The jubilee 10th edition of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Mostar got underway today with an exciting opening round in both the men’s and women’s competitions, as the world’s best cliff divers thrilled spectators gathered beneath the iconic Old Bridge.
Continuing the city’s long-standing tradition, the first-round dives were performed directly from the stone arch of the Old Bridge, drawing loud applause and ovations from the enthusiastic crowd.
Pennisi and Carlson Share Women’s Lead
The opening round of the women’s competition ended with a tie for first place between Xantheia Pennisi (Australia) and Molly Carlson (Canada), who each received 66.30 points from the judges.
Just behind them is Kaylea Arnett (USA) with 65.00 points, while Simone Leathead (Canada), Ginni van Katwijk (Netherlands) and reigning series champion Rhiannan Iffland (Australia) are tied on 63.70 points.
Further down the standings:
- Lisa Faulkner (USA) – 62.40
- Iris Schmidbauer (Germany) – 62.40
- Stella Forsyth (Australia) – 62.40
- Nelli Chukanivska (Ukraine) – 60.00
- Morgane Herculano (Switzerland) – 50.70
- Maike Halbisch (Germany) – 46.80
Gary Hunt Tops Men’s Standings
In the men’s competition, Gary Hunt (France) made an impressive start, demonstrating excellent form to claim first place after the opening round with 66.30 points.
Second place belongs to Oleksiy Prygorov (Ukraine) with 65.00 points.
Miguel Garcia (Colombia) and Carlos Gimeno (Spain) are tied on 63.70 points, followed by:
- Constantin Popovici (Romania) – 62.40
- Aidan Heslop (Great Britain) – 62.40
- Sergio Guzman (Mexico) – 62.40
- James Lichtenstein (USA) – 62.40
- Michael Foisy (Canada) – 61.10
- Yolotl Martinez (Mexico) – 61.10
- Pierrick Schafer (Switzerland) – 58.50
- Jucelino Junior (Brazil) – 58.70
Competition Continues on Friday
The second day of competition will take place on Friday, July 31, with the second round scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m.
Fans unable to travel to Mostar can watch the event live on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series YouTube channel. The final competition day on Saturday, August 1, will also be streamed on YouTube, Red Bull TV, and Hayat TV from 4:30 p.m.
Special Train to Bring Fans to Mostar
For Saturday’s finale, organizers have arranged a special train service on the Sarajevo–Mostar–Sarajevo route, allowing visitors to travel comfortably without worrying about traffic or parking.
Passengers will also enjoy music, refreshments and panoramic views along one of Europe’s most scenic railway routes.
The train departs Sarajevo’s Main Railway Station at 11:00 a.m., while the return journey from Mostar is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. A return ticket costs 30 KM and can be purchased through the Entrio platform.
Evening Entertainment Across Mostar
Following Friday’s and Saturday’s spectacular diving action, visitors can continue the celebration with live music at four locations across Mostar:
- Bijeli Bar
- Marshall
- Lazy Bar Stage (below the Old Bridge)
- Alibaba
Among the highlights is a performance by the Bosnian group Divanhana, scheduled for Saturday, August 1, at Bijeli Bar.
Overall Championship Standings Before Mostar
Women
- Rhiannan Iffland (Australia) – 57 points
- Simone Leathead (Canada) – 37 points
- Molly Carlson (Canada) – 33 points
- Lisa Faulkner (USA) – 33 points
- Kaylea Arnett (USA) – 31 points
Men
- Aidan Heslop (Great Britain) – 52 points
- James Lichtenstein (USA) – 44 points
- Constantin Popovici (Romania) – 35 points
- Catalin Preda (Romania) – 32 points
- Jonathan Paredes (Mexico) – 23 points
