In the men's, it's Kris Kolanus who leads after two rounds, but with his lower degree of difficulty dives today he'll need to show perfection to have a chance of winning. With Englishmen Gary Hunt and Blake Aldridge not quite firing yet this weekend, and Americans Andy Jones and David Colturi low down in the standings, it's probably Jonathan Paredes who is in prime position to make a move and repeat his victory here from two years ago.
We have perfect blue skies here in Mostar, and the crowd is beginning to build up down by the Neretva River. Thousands of fans are expected to create an exciting atmosphere, as the world's best cliff divers battle for victory from Stari Most.
Here’s the schedule for this afternoon: (CET)
1.25pm – Women’s 3rd Round
1.55pm – Men’s 3rd Round
2.30pm – Red Bull TV live stream starts
2.33pm – Women’s Final
2.53pm – Men’s Final
The warm up dives are over, the athletes have been introduced to the crowd, and Yana Nestsiarava is about to get the women's 3rd round underway.
The Belarusian wildcard picks up sevens across the board for her Forward 2 Somersaults 1/2 Twist.
Ginger Huber now, stepping up to the platform for her Reverse Flying 1 Somersault...and the American knows she can nail them better than that. Just 6, 6.5 and 7 for that one.
Anna Bader treats the crowd to a magnificent Armstand Forward 1/2 Somersault, and the judges love it too. Nines for the German.
Helena Merten is clearly in the zone too. Three 8.5s for the Aussie and she moves into second place behind Bader.
Cesilie Carlton hasn't been in the greatest form this season, but that might just all change here today. A stunning Forward 2 Somersaults 1/2 Twist and she's moved into the lead.
With Rhiannan Iffland out with injury, this is Adriana Jimenez's chance to make up some ground on her rival in the standings. And that's not a bad dive at all from the Mexican. 8, 8, 7.5 puts her just behind Carlton going into the final round.
So, here are the women's standings after round 3 -
1- Cesilie Carlton (USA) – 221.40
2- Adriana Jimenez (MEX) – 217.00
3- Anna Bader (W) (GER) – 211.20
4- Helena Merten (AUS) – 209.30
5- Ginger Huber (USA) – 187.40
6- Yana Nestsiarava (W) (BLR) – 179.00
Andy Jones will kick off the men's third round shortly, but unfortunately whatever he does he won't be able to make a place in the top 8 and the final after earning zero points for his second round failed dive yesterday. The American added one twist too many and was punished accordingly by the judges.
That's a nice way to sign off though. Three 8s for his Back 3 Somersaults 3 Twists.
Not a great day for David Colturi yesterday, but let's see if he can fire back up into contention today. 8, 7.5, 7.5 for his Reverse 2 Somersaults 4 Twists, and that is better from the American.
Orlando Duque opts for the same dive as Colturi, but a poor execution lands him with three 5s from the judges.
Blake Aldridge won't be too happy with his Back 3 Somersaults 3 Twists, but he moves into the lead for now. Let's see if the overall championship leader can make it into the final round.
What about this from Russian wildcard Nikita Fedotov...a brilliant armstand dive propels him into a comfortable lead.
17,000 fans have packed into the small viewing area down by the Neretva River to enjoy this spectacle today.
Fellow debutante Oleksiy Prygorov cannot replicate the scores of Fedotov, and that might be the last we'll see of the Ukrainian today.
Colombia's Miguel Garcia nails his Inward 4 Somersaults 1/2 Twist, and moves into second behind Fedotov.
Sergio Guzman now, with a Back 4 Somersaults...and it's a cracking dive. 8.5, 8.5, 8.5 from the judges and the Mexican moves into the lead.
Gary Hunt, under a little pressure having lost his overall championship lead at the last stop, steps up and rips his Forward 3 Somersaults 3 1/2 Twists. It's a huge score for the Brit, who has never won a World Seies event from a bridge before. He's into the lead.
But not for long. Michal Navratil grabs two 9s and an 8.5, and with it moves above Hunt.
Alessandro De Rose, up onto his hands, and away he goes. 7.5, 7.5, 7 for the Italian, and sits in third as it stands.
Steven LoBue, with a sensational five-somersault dive, edges past Navratil.
Nice scores from the judges for Jonathan Paredes, but his lower degree of difficulty in that Back 3 Somersaults 2 Twists means the Mexican only moves up into 4th.
Wow, three 9s for Kris Kolanus in the final dive of this round. Like Paredes, it's an easier dive than most, but he takes 4th place from the Mexican.
