THE Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series-Season 11, which kicks in El Nido, Palawan, next month, will have a familiar face on the sidelines as Olympian Greg Louganis is back to serve as sports director.
Part of the much-anticipated diving event in the past as judge, Mr. Louganis, 59, widely considered “the greatest American diver,” was named sports director in 2017 and said he is enjoying his position and looking forward to working on the 11th season.
“I was invited as a judge on the tour years ago. Then after the passing of my dear friend and former Olympic competitor Niki Stajkovic, who was the original sports director, Red Bull reached out to me and asked if I could step into the role,” shared Mr. Louganis of how he got involved in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
“I am honored to be back this year on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. I look forward to another exciting year,” he added.
As sports director, the Olympian will oversee every athletic and logistical aspect of the competition, ensuring that all safety measures are met as well as the consistent implementation of competition rules across all the competitors.
“Some of the safety measures we look for is if the diving heights meet the standard requirements of 27 meters for the men and 21 meters for the women. Also making sure that there is at least five meters water depth which the divers would be diving in,” said Mr. Louganis, a bemedalled diver who competed and won medals in the 1976, ’84 and ’88 Olympics as well as in the FINA World Championships.
This year marks the first time that the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will make a stop in the Philippines.
It will take place on the weekend of April 12 in the Small and Big Lagoons located in Miniloc Island in El Nido.
It will be the only Asian stop for the year of the series, which will move to Dublin, Ireland, after the Philippines for the second leg.
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series-Season 11 will be broadcast live via Red Bull TV.
Viewers in the Philippines may also watch the full event, along with the remaining six stops of the 2019 World Series on S+A and iWant Sports (iwant.ph), 5PLUS and 5plus.com.ph, FOX Sports, FOX Sports GO, FOX+ app, and online at http://www.foxsports.ph. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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