At just 22 years old, Côme Girardot has already made a mark on death diving, emerging as one of the sport’s most exciting and daring athletes.
World Record photos: Mihai Stetcu
Oslo Photos: Joerg Mitter
LOCKDOWN CREATIVITY
What started as a hobby during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 has now turned into a world-record-breaking career, with Girardot standing tall as France’s most influential figure in this rapidly growing discipline.
FOUR WORLD RECORDS
Côme first gained widespread attention in 2022 when he qualified for the prestigious Døds World Championship, and set his first world record. Fast forward to today, and he has smashed his fourth world record, jumping from an incredible height of 44.3 meters at the Cimbarra waterfall in Spain.
BIGGEST ADRENALINE RUSH EVER
With winds roaring and adrenaline pumping, Girardot leaped into the void, hitting the water at a breathtaking speed of 106 km/h. “The hardest part is always getting past the mental barrier,” he shared after the record-breaking jump, still buzzing from what he called “the biggest adrenaline rush ever.”
VGAN AND CÔME
VGAN met Côme for the first time a couple of days before the World Døds Championship in the summer of 2023. He and fellow death divers Jonny Nyberg and Asbjørg Nesje welcomed the Norwegian media at a press event in the Oslo harbour organized by the Death Federation and VGAN.
This session resulted in several fun shots in epic Oslo surroundings. We found all these three pretty extreme athletes to be the nicest, down to earth folks we´ve met, and when Côme approached us for a collab on his world record jump, we had to be part of it. There might be more things to come, for for Côme.
NORWEGIAN ROOTS
Døds diving has its roots in Norway and centers around performing acrobatic maneuvers mid-air before landing with hands and feet hitting the water simultaneously, in a shrimp-like fashion. The style and energy of the sport are closer to that of skateboarding or snowboarding, in contrast to high diving, whose difficulties are more comparable to those in gymnastics.
Girardot's achievements have helped put France on the map in the Døds diving scene. His success, both in competition and on social media, has inspired a wave of young athletes to take up the sport, helping to grow the Døds community across Europe.
WHY IS VGAN PART OF THIS
VGAN couldn’t be more stoked to collab with athletes like Côme, who are constantly redefining what’s possible. However, for us this is not only about pushing limits and doing wild stunts. At VGAN we take fun seriously, and hold action sports close to our hearts; encouraging playful enthusiasm, serious risk assessment, plain fun and an appreciation for activities outdoor.
All these activities play a vital role in personal development, particularly for children, by enhancing creativity, building confidence, and cultivating a lifelong affinity for physical activity.