After first two years of the World Series in 2009 and 2010, Red Bull Cliff Diving returned to Polignano a Mare in 2015, which is considered the European Mecca of cliff diving. In this southern part of Italy the cliffs are the foundation of everyday life, with the town itself perched on the precipice. I am also very happy to shoot on this location because this event involves scuba diving skills as well as photographic ones. Those who know me are aware of the fact that I enjoy in water very much hence photoshooting Red Bull Cliff diving series is extra pleasure for me.

ABOUT CLIFF DIVING
Gravity-defying freefall punctuated by awe-inducing tricks – that is cliff diving. The sport’s best athletes leap aesthetically from almost three times the Olympic height with no protection at all, except their concentration, skill and physical control. In less than three seconds, gravity propels the divers’ bodies as they fall the equivalent of eight stories, reaching speeds in excess of 85kph.

Cliff diving is intense, extreme and emotional sport. Cliff divers stand on the edge of platform 27m high all alone and take a lot of decisions within seconds. Every “Leap of faith” they take is backed up with confidence and strength, motivation and energy. All of those are influenced and boosted with the support of their loved ones, friends and family. This kind of support in cliff diving is crucial. It’s definitely an athlete’s determination, which takes him or her to new heights, but the success wouldn’t be anywhere near as good as it is when it can be shared with the loved ones.

ABOUT POLIGNANO, ITALY
Polignano a Mare is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy, located on the Adriatic Sea. The typical south Italian town is home to just a little more than 16,000 people and is perched on rocks. The local economy mostly depends on tourism, agriculture and fishing.

Italy probably provides the most unusual venue for Cliff Diving: the take-off spot is a private roof-top terrace and the athletes have to enter the platforms 20m and 27m above the Adriatic Sea via a private living room. The house is built over the most famous cliff of the coast and looks integrated into the cliff itself. Within the international cliff diving scene this spot is renowned for its uniqueness and was the launch point for the female cliff diving elite for the first time ever. A return to Polignano a Mare is a return to the European Mecca of cliff diving, which will host a World Series competition for the third time after 2009 and 2010.