I Dare You to Cliff Dive into Boston Harbor

For Red Bull athletes no dare needed, they chase the rush to claim the championship trophy. Recently Boston’s seaport was host to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The city waterfront was the only stop in the Unted States on the tour and was the last for the 2025 competition.

New England is known for its fantastic season changes and this Saturday was sunny and showed off exactly what Boston’s seaport has to offer. This is the second time the event has been held in Massachusetts and the first expected 2,000 fans with a showing of around 50,000. 2025 was no different people were pouring in from as far as South Station on foot.

The appeal was like no other and I had to see the world’s best cliff divers plunge from up to 70 feet for women, and 90 feet for men, reaching 53 mph in just 3 seconds off the Institute of Contemporary Art into the harbor. Migrating my way through the thousands to the media room which was directly under the diving platform I could see the unique sight of walkways packed with people and divers crashing into the ocean from above me.

After hearing local recording artist Lisa Bello sing the national anthem, I decided to make a dash for it across the harbor to an angle where I could watch the divers head on. The videos I posted from the VIP boat went viral and for good reason. The task was NUTS! There were boats feet from where the divers would hit the water not to mention it’s the Boston Harbor, who knows what’s lurking in there. The fact of the matter was there were elite athletes from all walks of life; US National team swimmers, gymnasts to math teachers, notably Gary France with his iconic handstand start also an 11 time champion and 41 years of age that were all competing to complete such an insane act. Red Bull has most certainly superseded their reputation of “extreme sports.”

Boston’s waterfront was at capacity to watch the women’s and men’s Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition and I had to work my way back through the 10s of thousands for interviews. I managed to make it for the popping of champagne in the athlete village that donned a hot tub where the winners received, in addition to their trophies fine time pieces from a sponsor of the event Mido Watch Company. This wasn’t just any presentation at it was the first time the King Kahekili Trophy returned to the U.S. for the first time since 2010.

I was able to catch up with Chicago native James Lichtenstein who struck gold, becoming the first U.S. male diver ever to win on home soil. Lichtenstein, the math teacher amongst other things got right to the nitty gritty of his training techniques. “I do thousands of reps a week varying from different heights and the trust in the body is crucial. If you tense up in the wrong position that is where it can all go wrong.” James continued with, “Strength and condition is vital. When you hit the water, it wants to rip you apart. It’s important to have stability to stay together.” Lastly, I asked him the most important question of his trip, “Have you been to the North End for a slice of pizza in Boston yet?” He replied, “no,” with an intrigued face. I began set him up for success at Quattro stating, “It’s the best slice you will ever have, better than Chicago pizza I can promise.” Lichtenstein laughed, “Not a chance!”

The 2025 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series came to a dramatic close in the Boston Harbor as American James Lichtenstein secured the trophy and being the first ever US male to do so on home territory. Lichtenstein led the men’s podium ahead of Catalin Preda (ROU, silver) and fellow American David Colturi (bronze) in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Institute of Contemporary Art. On the women’s side, Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland took the Boston win while also clinching her ninth consecutive World Series championship and third career “perfect season.” Canadian rivals, Molly Carlson (silver) and Simone Leathead (bronze), joined her on the podium. French legend Gary Hunt sealed his record-extending 11th Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Championship despite finishing eighth in Boston, underscoring his comeback season after returning as a wildcard.

Thanks for the ride Red Bull, it was nothing like I have ever seen and you now have a fan eager to see the next competition. Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series has elevated cliff diving into a global phenomenon, blending world-class athleticism with breathtaking locations. The sport’s top male and female athletes compete at each tour stop, performing gravity-defying dives from heights of up to 90 feet (men) and 70 feet (women), launching from natural cliffs, historic bridges, iconic buildings, and other extraordinary settings. With a strong commitment to environmental responsibility, the series aims to inspire awareness and action around sustainability while showcasing the pinnacle of human performance and creativity. For more information and to check out when the next competition starts visit https://www.redbull.com/int-en/event-series/red-bull-cliff-diving