Cliff diving returns to the mid-Atlantic this weekend as the World Series makes its eighth visit to the stunning Portuguese Azores for this season's fourth stop. Rhiannan Iffland and Gary Hunt lead the way and will be looking to tighten their grips on top spot in the standings, while the challengers will know it could be now or never if they want to make a move on the champions. Follow all the action live right here today.
So, there'll be three rounds taking place today. One direct from the rocks, and two from the man-made platforms perched high on the volcanic rocks. The women are already in action in their second round.
We're half way through the men's second round. Steven LoBue leads the way, but the dive of the round so far has come from wildcard Catalin Preda. A magnificent Reverse 1 Somersault earns him 9.5s from the judges.
A very nice dive from Gary Hunt moves him into the lead, but it's snatched from him immediately by Andy Jones, who has just ripped the Atlantic Ocean with a stunning Forward 3 Somersaults 1/2 Twist.
Women's round 3 is about to get underway from the 21m platform.
Jessica Macaulay has put down two great dives today. Can the Brit challenge for the victory here?
Three dives left in this women's round 3, and it's Macaulay who leads currently.
Lysanne Richard earns 9, 8.5, 8.5 from the judges to move into top spot. Here comes Rhiannan Iffland though with the final dive of this round...
Next up it's the men's third round from the 27m platform.
Blake Aldridge gets this round underway, and finally the Brit has something to smile about after two poor dives from the rocks. Three 8s from the judges for that one.
Here comes Manuel Halbisch, the German wildcard who's making his World Series debut this weekend. Three 7s from the judges, and he'll be happy with that.
Nothing stunning in this round yet. Wildcard Catalin Preda is leading with six divers to go.
Preda still holding firm at the top. Here comes Gary Hunt though...
Brilliant from the Brit. 9.5, 9.5, 9.0 for his Forward 3 Somersaults 3 1/2 Twists and he surges into the lead.
Andy Jones continues his fine form with three 8.5s, but it's only enough for second place right now. What can Jonathan Paredes do with the final dive of this round?
9, 8.5, 8.5 for the Mexican and he's a whisker away from the lead. Just one point separates him and Hunt going into the final!
Celia Fernandez kicks off the women's final with a handstand lift-off. Not a great entry though.
Maria Paula Quintero earned her first podium at the last stop in Italy, but she won't be making the top three here today. Not a bad final dive, but these choppy waters are making it very difficult.
Three 7s for Iris Schmidbauer, but it's enough to move the German into the lead for now.
Adriana Jimenez grabs three 7s too, and the Mexican takes the lead.
A beautiful rip entry for Eleanor Townsend Smart earns the American three 8.5s, and the lead changes hands again.
A great final we have going here. Jessica Macaulay nails her Back 3 Somersaults into the Atlantic waters and the Brit leads with two divers to go.
Can Lysanne Richard pile the pressure on Rhiannan Iffland? No, not a great dive from the Canadian, and now Iffland can take the victory with a solid final dive.
She needed 7.5s to win, but this amazing Aussia doesn't know how to do things by halves. She nails her final dive for 9s and earns her fourth win in a row this season - a new women's record. Macaulay takes second and Richard completes the podium.
Here we go with the men's final.
A strange start to this final. Jucelino Junior steps back from the edge of the platform a few times before deciding not to dive. Maybe some nerves combined with the windy conditions got the better of the Brazilian there.
No such nerves for Blake Aldridge though, who completes his weekend with a very nice Arm. Back 2 1/2 Somersaults 3 Twists.
Oh no! Wildcard Manuel Halbisch gets lost in the air and lands almost flat on his back. He bounces up out of the water though and seems to be fine. A very painful experience though for the German.
What a dive from Oleksiy Prygorov. He nails the difficult Forward 4 Somersaults 2 1/2 Twists and grabs the lead at the half way point of this final.
Steven LoBue, who once famously hit his head on the platform in La Rochelle, clips the edge with his feet this time and it completely throws the American off. Luckily he gets into the water safely, but the judges can only offer up 1.5s for that.
It's tough out there today. David Colturi can only earn 5s, and Prygorov still leads.
Michal Navratil is chasing a second podium in a row, and three 8.5s pull him into the lead here with four divers to go.
Catalin Preda makes a small mistake and then hits a swell in the ocean. That will take the wind out of the Romanian.
Andy Jones rips the ocean and with that he rips the lead from Navratil. That's another guaranteed podium for the American following his second place in Italy three weeks ago.
Just Jonathan Paredes and Gary Hunt to go. Here comes the Mexican...
WOW! Sensational from Paredes. Three out of the five judges flash the 10 scorecard. That's six 10s over the weekend for the 2017 champion, a new record for an event.
No 10s for the Brit, but 9s for his difficult Back 3 Somersaults 4 Twists will do it. He wins by just three points, and Paredes will be wondering what he has to do to beat the 7-time champion. A sensational finish to this final in Azores.
So, records fell once again in the Azores. Rhiannan Iffland scored her fourth win in a row this season and Gary Hunt had to be at his best to see off the marauding challenge of Jonathan Paredes, who earned a record-breaking six 10s across the event. And it was also a record eighth visit to this mid-Atlantic location for the World Series. See you in Beirut in three weeks for the next stop!
Cliff diving returns to the mid-Atlantic this weekend as the World Series makes its eighth visit to the stunning Portuguese Azores for this season's fourth stop. Rhiannan Iffland and Gary Hunt lead the way and will be looking to tighten their grips on top spot in the standings, while the challengers will know it could be now or never if they want to make a move on the champions. Follow all the action live right here today.