncertainty.
LEFT: Iris Schmidbauer of Germany prepares to launch an ‘armstand’ dive. RIGHT: Belarusian diver Yana Nestsiarava is photographed as she plunges head first from the diving platform
The 88.5ft height of the platform used in last weekend’s event is the altitude ceiling for the competition, with divers experiencing speeds of up to 52.8mph (85kmph) during their three-second descent. Pictured, Ukrainian diver Nikita Fedotov
During each stage of the annual contest, divers must perform four dives, with their routines planned beforehand. Pictured, French diver Gary Hunt
‘The skills are completely different and it takes a lot more self-trust and mental capacity. It’s a big step up.’
Meanwhile, when quizzed by Red Bull last year about why she liked cliff diving, Colombian athlete Maria Paula Quintero replied: ‘This is a good question. A couple of hours ago, when I was on the 68.8ft (21m) platform, I asked myself: Why am I here? Really, why am I here? – I was very scared, and had too much adrenaline.
‘It’s the feeling in the air that is amazing. It’s the best feeling on earth for me. This feeling that you have adrenaline, this fear, and also, the people here. So for these reasons I love cliff diving.’
From the beautiful cliffs of Sisikon, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series moves on to Polignano a Mar, Italy, on September 18 before the grand finale on October 15 in Sydney.
For the final event, a purpose-built 88.5ft (27m) platform will be erected in the middle of Sydney harbour.
Previous stops in the contest, which started on June 4, have included Bosnia, Paris and Copenhagen.
Maria Paula Quintero of Colombia performs a somersault during the nail-biting contest
Matthias Appenzeller of Switzerland prepares for his dive with an ‘armstand’ to start
For the final event in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, a purpose-built 88.5ft (27m) platform will be erected in the middle of Sydney harbour. Pictured, Nikita Fedotov in Switzerland
Multiple images spliced together show Jessica Macaulay of Canada during one of her dives at the Swiss event
The divers can experience up to 10 times the force of gravity. Pictured, Jean-David Duval of Switzerland
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