The 2025 season was another major step forward for women’s high diving in Europe. Across the World Championships, the sole World Cup stop in Porto Flavia and the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series, Europe’s leading female athletes continued to show growing depth, confidence and consistency on the world stage. Their performances reflected a sport that is maturing quickly and making its mark amongst an ever-growing aquatics scene.
At those World Aquatics Championships in Singapore over the summer, European women delivered a solid showing in one of the highest-quality fields of recent years, with four athletes from the continent going the distance.
The Netherlands’ Ginni van Katwijk continued her impressive series of performances as she took an impressive sixth place, with Cosetti replicating her 2024 feats as she took eighth. With several athletes finishing within striking distance of each other, Singapore underlined how close Europe’s women are to challenging for global medals on a regular basis.
Europe made another meaningful statement at the Porto Flavia stop of the World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, which ultimately proved to be the sole stop of the competition. The dramatic Sardinian cliffs have become a favourite stop for athletes, and the European competitors rose to the occasion once again. The battle to lead the women’s charge came from both Herculano and van Katwijk. The former athlete was narrowly ahead of the latter following a brilliant showdown over the two-day competition, with the pair in fifth and sixth respectively.
Spain’s Paula Gilabert Dolz also put in a good effort in a strong field which was eventually headed by Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland – finishing eighth.
The Red Bull Cliff Diving Series brought a different kind of challenge. Each location demanded adaptability and mental strength, and Europe’s athletes responded with determination. The Boston stop in particular saw European women deliver some of their most confident performances of the year. The field continues to grow more competitive, yet Europe’s divers repeatedly demonstrated that they belong among the world’s elite.
Ukraine’s Nelli Chukanivska made her mark on the international stage with a career-best performance at a major high diving series as she finished with a series standing of sixth after the legs in Philippenes, Italy, Bosnia and USA – leading the European contingent. Not far behind, van Katwijk drew attention with her continued consistent diving, ending the fourth stop in ninth, with Cosetti rounding out the top ten.
With new faces emerging and established names continuing to push the limits of the sport, 2025 will be remembered as a year when European women strengthened their position at the very top level. Their achievements have set the stage for an exciting 2026 season.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
