The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series had a fairytale ending for Canada with Molly Carlson’s victory at home. The Ontario native made her first appearance at the event in 2021, but has become a household name in just three years. Despite entering the finals as the second-ranked diver, Carlson’s performance sent shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned athletes. As Carson performed at the old port, a place of childhood memories, it was not only a moment of personal uplift but one of national pride as well.
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series which started in 2009 in the men’s category and 2014 in the women’s category. Has earned a reputation for high-stakes competition and breathtaking locations. It challenges athletes to their limits, as they perform intricate acrobatics and defy gravity from heights as high as 28m for men and 21m for women. 
As the sixth stop of the tour took place in Montreal, the nation’s diver Carlson surprised fans with her breathtaking twists and turns, which gave her the upper hand, enabling her to earn the highest score of the day.
Carlson told the City News Everywhere:
“This is so special”, “I cannot believe it’s real still.”
“Such a moment to do four out of four great dives in front of my home crowd,” “And to land on top of that podium is so special.”
“It means the world to me.”
“I literally cried before my dive, after my dive.”
The 25 year old expressed her joy to compete among her peers and said:
“Having my family here is crazy”, “I think I have 98 family and friends here!”
Her dive was one of the best seen as expressed by Oliver Morneau-Ricard,head judge of the event:
“It’s not because she’s Canadian that I went for the perfect score, I think the dive was nearly perfect.”
“For us, giving it 10 doesn’t mean perfection, It means it’s excellent.”
“And I thought the dive was beyond excellent, so I give it a 10.”
Carlson said:
“I would tell my younger self right now to be kind to yourself,” “Life’s too short to be hard on yourself.”
“You deserve everything you’ve earned,” “Oh my God, I’m gonna cry.”
Moving forward in the series, where two more spots are yet to be conquered, Carlson would be next seen in Turkey.
Carlson said:
“I literally feel so proud of myself already,” said Carlson. “That even if Turkey and Australia go downhill, I am so happy with the season so far. I know it can only go up because I learned so much from every stop.” “And Montreal definitely boosts my confidence.”
Heslop Emerges Victorious in Canada After a Long Delay
Despite a lengthy delay for safety precautions, the spectators’ excitement for the men’s competition remained undiminished.
Oliver Morneau-Ricard, told:
“Not because of the rain,” “We postponed the event only because of lightning.”
“The athletes are used to diving in harsh conditions.”
Soon the skies cleared and an astonishing ending was witnessed by the thousands that filled the Old Port. The joy for the Canadian star Carlson took another level, when her boyfriend Aidan Heslop from Great Britain joined her on the podium, securing his own victory in the men’s competition.
As the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series nears its end, fans are on their toes, which now has a twist with Carlson’s victory.
Stay tuned for more updates at WSG.
