Divers prepare to take plunge in Krabi

Divers prepare to take plunge in Krabi

World Series competitors rely on precise technique to avoid serious injury

For most people, hurtling off of a cliff would signal the end of their life. But for professional divers, particularly those in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, it's their job.

David Colturi in action in Boston.

"You don't want to overthink it when you get on to the platform _ that's the worst thing you can do," said David Colturi, an American diver hailing from Ann Arbor who joined the tour two years ago after he qualified for an event in Australia.

"Once you have prepared and you are up there, it is really about appreciating what is in front of you. You then think of a few mental cues, count to three, and then go. It is all autopilot from there."

The Cliff Diving World Series feature eight events each year. Divers perform similarly to those seen at the Olympic Games, but in cliff diving the athletes jump off 27m precipices _ nearly three times the height of the 10m Olympic board.

"The main technical difference between cliff diving and Olympic diving is the entry," said Colturi, who is famous for his favourite dive, a double reverse somersault with four twists.

"At the Olympic diving, you always end up on your hands, but in cliff diving you have to go in feet first because the impact is too great for your upper body to handle."

Cliff divers often make contact with the water at death a defying speed of up to 83kph. Precise technique is the only thing saving them from serious injury.

"Even the slightest miscalculation at this speed can be disastrous. It could be fatal," said Colturi.

The American admitted that jumping off cliffs at a breakneck speed might seem a little crazy to people on the outside looking in.

"It's not like any of us, as cliff divers, would expect anyone to understand why we do this," he said. "It takes such a deep passion for the sport to be able to get into it like we do. My dad always jokes: I think I may have dropped him on his head as a kid!"

The 2013 Cliff Diving World Series culminate Oct 21-26 in the final event to be staged off the coast of Krabi province in southern Thailand, where this year's world champion will be crowned.

"In a way, the tour is really coming back to its roots," said Colturi, who noted Red Bull energy drink came from Thailand, and the event in Krabi will feature several dives directly off cliff faces without diving platforms _ a tribute to the origin of the sport.

The US top-ranked cliff diver said he had seen the popularity of the sport explode since Red Bull started the World Series five years ago.

The discipline has been noticed by world's swimming governing body Fina as well, and the sanctioning body is considering adding cliff diving as an exhibition event to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Colturi hopes the exposure in Rio could lead to the sport being officially recognised in time for the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

"That would be huge. It would mean the world to us," he said.

"It would be another huge milestone for the sport, which has already come so far in such a short amount of time.

"Honestly, the potential of this sport is limitless. The Olympics are an option. With Red Bull keeping pushing the sport further and further, who knows where it could be five, 10, or 15 years from now."

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