Kiwi cliff diver Braden Rumpitt will enter the Auckland event as a wildcard. Photo: Red Bull
As New Zealand gears up to host the 2023 Red Bull Cliff Diving Series, the country is also set to welcome a kiwi to its shores for the first time.
Among the 24 world class divers will be US-based Braden Rumpit, who has earned himself a wildcard for the event,
He said he is fizzing about the prospect of showcasing his skills in front of friends and family against the backdrop of Auckland's iconic landmarks.
"It's actually going to be my first time ever in New Zealand. I got my citizenship through my dad, who was born there. I'm just so excited. I don't know a ton about it, but I'm eager to learn more."
Rumpit said he is determined to prove he belongs with the best.
"I want to show that I can hold my own against these guys who are the best in the world and just make New Zealand proud. I want to be a permanent diver in the series."
Adding extra motivation fro Rumpit will be the chance to connect family while in Tamaki Makaurau.
"I have a couple of cousins, my parents and my sister will all be there."
However, they won't distract from his focus on the task.
The site of the Auckland Cliff Diving Series. Photo: Red Bull
"With high diving, I'm so focused on just doing the dive that the crowd or my family being there isn't too much of a factor. If anything, it just gives me a little boost."
The series faced a minor hiccup due to a delay however, he sees it as a blessing in disguise.
"I was dealing with some back pain at the time, which was kind of slowing down my training. So this extra time to prepare has definitely been beneficial for me, and I feel a lot more confident and prepared."
The life of a high diver is no easy feat, as Rumpit endures a rigourous training routine.
"I'm training six days a week here, usually just one two-hour session per day, but that's enough to get done with everything I have to get done." His training involves high dives, ranging from one to ten meters, along with an extensive repertoire of dives from one to 27 meters.
Rumpit says the exhilaration of mastering new dives is hard to match.
"The best feeling for me is when I have an idea for a new dive that I want to do. I'm just really freaked out about it, but then, going through all the steps and facing the mental barrier at the top to hit the water, it's just an amazing feeling."
Rumpit's' favorite dive is a triple-triple, a triple backflip with three twists.
However, he's not one to shy away from challenges, recounting an inward quintuple flip with a half twist, as the hardest dive he's ever done.
Reflecting on the danger of the sport, Rumpit acknowledges the fear but remains undeterred.
"It's scary every time, even my favorite time that I'm most comfortable. But ending up at the top, going through all my mental checks and making sure that I'm locked in and ready to execute."
For the first time in its 14-year history, Red Bull is bringing its world-famous Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series to Tāmaki Makaurau. On Sunday, 28 January 2024, Wynyard Quarter will host the series finale that will see 24 of the world's most elite divers compete.