Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Adam Navis.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Imagine you are standing on the edge of the land. You are on a high rock, twenty-five [25] metres above the sea. Your toes bend around the edge of the rock. If you take one step forward you will fall. People are watching you from far down below. You can hear the waves crashing over the sharp rocks. Everyone is waiting for you.
Voice 2
You breathe in. You stretch your arms out and bend your knees. Then you jump. You pull yourself into a ball and roll through the air. The wind fills your ears. You open your body and point your toes towards the water. You hit the water and everything goes quiet. You swim up to the surface and everyone is cheering for you because you are a cliff diver.
Voice 1
Today’s Spotlight is on Cliff Diving. In cliff diving, the divers jump from the top of a cliff - from a rocky edge of land, high above the water. Usually the diver will include a roll, turn, or bend before entering the water. In other kinds of diving, the person enters the water head first. But in cliff diving the person enters the water feet first.
Voice 2
Cliff Diving has its origins on the Island of Hawaii. In 1770, Kahehili was the king of the island. He demanded that men jump off high cliffs. He felt that this would prove their courage and loyalty to him.
Voice 1
As time went on, cliff diving changed into something people enjoyed. People began to practice diving and holding special diving events. These first events were simple and had very few rules. But over time, they became more complex. Today, cliff diving is a world-wide sport under the authority of a group called the World High Diving Federation.
Voice 2
Cliff diving is dangerous, but diving events are very organized. They show some of the strongest and most skilled people in the world. Today, there are around one hundred and fifty [150] professional cliff divers from all around the world. Professional divers earn money by diving - for example, in public shows.
Voice 1
Many people jump from cliffs just for fun. However, this is not real cliff diving. Real cliff diving is a respected sport that requires courage, strength and skill. Cliff divers spend a lot of time preparing their bodies and their minds for each dive.
Voice 2
Although cliff diving usually happens directly from the cliff edge, sometimes a platform extends over the water. This makes the dive safer because the diver is further away from the rocks. When there is no safe cliff to dive from, people will dive off bridges. Or they build high structures and dive into pools. So, although it is called cliff diving, sometimes there are no cliffs involved.
Voice 1
Each diver gets a chance to perform several dives. Each dive is judged by a group of judges. Each judge awards up to ten points. More points are added if dives are difficult or are attempted from a higher cliff. The diver with the highest total of points wins the event.
Voice 2
Cliff diving is not for everyone, because cliff diving is very dangerous. Most cliff diving competitions involve jumps between eighteen [18] and twenty-eight [28] metres. By the time a diver reaches the water, he or she is moving between seventy five [75] and one hundred [100] kilometres per hour. Even for experienced divers, this is dangerous. Recently, diving champion Joey Zuber broke his leg when he hit the water. It took a seven hour operation to repair the leg.
Voice 1
On the islands of Hawaii, injuries from cliff diving are a common problem. At the Koko Head sea cliffs, divers jump thirty [30] metres into a part of ocean that is only deep enough when the waves are just right.
Voice 2
The divers must time their jumps perfectly or they will not land in enough water. Divers could land on the rocks. Or they may be unable to swim through the large waves back to shore.
Voice 1
But for professional cliff divers, cliff diving is about more than just the dive. Many divers would argue that the place they dive from is just as important as the dive itself.
Voice 2
Cliff divers are always looking for new diving places. There are hundreds of places around the world that have strange rocks to jump from and wonderful things to see. The most famous cliff diving places are in Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, Australia and Switzerland.
Voice 1
Do you think that cliff diving sounds like fun? Do you think you have the strength and skills needed? Well, before you begin there are some things you should do to make sure you stay safe.
Voice 2
First, be careful about the height you choose. Begin by gaining experience diving at a lower level. Serious injury can happen at only ten metres high. Anything higher than fifteen metres should only be attempted by experienced divers.
Voice 1
You need to stay within your abilities. Do not let anyone pressure you into doing something that you do not feel good about doing.
Voice 2
Before you dive, throw a rock off the top and watch where you will land. Walk down to the water and swim around. Look for rocks, tree branches, or other things that could injure you when you dive. Try to estimate the depth of the water. It should be five metres deep or more.
Voice 1
Never dive head first into water you do not know. If you missed a rock while you were searching, it would be better to break your foot than to break your head.
Voice 2
Begin with a “pencil dive”. A pencil dive is where you jump into deep water feet first with your body very straight, and with your arms by your side. Try to keep your body calm while your are in the air. When you are about to hit the water, press your feet together. Tense your arm, leg, and stomach muscles. You need to feel like a long, hard piece of wood. Whatever you do, be careful!
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