Boston doesn’t exactly need help drawing a crowd to the waterfront, but Red Bull is about to crank things up to full-throttle spectacle.
On September 19 and 20, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series makes a dramatic return to the Seaport (its only stop in the U.S.) to transform the rooftop of the Institute of Contemporary Art into a vertigo-inducing diving platform for the finale of the 2025 season and the moment when both men’s and women’s world champions will be crowned. Best of all, the whole thing is free and open to the public.
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For those who’ve never witnessed cliff diving in person, this is not a casual backflip into Boston Harbor. The platforms reach staggering heights (88.5 feet for men and 69 feet for women), and the divers hit the water at over 50 miles per hour, completing acrobatic twists, spins and somersaults in a fraction of a second before slicing into the harbor below. Each dive is judged not only for technical precision but also for artistry, making the event a blend of sport and performance that can feel as much like dance as it does athletics.
The stakes this year couldn’t be higher. For the first time since 2010, the coveted King Kahekili Trophy will return to U.S. soil. That alone would make this stop historic, but there’s more: it’s also the first-ever U.S. Women’s Final since the women’s division was added in 2014. Expect massive crowds along the harbor, eyes locked upward as the world’s best hurl themselves into Boston’s skyline backdrop.
The lineup is stacked with talent. Team USA’s James Lichtenstein, the reigning world champion, will be defending his crown, while Kaylea Arnett leads the charge for the American women. Global stars like Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland, an eight-time title holder, and Canada’s Molly Carlson, a fan favorite with a massive following, promise highlight-reel dives. Rising star Nelli Chukanivska of Ukraine, just 18 years old, brings fearless energy, while legends Gary Hunt of France and Jonathan Paredes of Mexico return as wildcards, proving that cliff diving is as much about experience as it is daring youth.
The schedule is split across two days, with preliminary rounds on Friday morning and finals on Saturday. Crowds can gather early on the ICA’s dockside to watch warm-ups before the competition begins. By Saturday afternoon, the energy will be electric as the women take their final leaps at 11:35am, followed by the men at 12:20pm. And at 1pm, the champions will be crowned.
If you're still missing the 2024 Summer Olympics, here's the next best thing, right in our own back harbor.