A cliff diver doesn’t need much more than the obvious: body, skills, guts and of course a cliff with a stretch of water below, if one wants to break it down to the real ‘essentials’. But getting into the mood, finding the right state of mind and fine-tuning the body for the imminent task is mostly what distinguishes a good from a bad dive. Anything that helps a healthy mental status or just something that provides ease and comfort is what a diver really needs. Well and maybe a swimsuit or a pair of speedos are worth mentioning…
Swimming trunks & swimsuit – No matter what, when cliff divers travel, they always carry their ‘speedos’ – diving lingo for swimming trunks – and swimsuits in their hand-luggage. In cliff diving, this is the only real piece of equipment and some of the divers wear more than one when diving from great heights. Sometimes the impact on the water is so strong, that putting some extra layers –even thin onesbetween your skin and the water takes away the edge a tiny bit. Also, it has been known for speedos to rip upon water entry, so wearing an extra pair can help maintain a diver’s dignity!
70 Exercise mat – Your square metre of comfort to warm up and get your muscles and joints ready for three seconds of acrobatic freefall and hitting the water at speeds of up to 85km/h.
WE PACKED THE BAG AND IN IT WE PUT:
THE ESSENTIALS
Shammy – The chamois or ‘shammy’ is a multi-purpose small towel that keeps the diver’s body dry before a dive. Not too dry though, the ‘shammy’ takes away just the right amount of water to leave the skin slightly moist and sticky. This is important because the hands and legs need to be dry so as not to slip out of position in the air. In case of low temperatures, the divers also use the chamois to dry their bodies and stay warm. It’s also dry again as soon as you wring it out!
Flip-flops – cliff divers lost the ability to choose between different types of shoes for different kinds of surfaces. They find it quite practical to climb slippery rocks or ladders, walk the platform, travel and even go out with the only choice they know of: flip-flops. Just like the ‘shammy’, they make it to the water even before the diver; knotted together, they are thrown down the cliff – sometimes right on top of a scuba diver – and are immediately picked up by the athletes as soon as they surface. Never separate those besties for too long!
Measuring tape – In outdoor sports we’re always confronted with Mother Nature and her moods. The platform is usually mounted 21m (for the women) and 27m (for the men) above the water, but only the measuring tape erases all doubts regarding the actual height. So the sports director checks the distance between platform and water each time before training and competition.
Towel – Cliff divers do freeze too, and not just when diving into the chilly waters of Norway, Ireland or France. Exposing your body to extreme conditions like fear, pressure and top diving performance in combination with muscle flexibility and continuing mental concentration, can wash away your energy. A warm towel right after getting out of the water is simply the easiest way to warm up and relax a bit.
Weather updates – Gusty winds and rain or sunshine and calm conditions. Morecast, the most precise weather App, provides the best weather information everywhere you are. Available for iOS and Android - more info on morecast.com
Sunglasses – One could say, it’s a typical gadget for people living the desirable life of a ‘sunny boy or girl’. However cliff divers have to work where others spend their vacations and under these tough conditions sunglasses are a necessity to give their eyes a break from the bright sunshine, allowing them to see the actual dive of their competitor in the sunlight, hide emotions or simply make them look even cooler!
GoPro – What a wasted moment it would be to climb up these dizzily high platforms without taking a danger-angled action-cam-shot from the top to share with your friends. But not only the athletes use these super-flexible and tiny cameras to take spectacular images, they’re also used by the professional moving crew of the World Series, who provide people at home with some of the most fascinating close-up shots.
LifeProof® – Waterproof and drop proof, LifeProof protects the diver’s smartphones so they can live without limits and focus on their training, diving fearlessly to unleash their remarkable skills. Available for Apple and Samsung devices.
Juggling balls – Gary Hunt introduced juggling to the World Series. It’s his way of mental relaxation as it completely takes your mind off of everything cliff diving-related. The perfect distraction before a cliff dive.
Headphones – A cliff diver’s best friend in the last phase of preparation. From hip-hop to hard rock to the latest hits – playlists are multifarious and long. If they want to tune out, they tune in!
71