Kaylea Arnett and James Lichtenstein made history on Saturday in Florida as they became the first American duo to win at the same event in Red Bull Cliff Diving’s 17-year history after a thrilling women’s and men’s competition at St. Petersburg. Here is all you need to know:
– After Briton Aidan Heslop and Red Bull Cliff Diving legend Rhiannan Iffland opened up the season with Bali wins, all eyes were on the second new stop in a row roared on by 50,000 fans on land and water.
– With American Lisa Faulkner also putting on a show for the home fans in third place, Arnett was consistency personified as she produced four polished dives across the three days of competition.
– The 33-year-old was the only female diver not to pick up a single score below eight from the judges to bank her first-ever win from the 21m platform – the USA’s first woman since Cesilie Carlton back in 2017 – by just a record-equalling 0.1pt over Iffland, whose seven-stop win streak came to an end.
– Competing in her 11th World Series event, Arnett said: “This is such a magical experience. I was super happy to have everyone cheering behind my back and I could really feel the environment.”
– After nailing her final dive for victory, she added: “Going last is a totally different vibe and it sets the pressure up really high. I was super nervous and shaking climbing up the ladder, but you just have to put your brain on hold and trust yourself. This is the first time I’ve been able to do PBs on all four of my dives and I’m feeling really confident right now.”
– Iffland’s final dive of 9.5s across the board earned the nine-time champion a bonus point in the overall standings, which she now leads by 12 points from Arnett and Canadian Molly Carlson. The 34-year-old admitted: “I couldn’t have done any more today. Kudos to Kaylea, she was incredible.”
– In the men’s event from 27m, Lichtenstein had the lead after three rounds and held his nerve superbly to ace his last dive to record the best dive of the competition – a Back 5 Somersaults Tuck for 9s – and claim the victory by 26 points from Heslop with Romanian Constantin Popovici third.
– The Florida resident, 31, said: “It’s just an amazing feeling to defend on home turf. I couldn’t even hear the announcer with all the crowd’s cheering and energy, but I knew what I needed to do and I did it. My family and friends are all here, and I’ve made them proud and made myself proud.”
– Lichtenstein only trails 2024 champion Heslop by two points heading into the Copenhagen stop in three weeks’ time where the divers take flight from the roof of the city’s iconic Opera House in Denmark.
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series St. Petersburg result
WOMEN
1. Kaylea Arnett USA 361.45 points
2. Rhiannan Iffland AUS 361.35
3. Lisa Faulkner USA 345.90
MEN
1. James Lichtenstein USA 429.60
2. Aidan Heslop (W) GBR 403.20
3. Constantin Popovici ROU 379.55
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series standings (after 2 of 6 events)
WOMEN
1. Rhiannan Iffland AUS 37 points
2. Kaylea Arnett USA 25
3. Molly Carlson CAN 25
MEN
1. Aidan Heslop (W) GBR 36
2. James Lichtenstein USA 34
3. Jonathan Paredes MEX 22
