Three years ago the Red Bull Cliff Diving happens for the first time at lake Wolfgang - this year the thrilling Cliff Diving happens again in St. Gilgen at the Falkensteinwand. The last time more than 3.000 visitors had come to see Cliff Divers!
On Saturday, July 19th 2008, starting at 05.00 p.m.
CLIFF DIVERS UNDER HIGH TENSION
Twelve men, one wall, and 27.5 meters separating the takeoff board from the lake’s surface. Between the start and the finish: pure aesthetic and physical mastery, deathly silence and crackling tension. When a cliff diver plunges acrobatically into the depths, he accelerates from zero to 90 kilometers per hour in 2.5 seconds, and decelerates to zero just four meters after entering the water. – Experience this spectacular sport live and uniquely in Austria at Red Bull Cliff Diving on Falkenstein Wall at Lake Wolfgang on July 19th, 2008.
Thrills and Gooseflesh
Perfect control of body and mind are absolutely essential because of the extreme height of the takeoff and the tremendous force of the impact. Orlando Duque talks about the calculated risk: “I always know exactly if and when I can dive. When I’m feeling good, it makes no difference whether the dive is 20 or 25 meters.” Nevertheless, fear accompanies him every time: „“When you stop being afraid, you begin to live dangerously.”
The audience by the water’s edge can feel the athletes’ nervous tension. Enthusiastic applause greets each diver when he steps onto the platform, but the crowd below him becomes totally silent and everyone holds their breath when he raises his hand to give the signal. The utmost concentration and absolute stillness reign supreme now. Then the jump, the plunge and the immersion! Only after he has resurfaced and triumphantly stretched his arm toward skyward do the spectators lose their gooseflesh, breathe normally and begin to cheer again.
Duque, a native of Columbia who has won the world championship nine times, ranks among the planet’s best cliff divers. Together with eleven other top athletes from eight different countries, he’ll celebrate the fine art of cliff diving on July 19th. The winner of Red Bull Cliff Diving in 2005 says: “The Falkenstein Wall at Lake Wolfgang is predestined for our sport, and the spirit among the spectators is incredible.” This year’s takeoff height will be 27.5 meters – half a meter higher than three years ago. The forces impacting on the athletes are nine times stronger than when they dive from a 10-meter tower. Niki Stajkovic is acutely aware of this: “You might survive a minor mistake when you jump from a tower, but not when you dive off a cliff.” Stajkovic, a veteran of the Austrian Olympic high-diving team, will be one of five jurors evaluating the divers’ performances. Only after the last of the three rounds has been judged will the winning athlete be chosen – and jubilantly cheered as he climbs to the top of the victory stand.
A Place in the Sun
The prowess of the athletes in the starting field couldn’t be higher. Qualifying rounds begin at 5:00 p.m. Spectators can witness all the action from a specially marked viewing area at the foot of Falkenstein Wall – the only precondition is that they have a floatation device beneath them. Alternatively, would-be spectators can apply for one of the limited number of seats in the viewing boat. More information is available at: www.redbull.at/cliffdiving
Sector 1: Area where the athletes dive in - no spectators due to reasons of sofety
Sector 2: only for rubber dinghies, air mattresses or similar non-motorized floating bodies
Sekcor 3: small boats, motors need to be turned off
Sector 4: big motorboats and ships
5: raft for speaker and athletes
6: raft for ambulance/doctor/divers/award ceremony
7: life guards and instructors
The area of the event is within the red circle
generally:
Please attend the orders of the staff.
Please esteem to the announcement of the anchorman.
Tip:
Please note - you are at an Outdoor-event - please ingest enough liquid (NO ALCOHOL!!) and be careful to have sufficient sunscreen. The wearing or entrainmenting of life jackets is recommend.
Please note - nonswimmer MUST wear a life jacket!!
Have a look to the videoclip from the Cilff Diving 2005
