Cliff jumping in Sisikon: highlight in central Switzerland

Last weekend the time had come: After the first three stops (Texas, Bilbao and San Miguel) of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, the spectacular event now also made a stop in Sisikon. In hot temperatures and beautiful weather, the jumpers delivered impressive jumps of 21 and 27 m in front of 8500 spectators.

At an event like this, you don't need to know much about the sport, because the event itself is a breathtaking spectacle. Anyone who has ever looked down from a 10-meter tower into the water pool and didn't dare to jump down, can perhaps understand what kind of courage and overcoming it takes to jump down from 21 meters (women) or 27 meters (men) into the water.

The fact that even experienced jumpers sometimes struggle with this is hardly surprising to anyone. Perhaps the winner of the event, Gary Hunt, also has to struggle with this, who has been plagued by a mental block since losing his title in 2017 and a weak start in 2018. But what this daredevil Englishman can do once he is in the air is fabulous. A perfection of somersaults and screws during the eternity of seconds until he dives into the water. The victory this weekend was fully in order, his performance extra class. After his victory he said: "This was not the old Gary Hunt today, today it was a different man. Gary 2.0, once you deal with a mental block it never really goes away, you have to learn to deal with it."

In the women's event, Canada's Lysanne Richard took the win. After the mother of three had to sit out the 2017 competition due to a neck injury, the win was all the more upsetting for her. "It was so emotional to win here today, I couldn't stop crying. Just being back was a big win. I am so grateful for all the help I received," she said after the competition.

Switzerland owes Red Bull a unique spectacle this weekend, which will continue in Copenhagen on August 25, 2018.

Results men, Sisikon
1st Gary Hunt, GBR, 411.35 points
2nd Jonathan Paredes, MEX ,407.05 points
3rd Andy Jones, USA, 369.25 points

Men, Table 2018
1st Steven LoBue, USA, 540 points
2nd Jonathan Paredes, MEX, 420 points
3rd Gary Hunt, GBR, 410 points
3rd Michal Navratil, CZE, 410 points

Results ladies, Sisikon
1. Lysanne Richard, CAN, 313.45 points
2. Rhiannan Iffland, AUS, 307.35 points
3rd Jessica Macaulay, GBR, 297 points

Ladies, Table 2018
1st Rhiannan Iffland, AUS, 470Points
2nd Adriana Jimenez, MEX, 450 points
3rd Lysanne Richard, CAN, 420 points