ABU DHABI (UAE) – Reigning FINA world champion Australian Rhiannan Iffland lived up to the pre-competition frontrunner billing by receiving only 9’s and one 10. Confirming her superbness as a High Diving athlete, Iffland is ranked first after two dives with a score of 190.60.  The women’s competition today included one required dive with a maximum degree of difficulty of 2.6 and one optional dive without limit.

The athletes all performed solid dives in the first round, and the top ten athletes were close together in points. However, the optional dives in the second round quickly turned that around as some athletes chose dives with a high degree of difficulty – which paid off big.

Canada’s Molly Carlson scored 95.40 and Maria Paula Quintero from Colombia scored 92.25 to rank second and third, respectively, through the competition’s at the halfway mark of the competition. Unfortunately, for Brazil’s Jaqueline Valente, the very difficult 4.5 dive did not pay off, leaving Valente with a huge task for the second part of the competition.

Italy’s Elisa Cosetti, at 19 the youngest diver in today’s competition, is ranked 8th with 140.10.  FINA’s Female High Diver of the Year, USA’s Ellie Smart, performed a solid optional dive (4.0 D.D.) and is currently ranked 10th with 137.60.

High Diving is a young and developing sport with the number of countries with High Diving competitors increasing.  In Abu Dhabi, the Netherlands is competing for the first time in the High Diving with Ginny van Katwijk. The Dutchwoman is currently in 17th place with 109.30.