The first day of training ahead of the last stop in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2011 took place in Yalta on Friday as the battle for final places hots up ahead of Sunday's competition live on Red Bull TV.
The setting is the picturesque Swallow's Nest castle with the divers having to climb down from the castle's railings to reach the 27-metre-high platform extending from the cliff face.
With Ukraine's Crimean peninsula bathed in sunshine, the conditions were almost perfect, allowing the divers almost no distractions as they were able to concentrate on perfecting their dives and competing for a position in the top six, and automatic entry to next year's World Series, with many places still up for grabs.
"I think it's going to be very close," said third-placed Michal Navratil. "Everybody can take results and change position. I’ve looked at the points' difference (between third and fourth) but it really depends on how well you dive. Everybody will try their very best in the last competition, it is what we are fighting for."
"You can’t think too much about what a podium spot would mean beyond the actual competition," said Kent De Mond, who is still in with a shout of the top six. "If I do really well and manage to finish six places ahead of either Alain (Kohl) or Cyrille (Oumedjkane), though, I’ll be super happy."
"This is a special competition for me and the other Ukrainians because this is our home," said Slava Polyeshchuk. "We have a lot of friends here – other divers and coaches – and for us it’s going to be special. I’ve not been here before but I’ve heard about this place, it is very famous in Ukraine."
First dives: Reaction from training