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High diver to attempt shallow water record
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-04 11:33 Darren Taylor, known as Professor Splash, will attempt to land safely in one foot of water from a height of 40 ft on live television.
The former strip-club DJ from Denver will reach speeds of up to 30 mph in the record effort next week. While most divers try to makes themselves as aerodynamic as possible, Mr Taylor stretches out his limbs and belly flops into the water. "I study a lot of video, and I transform myself into a different being. I become rock hard, I feel no pain," he said. But the technique, designed to stop his fall before he hits the bottom of the pool, is far from fool proof. "Thirty three feet was the height of the first jump," he said. "I jumped 'out', instead of 'up', and I landed in the front of the pool on my face! It hurt, and it did scare me." But Mr Taylor went on to set the current shallow diving record of 35 ft 5 in, and is now attempting to go nearly 5 ft better. The 47-year-old competed professionally as a high diver before realising that shallow diving offered him the chance to get into the record books.. And he plans to attempt three more "deadly" diving records before his planned retirement at 50. His advice to other would-be shallow divers? Show commitment and work on your technique. "For your life's sake, jump straight up, jump out, and make damn sure you land flat enough to blacken your chest and legs," he said. "You must stay completely focused on your 'flight plan', or it could lead to your death. I never forget at anytime what could happen if this dive goes bad." Mr Turner's record attempt will be broadcast from Hollywood on the Jimmy Kimmel show on US network ABC on Sept 12. |
