VGAN-friend, Côme Girardot, just made history with a major feat in death diving. The Frenchman, known for pushing the limits, dove from a jaw-dropping 44.3 meters, shattering the previous world record of 41.7 meters.
World Record Photos: Paul Hannah, Mihai Stetcu, Florian Tissier.
Oslo Photos: Predrag Vuckovic and Joerg Mitter
CIMBARRA WATERFALL
And where did this all go down? The stunning Cimbarra waterfall in central Spain, where Girardot battled heavy winds and the sheer mental challenge of the jump.
GETTING PAST THE MENTAL BARRIER
Girardot’s record-breaking plunge clocked in at a wild 106 kilometers per hour, with the airtime alone giving him a three-second rush before his hands and feet sliced into the water below.
“The hardest part is always getting past the mental barrier,” Côme shared after his leap. “Once I was in the air, it felt like time stretched. I got the biggest adrenaline hit of my life.”
A TEAM EFFORT
But it wasn’t a solo mission. A crew of his fellow death divers from the Døds Diving World Tour was there to help with everything from prep to execution.
Among those lending a hand were Ken Stornes and Lucien Charlon, both seasoned death divers. Stornes, a previous record holder with a jump of 40.5 meters, and Charlon, who beat that last August with 41.7 meters, were there to support—and, of course, witness the new record. Will they challenge 44?
WHAT IS DEATH DIVING
Døds Diving (from the Norwegian Døds for death) was invented in Norway in the 1960s and is a discipline of high diving, it differs from the classic variant, in which the feet usually hit the water surface first, in that, hands and feet are immersed simultaneously.
SPECIFIC STYLE
During the jump, the maneuvers in døds diving are more similar to tricks in snowboarding or skateboarding, in contrast to high diving, whose difficulties are more comparable to those in gymnastics.
WHY IS VGAN PART OF THIS
VGAN couldn’t be more stoked to back athletes like Côme, who are constantly redefining what’s possible. But for us this is not only about pushing limits and doing wild stunts.
At VGAN we hold action sports close to our ethos; encouraging playful engagement, risk assessment, fun and an appreciation for the outdoors.
ENCOURAGE AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
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.
IMPORTANT INSPIRATION
Côme and his døds-buddies are a great inspiration by taking jumping off a cliff to the extreme. If this can inspire more kids to jump off rocks in their local lakes or a boat in the city harbour, and we can support this, then our mission is accomplished.
