WORLD-CLASS cliff diving action comes to the Philippines in April as Red Bull stages the first leg of its world series in El Nido, Palawan.
Making its debut in the Philippines, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is set to happen on April 12 and 13, and will set the pace for what is set to be a seven-stop global tour.
Happening at the Small and Big Lagoon in Miniloc Island in El Nido, 24 professional male and female cliff divers from 18 countries are expected to compete, including record champions Rhiannan Iffland of Austria and Gary Hunt of Great Britain.
Each stop of the tour would also feature four wildcard divers seeking to earn their way up the ranks.
In the competition, competing divers will soar from heights of up to 27m at speeds in excess of 86km/h with nothing else but their concentration, skill, and physical control. They will be scored by an international jury who will grade each dive on the following metrics, namely, take-off, position in the air and entry in the water.
Organizers said that apart from exposing the Filipinos in the sport of cliff diving, the world series leg is also a good opportunity to share to the world the headway that conservation efforts in Palawan have made and raise further awareness on them.
“The grant to hold the event in a national park is not merely to draw more tourists, but to show the world our efforts to protect and preserve this paradise from the threats of mass tourism. I personally think the event can help convey to the world the need to protect paradises like ours though responsible tourism,” said Carolyn Esmenda, Assistant Protection Area Management Board Superintendent.
Apart from the competition proper a number of educational and clean-up workshops will be conducted on the island as well .
After the Philippines, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will have stops in Dublin, Ireland (May 12); Polignano a Mare, Italy (June 2); Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal (June 22); Beirut, Lebanon (July 14); Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Aug. 24); and Bilbao, Spain (Sept. 14).
The event can be seen live via Red Bull TV as well as on FOX Sports, FOX Sports GO, FOX+ app, and online at http://www.foxsports.ph. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
