Gary Hunt takes his first 2013 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series victory in the Azores, Portugal
Pure cliff diving directly off the cliff face, the reigning champion on top of the rankings and the youngest athlete on the podium – the circular-shaped Vila Franca do Campo islet offshore from São Miguel in the Azores archipelago made the perfect backdrop for the third stop of the current World Series season. Despite rough conditions throughout the entire week, the previous seasons’ dominant figurehead from the British Islands took over the reigns from Russia’s Artem Silchenko in Portugal to top the overall standings with a well fought win. Hunt won ahead of a reinvigorated Orlando Duque from Colombia, and the 23-year-old rookie Jonathan Paredes of Mexico took his first podium in front of 1,300 spectators.
Gary Hunt (UK):
It hasn’t sunk in really; I have been trying really hard. It has just been so tough this season. I didn’t really know how the competition had gone, because I couldn’t see; I just tried to stay in my zone and do a good dive and it was enough. So I am ecstatic! I think my last dive was good, I saw some nines up there and it felt like I went through the water nicely. I made a little error in the practice, but I managed to sort that out in the competition when I needed it.
CALENDAR & LOCATIONS
July 13 – 14 | Malcesine | ITALY
August 24 – 25 | Boston | USA Attention: Date has changed!
September 13 – 14 | Pembrokeshire, Wales | UNITED KINGDOM
September 27 – 28 | Nitéroi, Rio de Janeiro| BRAZIL
October 21 – 26 | Krabi Province | THAILAND
RESULTS STOP 3, AZORES
1. Gary Hunt | UK | 481.05
2. Orlando Duque | COL | 451.70
3. Jonathan Paredes | MEX | 431.00
4. Artem Silchenko | RUS | 429.40
5. Michal Navratil | CZE | 402.90
6. Andy Jones (wildcard) | USA | 402.55
7. Blake Aldridge | UK | 388.55
8. David Colturi | USA | 376.70
9. Steven LoBue | USA | 295.40
10. Mat Cowen | UK | 267.90
11. Anatoliy Shabotenko | UKR | 251.90
12. Jorge Ferzuli (wildcard) | MEX | 254.00
13. Eber Pava (wildcard) | COL | 245.40
14. Kent De Mond (wildcard) | USA | 136.80
Dennis Schroth
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