The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series turned the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront into an international extreme sport destination Saturday.
Two dozen adrenaline-seeking athletes flung themselves off sky-high platforms into the North Yacht Basin, hitting the water at about 65 mph.
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The St. Pete Pier competition, which drew 50,000 fans across two days, featured 24 of the world’s top cliff divers, 12 men and 12 women. The men launched from a 90-foot platform, while the women dove in from 70.
American Kaylea Arnett (361.45) prevailed Saturday in the women’s division, edging Rhiannan Iffland of Australia (361.35), who won her ninth consecutive Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series title in 2025.
“I haven’t fully wrapped my head around the whole concept of it. The turnout here today was great, and the energy of the Floridian people … I love their energy,” Arnett said.
For the men, American James Lichtenstein (429.6) won the St. Pete stop, beating out Aidan Heslop of the United Kingdom (403.2).
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“It feels good to defend home turf. … It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Lichtenstein, who lives in Fort Lauderdale. “Having the crowd behind me, and my family and friends here to support me, made the moment meaningful.”
Judges score dives based on several factors, including the power of the takeoff, body position and control in the air, as well as the precision of the water entry. Divers aim to maintain straight lines with fully extended arms and legs before finishing with a clean entry into the water, according to Orlando Duque, the event’s sports director.
The St. Pete event was the second stop on the six-event Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, following the season opener in Bali. The series will continue with competitions in Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Oman.
