News
Red Bull Cliff Diving Series Returns to Abereiddy
Untouched rocks, monoliths, iconic landmarks and buildings. This purest extreme sports competition hits new waters in its fifth year and determines a new champion during eight challenging competitions across Europe, Asia and North and South America.
And on 13th and 14th of September, ten of the world’s top divers and four wildcard entrants will compete at Abereiddy’s famous Blue Lagoon as part of the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championship.
What is real cliff diving
In theory cliff diving is jumping from high cliffs into water.
Platforms are used in competition to allow the athletes to do the most difficult dives.
Diving directly from the rocks limits the diver to easier dives. In competitions artistic moves are performed during the dive and judged by a jury identifying the winner.
The discipline has a very long tradition and was “invented” in Maui, Hawaii, back in the 1770s. Within years cliff diving emerged from an initiation tactics for warriors as a competitive sport. However, in the past cliff divers were usually characterized as world-weary kamikazes and the sport was erroneously considered a mere tourist attraction from Acapulco. Cliff diving is far more than Acapulco or a pleasing background for lovely TV commercials; it is a sport, which places the highest demands on mind and body. Many high divers see their discipline as a further development of the Olympic diving competition, which most of them exercised before changing to cliff diving. Through continuous competitions around the globe wide acceptance for this extremely demanding discipline is being established and the athletes are receiving the respect they deserve.
In competitive cliff diving safety plays an important role. Thus, certain regulations have been defined, such as the height limit (28m) and the water depth (at least 5m), as well as emergency scuba divers and paramedic units on site.
Why did Red Bull create a Cliff Diving World Series?
In the past Red Bull used to organise cliff diving competitions always in direct collaboration with the divers. The divers’ feedback and the spectators’ enthusiasm lead to a natural development of single events to a world series with strong locations and the world’s best athletes, providing them with a platform to spread this pure extreme sport all over the world.
When did the World Series start?
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series started in 2009 and after four seasons, the championship can look back at 28 successful competitions, more than 460.000 spectators and 1.650 international media on-site, including live broadcasts.
Since the introduction of the World Series the sport of cliff diving has pushed its limits to new heights and the athletes have increased the level of high diving to an extent, which was not even thought of a few years ago.
Why is Red Bull Cliff Diving a high-class sports competition?
The best cliff divers in the world participate in these competitions and the whole set up (at least 26.5 metres or higher and at least 6 stops per year) challenge the divers not only physically but also mentally. The impact of hitting the water after 27 metres of free fall is nine times harder than jumping from a 10m tower. If you are not perfectly trained and experienced you risk your life.
What is the Format of the Competition?
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series follows the traditional high diving format and is a mix of the rules from FINA and HDA. Each competition has four rounds in 2 days. Divers hand in their four planned dives the day before the 1st day of competition – dives shall consist of two required dives of a maximum degree of difficulty (DD) of 3.8 and two optional dives assigned a degree of difficulty computed from the HDA (High Diving Alliance) table. These dives are judged by five high diving judges. The highest and lowest score are discarded; the remaining three scores are added and multiplied by the degree of difficulty to provide the total score for each dive.
Ahead of each competition a draw will determine the diving order for the first round. The first round of dives will feature one required dive of a fixed DD of 3.8, the results of which will determine the ranking for the head-to-head. 1st goes against 14th, 2nd against 13th, etc.
In the head-to-head rounds, all divers do one required dive (DD 3.8.) and one optional dive. 7 winners will advance from the head-to-head. There will also be one lucky loser (the diver with the highest score of all losers). The 8 remaining divers will do one final optional dive. The order will be determined by the points accumulated from the first 3 rounds of dives and will be in reverse order. The winner of any individual tour stop will be the diver with the highest points total from all 4 dives.
Winner of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will be the athlete with the hig
Crime
Cocaine dealers jailed after flooding Aberystwyth streets with drugs
TWO men who supplied cocaine in Aberystwyth have been jailed after police seized large amounts of cash, drugs and weapons during coordinated raids.
Luke Hutton, aged 25, and Lee Mark Walsh, 37, were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after admitting possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.
The court heard that police attended Walsh’s flat in Aberystwyth on Thursday (Nov 14) to execute a search warrant. Officers saw several people outside the address, including both defendants. When police approached, Walsh remained at the property while Hutton attempted to flee but was quickly detained.
Walsh, of Yr Hafan, Aberystwyth, was found with cannabis, £160 in cash and a mobile phone. Hutton, of Corporation Street, Aberystwyth, was carrying £8,795 in cash and a phone.
