Aidan Heslop won the inaugural Cliff Diving World Series after returning from back surgery

Aidan Heslop made a triumphant return to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series by winning the first event of 2026 in Bali, Indonesia.

The 24-year-old Welshman has missed the entire 2025 season due to a back injury and rehabilitation but showed he is still at the top of his game with impressive performances at Croa Falls and Kelingking Beach.

Heslop worked his way to the top of the standings in round three, before delivering the final dive of the day in round four – a forward four somersault 3½ twist pike.

The dive’s 5.9 degrees of difficulty earned the event’s biggest single dive score of 141.60 from the judges as Heslop topped the standings with a combined score of 419.85, ahead of Mexico’s Jonathan Paredes (379.7) and American James Lichtenstein (371.2).

“It’s been a long time coming, and I can say it’s probably been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, spending time away from one of the toughest sports in the world, but it feels amazing,” Heslop, the 2024 champion, told the Red Bull website.

“I took that last dive and I felt joy, relief, everything at once.

“I was a little torn on the jet ski, because this moment means so much to me, and I’m really happy that I’m back… I can’t put into words how happy I am.”