For the eighth consecutive year, Agios Nikolaos is getting ready to welcome some of the world’s top cliff divers, as Lake Voulismeni once again becomes an extraordinary natural arena for an international sporting event.
The Cliff Diving 2026 event will take place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, bringing 17 athletes from Europe and North America to Crete for two days of high-level competition, spectacular dives and, presumably, a fairly healthy disregard for heights.
The athletes will launch themselves from the rocks surrounding the lake at a height of approximately 20 meters, putting strength, technique, precision and nerve to the test.
Ten men and seven women are scheduled to compete, representing Germany, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Denmark, France, Spain and Ukraine.
The men’s field includes Jan Wilko Heinzel, Remi Schüpbach, Owen Weymouth, Tim Thesing, Laso Schaller, Orlando Alfaro, Jean-David Duval, Matthias Appenzeller, Martin Bollier and Charles-Antoine Labadie.
The women’s competition features Annika Bornebusch, Madeleine Bayon, Ellie Smart, Maike Halbisch, Celia Fernández López, Caitlyn Padgett and Nelli Chukanivska.
A Natural Stadium by the Sea
The event has become an annual fixture for Agios Nikolaos and one of the more unusual sporting spectacles on the Cretan calendar. Lake Voulismeni, surrounded by the town itself, provides the setting, allowing thousands of spectators to watch the dives from around the lake.
The event is organised by the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos as part of its effort to develop the town’s profile as an international destination for sports tourism.
For the second consecutive year, the event will be presented by Giorgos Lianos.
Sport will not be the only attraction. Cultural events are also planned throughout the weekend, culminating in a concert by a major Greek artist whose identity is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Cliff Diving 2026 is held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. It is supported by the Region of Crete, the Hellenic Swimming Federation and Infinity Drop.
Eight years in, the formula remains wonderfully simple: beautiful lake, spectacular setting, 20-meter drop, and people who apparently look at that drop and think, “Yes, I’ll jump.”
And hundreds of spectators will presumably be thinking, “Absolutely not.” 😏
