Anna Kane reports on the 2024 Red Bull Cliff Diving Competition in Ballycastle.
Thousands of people landed in the north coast town of Ballycastle on the 19th and 20th of July to capture the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Freefalling from up to 27m these divers not only are divers but most of them are acrobats. Somersaulting, backflipping into the water you name it they can do it.
As these athletes prepared for the weather here on the north coast, one of the coaches Orlando Duque said: “The divers have been training for many years and they are ready to do what they do, however, they would have to adapt to the temperature of the water”, this is due to the divers being used to diving in warmer temperatures than here in the North Coast. However, with coaches like Orlando, the divers are warned as Orlando said: “For example, on Friday we had a very early start we were diving at seven in the morning so I say to them be prepared”.
Talking about his professional diving career Orlando has a few pointers for anyone keen to get into the sport, he said: “You have to learn the technique, it is going to be a long process as there is a lot of training and you have to put in the time”. Discussing the team’s obstacles when beginning to take this event to Ballycastle, Orlando discussed: “Diving in natural locations is not easy, we have to get permits to access to use the cliffs and also diving in the harbor is not easy as ferries are coming in and out, so getting all that set up is difficult but we have a great team”.
As Orlando went to help with the final preparations, a few local people commented on this event and what it meant for the town. One local woman who follows the cliff diving shares her opinions on the event as she stated: “This event has been fantastic, I have looked forward to it when I heard that it was coming to Ballycastle. Being a lover of the sport, I have followed in Greece and Italy and wondered if it would be as successful in Ballycastle but it has been brilliant”.
Commenting on the organisation of the event, she said: “It has been well organised, great atmosphere, it’s very exciting and it is great to see Ballycastle cheering the divers on”. Asking the most important question of who she had in mind for the winner, she said: “I think they will all do fantastic however I am cheering on all the women as I think they are fantastic”. Highlighting the youngest ever man to participate in this event she said: “I am impressed by the 16-year-old Archie, that must be nerve-wracking”.
This event flooded the town with positivity and businesses and stall owners are concerned. Speaking with Tom the owner, of the well-known Thyme and Co Café situated in Ballycastle shared his outlook on this event and how it impacts his café. Tom states: “This event is only positive for us as a café, however, because this is Red Bull’s first event here in Ballycastle we are not sure how it’s going to go but it can only be positive”, this reinforces the benefits for all businesses in the town.
It is around this time of year that tourists and holidaymakers will be rife in this area. A man from London stated: “It was just a coincidence this event was on so it was a great time to come down and it is just wonderful for the town”. Charities were out and about raising vital funds during the two days, speaking with a Marie Curie volunteer she said: “Yes, people are being very generous as this event is bringing people to the town and they are supporting our cause”.
The weather wasn’t the best but this didn’t stop Oleksiy Prygorov from Ukraine as he said: “It is incredible, the atmosphere and the support were phenomenal”. The divers felt supported and encouraged 35-year-old Johnathon Paredes from Mexico said: “It was great, the weather helped us a little bit at the end because during it, it was raining, cloudy and foggy but we made it and I am super happy that all my friends are happy”.
Speaking to the winner from Australia, Rhiannon Iffland said, “It was been a great experience here in Ireland and to win in these weather conditions you know it has been a tough weekend but I am so delighted to be able to pull it off and dive well, the winning is the icing on the cake”. It is fair to say that Ballycastle had a ‘splashing’ time.