During a strip search in custody, officers recovered a wrap of white powder concealed on Hutton. Further searches uncovered £850 in cash laid out on Walsh’s bed, five mobile phones, a silver knuckleduster and a large kitchen knife hidden beneath the bed.
Police also recovered scales with white powder residue, a bank card contaminated with drug traces, and a further bag of white powder elsewhere in the flat. At Hutton’s address, officers found £1,060 in cash, bicarbonate of soda and empty snap-seal bags, consistent with drug preparation.
Prosecutor Dean Pulling told the court both men were clearly involved in drug supply for financial gain.
Walsh also admitted possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis. He has previous convictions for cannabis offences and failing to comply with a drugs test.
Hutton has a longer record, including offences involving communications, driving matters, domestic abuse and breaching a restraining order.
Mitigating for Walsh, Ryan Bowen said the defendant had experienced a troubled childhood, moving schools frequently, and had struggled with cannabis use from a young age. He said Walsh had shown a strong work ethic and hoped to pursue barbering on release.
Jon Tarrant, representing Hutton, said his client had been heavily addicted to cocaine and that drug use had dominated his life, contributing to the breakdown of relationships, including contact with his two young children.
Sentencing, Judge Vanessa Francis said both men had been involved in dealing with the expectation of making “significant financial gain”.
Addressing Hutton, she said: “You told the author of the pre-sentence report that when your benefits stopped, you ‘did what you had to do’. This court will do what it has to do to take off the streets those who spread the misery of drug supply.”
After reductions for guilty pleas, Hutton was jailed for three years and Walsh for 32 months. Both will serve up to half of their sentences in custody before being released on licence.
Community
Crowds line streets as tractor run hailed a festive success
CROWDS lined streets and pavements across Pembrokeshire on Saturday evening (Dec 20) as Clarbeston Road AFC’s illuminated Christmas tractor run was hailed a resounding success.
More than 200 tractors took part in the event, travelling through villages and towns including Newmoat, Maenclochog, Llys-y-frân, Walton East, Clarbeston Road, Wiston, Newbridge, Poyston Cross, Crundale and Haverfordwest, where large crowds gathered to watch the festive convoy pass through.
Families, children and residents wrapped up against the cold to enjoy the sight of tractors decorated with Christmas lights and festive displays, with applause and waves greeting drivers as they made their way through built-up areas and rural roads alike.
The convoy set off from the Clarbeston Road AFC Knock Playing Fields at 5:30pm and concluded at the County Showground in Haverfordwest later in the evening. At the end of the run, refreshments were available and the raffle draw took place at the Park House building, which was open to the public.
Organisers said the turnout from both drivers and spectators exceeded expectations, with the event once again bringing communities together while raising funds for local causes, including The Catrin Vaughan Foundation, In It With Isaac, and Wales Air Ambulance.
Clarbeston Road AFC thanked tractor drivers, volunteers, sponsors and members of the public for their support, as well as residents and road users for their patience while the convoy passed through.
The illuminated tractor run has become a firm fixture in the local festive calendar, with Friday night’s event described by many spectators as one of the best yet.

Community
Charity tractor and car run set to raise funds for Macmillan and Paul Sartori
A CHARITY tractor and car run in memory of Charles Rees is set to take place in Pembrokeshire later this month, with funds raised supporting Macmillan Cancer Support and Paul Sartori Hospice at Home.
The Charles Rees Tractor & Car Run will be held on Sunday, December 28, 2025, starting and finishing at Dudwell Farm in Camrose.
Participants are being invited to “start their engines” in aid of the two charities, with gates opening at 9:00am and the convoy leaving promptly at 10:30am. Organisers have confirmed that the run will operate with no halfway stops, returning to Dudwell Farm at the end of the route.
The event will begin and finish at Dudwell Farm, Camrose (SA62 6HJ), and is open to tractors and cars. Registration and cash payment will take place on the day, with the price to be confirmed nearer the event.
Additional donations can also be made locally in the run-up to the event at Camrose Country Hardware and Croesgoch Stores.
The run has been organised to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, which provides vital care and assistance to people living with cancer, and Paul Sartori Hospice at Home, which supports patients and families across Pembrokeshire during some of the most difficult times of their lives.
Organisers say more information will be released closer to the event and are encouraging the local community to support the run, whether by taking part, donating, or lining the route to show support.
The event is expected to attract strong local interest, continuing Pembrokeshire’s tradition of community-led fundraising in support of much-valued charities.

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