The energy on the Florida waterfront was electric this past weekend. For the first time in history, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series brought its aerial acrobatics to the Florida, transforming St. Petersburg’s North Yacht Basin into an amphitheater. More than 50,000 fans packed the St. Pete Pier and a massive flotilla of boats across Tampa Bay to watch the competition.
This weekend, the Americans showed the world exactly how to handle that heavy pressure. In the Women’s division, Kaylea Arnett of the USA took first place with 361.45 points. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) followed closely in second place with 361.35 points. American Lisa Faulkner secured third place with 345.90 points. In the Men’s division, American James Lichtenstein won first place after kicking off the season with a 3rd place finish at the season-opener in Bali.
Arnett Edges Out the Legend by Fractions
Photo: Dean Treml / Red Bull Content Pool
In the women’s final, Kaylea Arnett went toe-to-toe with nine-time World Series champion Rhiannan Iffland. Arnett executed a flawless last dive to beat out the champion by a razor-thin margin of just 0.10 points, finishing with 361.45 points.
“I went out there and used every ounce of energy left that I had for this one last dive, and, oh my gosh, I’m just happy that it worked out,” Arnett said afterward. “I’m proud that I beat myself today.”
To make the hometown crowd even wilder, Florida local Lisa Faulkner of Delray Beach claimed the third-place spot on the podium with 345.90 points.
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Lichtenstein Defends Home Turf
Photo: Mike Hunnisett / Red Bull Content Pool
On the men’s side, James Lichtenstein was coming off a third-place finish at the season opener in Bali, Indonesia. The Fort Lauderdale resident blew the competition out of the water this weekend.
Less than a year ago, Lichtenstein became the first American man to win a Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series event on U.S. soil during the Boston stop. He brought that exact same energy to St. Pete, stomping his dives to capture his third career World Series victory.
Lichtenstein said, ““It feels good to defend home turf. From winning Boston to winning here in St. Pete, it’s just an amazing feeling. Having the crowd behind me, and my family and friends here to support me, made the moment meaningful.”
A Historic Milestone for Team USA
This inaugural Florida stop marks a milestone for American high diving. Pulling off two victories and three total podium positions in a single weekend is a testament to the rising talent pool in the United States. If you missed out on the live action, replays of the mind-bending St. Pete event are available right now on Red Bull TV and YouTube.
Marlee KnightContent & Event Coordinator
Marlee Knight is a Content & Event Coordinator at Teton Gravity Research, helping support film premieres, events, and the stories that bring the action sports community together. When she’s not working, she’s usually outside — snowboarding, backpacking, or out with a camera.