We caught up with Red Bull Cliff Diving Athlete and Nadador Dive Coach, David Colturi, to chat about his off season training here in Mission Viejo, comeback from surgery, and plans for the upcoming season.
MVN: Let’s start where last season ended. Tell us about your injury and how you closed out the 2022 cliff diving season.
DC: After 2 solid competitions to start the season, I had a rough landing on a practice dive in Austria from 27m (90 ft) with my arm out to the side, and the impact with the water pushed my arm out further and tore two of the rotator cuff muscles in my right shoulder. Thankfully I have a great care team in place in Innsbruck, was able to have surgery immediately, and stayed there for the first six weeks of recovery. I enjoyed some time hiking the beautiful Austrian Alps, hanging and traveling with friends, and was even able to work some of the remaining cliff diving competitions with the Red Bull communications team as a live broadcast reporter.
MVN: After you returned back to the States, what was the recovery process like and how was it being back on deck with the team? DC: I returned home in LA at the end of September, and spent those next 3 months laser focused on physical therapy and building my shoulder strength back in the gym. Everything went really well and I was able to get back in the water for some diving basics around the holidays. I always love being on deck and in the pool with the Nadadores. I truly love and appreciate this team and all the wonderful staff and families that make up the Nadador community. It’s a privilege to share the pool with this world class team, and I really enjoy being on both sides of the coach-athlete coin. MVN: What does the cliff diving calendar look like this year and are there any stops in particular that you’re looking forward to?
DC: This year’s schedule is amazing! May 27: AQUA High Diving World Cup; Ft. Lauderdale June 3: Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series; Boston June 18: RBCDWS Paris, France July 2: RBCDWS Polignano a Mare, Italy July 27: AQUA High Diving World Championships; Fukuoka, Japan August 3: RBCDWS Takachiho, Japan August 19: RBCDWS Stockholm, Sweden September 9: RBCDWS Mostar, Bosnia November 19: RBCDWS Auckland, New Zealand This will be my first time in Japan and New Zealand, so I’m really looking forward to competing there and spending some extra time after the competitions to explore around.
MVN: Awesome, good luck, David!
