Cliff Diving champions Iffland and Duque dive at historic Toorij Step Well | Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
Highlights of the first ever Cliff Diving trip to India in 2019: The sport’s trailblazers Orlando Duque and reigning champion Rhiannan Iffland from Australia rounded their unique years out in style just to herald a new cliff diving era.
Recently retired Colombian cliff diving legend Duque, has previously dived from headline grabbing locations; now he added the rose-red sandstone gem, the Toorji’s step well, to his exclusive list.
Undefeated four-time overall champion Iffland, became the competition’s first diver, man or woman, to win all stops in a season and remain unbeaten all year. For the most decorated female in the sport’s history, the experience in India was the cherry on the cake of an incredible year.
Located in the so-called ‘Sun City’ or ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, the exceptional diving venue itself was built almost 300 years ago by Queen Maharaja Abhay Singh’s Consort, who continued the age-old tradition of royal women letting build public water works. A recent restoration process uncovered over 200 feet of intricate carvings of dancing elephants, medieval lions and cow waterspouts, as well as niches housing deities long gone. Today the Step Well serves as Jodhpur’s unofficial local swimming pool, frequented by children and some adults who enjoy having a dip and a dive into cool waters.