Here are the men's standings after round 3 -
1- Steven LoBue (USA) – 285.85
2- Michal Navratil (CZE) – 285.35
3- Gary Hunt (GBR) – 281.30
4- Kris Kolanus (POL) – 273.60
5- Jonathan Paredes (MEX) – 269.30
6- Alessandro De Rose (W) (ITA) – 265.20
7- Sergio Guzman (MEX) – 261.55
8- Nikita Fedotov (W) (RUS) - 258.00
9- Miguel Garcia (W) (COL) – 254.80
10- Blake Aldridge (GBR) – 234.70
11- David Colturi (USA) – 232.00
12- Oleksiy Prygorov (W) (UKR) - 222.50
13- Orlando Duque (COL) – 205.40
14- Andy Jones (USA) - 179.00
Duque, Jones, Aldridge and Colturi, four of the main title contenders, drop out of the top 8 and will not appear in the final. That's a killer blow for their title chances.
The women are ready for their final, and Yana Nestsiarava steps up first.
6, 6, 5.5 for the Belarusian, and there will be no podium for her today it seems.
Three 7s for Ginger Huber for that Inward 3 Somersaults 1/2 Twist, and the American takes the lead for now.
Helena Merten with an armstand take-off. This has the potential to be a high scoring dive...
Amazing from Merten. 8.5, 8.5, 8 from the judges. She is in with a great chance of grabbing her first ever World Series win now.
Anna Bader with a bit of splash on that one, but three 7s push her into 2nd place. Just two divers to go now.
Can Cesilie Cartlon or Adriana Jimenez catch Merten?
Oh no! Jimenez gets her entry all wrong and can only take fives from the judges.
Here comes Carlton. Can the American come up with something special?
What a brilliant dive under pressure from Carlton. Perfectly executed in the air and then she rips cleanly into the Neretva River. It's enough to edge her past Merten by just two points. Merten will be delighted with 2nd place though, and she closes in on fellow Australian Iffland in the overall standings.
Women's final standings -
1- Cesilie Carlton (USA) – 316.40
2- Helena Merten (AUS) – 314.30
3- Anna Bader (W) (GER) – 280.50
4- Adriana Jimenez (MEX) – 275.50
5- Ginger Huber (USA) – 267.20
6- Yana Nestsiarava (W) (BLR) – 247.25
Nikita Fedotov, the Russian wildcard, has made it into the final ahead of some of his much more experienced competitors. Here he comes for his final dive...
That is simply sensational from Fedotov. 9, 9, 9.5 for his Forward 3 Somersaults 2 1/2 Twists. He's not only in the lead for now, but has a real chance of making the podium with that dive. Could he even win it? It's been done with lower total scores than that this season.
A very hard landing for Sergio Guzman there. The expert safety team move in to aid the Mexican, who gets a big round of applause from the spectators.
Alessandro De Rose moves into second place. Fedotov still holding on strong. Here is Paredes with a running take-off...
That's not his best execution though. 7, 6.5 and 6.5 for Paredes puts him in third.
A beautiful Forward 4 Somersaults 1/2 Twist from Kris Kolanus, and he is a whisker away from taking the lead. Gary Hunt is up next.
That's the Gary Hunt we're used to seeing in previous seasons. The acrobatic genius fires into the lead after that Back 3 Somersaults 4 Twists.
A bad entry for Michal Navratil earns him 5.5s from the judges, so no repeat of his victory here last season.
Just Steven LoBue left now. Can he make it an American double today? Here he comes with his Inward 5 Somersaults 1/2 Twists...
Hunt finally wins from a bridge in the World Series, and in doing so he reclaims his lead in the overall standings with one stop to go. LoBue finishes in second place after the judges made some deductions to what looked on first glance like a superb dive. And what a result for Nikita Fedotov! The 22-year-old Russian finishes on the podium at his very first World Series event. What a prospect he is for the future.
Men's final standings -
1- Gary Hunt (GBR) – 400.90
2- Steven LoBue (USA) – 393.85
3- Nikita Fedotov (W) (RUS) - 376.25
4- Kris Kolanus (POL) – 376.10
5- Alessandro De Rose (W) (ITA) – 364.10
6- Jonathan Paredes (MEX) – 363.30
7- Michal Navratil (CZE) – 356.30
8- Sergio Guzman (MEX) – 268.30
9- Miguel Garcia (W) (COL) – 254.80
10- Blake Aldridge (GBR) – 234.70
11- David Colturi (USA) – 232.00
12- Oleksiy Prygorov (W) (UKR) - 222.50
13- Orlando Duque (COL) – 205.40
14- Andy Jones (USA) - 179.00
What a day in Mostar. Gary Hunt finally put to bed the myth that he cannot win on bridges, while Cesilie Carlton rediscovered that winning feeling after a fairly low key season so far. Congratulations must also go to 22-year-old wildcard Nikita Fedotov, who put in a stunning performance to land on the the podium in his first ever World Series event. See you for the big finale in Chile on October 21st.
