The ladders are scary enough — so who would take on this cliff jump challenge?

The 2021 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place at Downpatrick Head in Mayo

Downpatrick Head, Mayo. Picture: Suas Drones

A brand new 21-metre high launchpad has been set up on the sheer cliffs of Downpatrick Head. And reigning champion cliff divers, Rhiannan Iffland from Australia and France's Gary Hunt will be taking the challenge this month. 

Downpatrick Head, Mayo Picture: still from aerial footage from Suas Drones 

After three Irish stops in the rough waters of Inis Mór, and more recently a showing in Dublin Bay, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series heads West, to County Mayo where the Atlantic waters will once again test these talented athletes to their limits for their fifth visit since 2012.

With at least one dive directly off the cliff, the 12 men and 12 women will get a chance to connect with the purity of the place and display their sport in its most natural form, before returning to the platforms for their more difficult diving manoeuvres.

You might be forgiven for feeling a little queasy just looking at this footage from Suas Drones.

The highly contested King Kahekili trophy is awarded for the overall World Series champion title in both the women’s and men’s competition.

Basically, 24 of the world's best cliff divers leap, twist, and somersault from breathtaking heights of up to 27m and at speeds in excess of 85km/h.

Rhiannan Iffland of Australia dives from the 21- metre platform during the final competition day of the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina on August 28, 2021

Rhiannan Iffland, 29, says that she grew with the pressure of the winning streak and is now ready to make it one more win in Ireland. Who’s the biggest threat to cross this goal from the 21m platform?

Newcomer Molly Carlson from Canada and Mexico’s World Series veteran Adriana Jimenez, reckon they're up for the challenge. 

And Jessica Macaulay, also from the Canadian high diving team, is to participate.

The challenge faced by the Frenchman, Gary Hunt, comes in the form of Romanians Catalin Preda, the wildcard who scored a sensational win at the opening stop in Saint-Raphaël, France and Constantin Popovici, who pipped his compatriot to victory in an exciting Oslo Exhibition event in August. 

Downpatrick Head, Mayo Picture: a still from Suas Drones footage

This competition will be live on September 12 from 3pm on redbullcliffdiving.com, Red Bull TV, Facebook and YouTube and on TG4.

Gary Hunt (then of Great Britain — he switched his nationality to France last year to allow him compete for the host nation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games) dives from the 28-metre platform during the fourth stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Ireland on August 4, 2012