The famed Acapulco cliff divers were awarded a Guinness World Record this week for completing 5 million headfirst dives from La Quebrada, the steep, rocky cliff that towers above the Pacific Ocean.
Since 1934, La Quebrada’s divers have drawn global attention for their perilous 35-meter (115-foot) dives into a watery inlet just 7 meters (23 feet) wide and 4 meters (13 feet) deep.
The Guinness award cements their legacy as one of Mexico’s most enduring cultural and athletic traditions.
Celebrated Tuesday in a ceremony attended by local and federal officials, the achievement also underscores Acapulco’s resilience after two devastating hurricanes within a year: the Category 5 Hurricane Otis on Oct. 25, 2023 (the strongest ever to strike the area) and the Category 3 Hurricane John on Sept. 24, 2024.
Gustavo Gatica Gorostieta, president of the Professional Divers Association of La Quebrada, emphasized the nine decades of sacrifice behind the milestone.
“This record is the result of tears, sweat, pain and fear,” he said. “We do it with love and dedication to promote La Quebrada, Acapulco and Guerrero.”
Acapulco is the largest city in the state of Guerrero, with a population of 658,000.
Situated a short walk or taxi ride from downtown, the cliffs of La Quebrada are just northwest of Acapulco’s main square — not adjacent to any beach, but rising 35 to 45 meters (115 to 148 feet) above the ocean below. The Hotel El Mirador overlooks the cliffs, with panoramic views of the diving shows.
The historic 5 millionth dive was executed by Amadeo Alcocer, who began practicing the sport at age 12 and is now a professional diver at 18. Wearing a ceremonial cape emblazoned with the Guinness logo, Alcocer described the moment as nerve-wracking yet exhilarating.
“It makes me feel very happy, very proud to be part of the group and to be from Acapulco,” he said, mentioning that he said a prayer to the Virgin of Guadalupe (Virgin Mary) moments before the plunge.
Divers can reach speeds of 90 km/h (56 mph) during their 4-second descent.
Guerrero Gov. Evelyn Salgado hailed the divers’ “resilience and talent” as emblematic of Acapulco’s recovery from Hurricanes Otis and John.
Hurricane Otis forced a six-week halt to performances in late 2023, with divers later scaling back shows due to reduced tourism. Moreover, the accumulation of debris along the coast after both hurricanes also made the waters unsafe for boaters and divers alike.
Federal Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora praised the divers as “the best in the world” and highlighted the Guinness record as publicity that can help revive Acapulco’s tourism sector.
Guinness representative Ingrid Rodríguez Borja noted the unique nature and difficulty of the dives, which are performed at triple the height of Olympic platforms into shallower depths. Divers also must wait for the right tide before taking their plunge, and strong winds are often part of the equation.
The ceremony featured 12 dives, including one by a woman and two by minors.
Over the past 91 years, since fishermen began challenging one another to jump from the crags into the water below, La Quebrada’s cliffs have hosted many celebrities and been a site in many Hollywood films, including Elvis Presley making a dramatic dive in 1963’s “Fun in Acapulco.”
But nowadays, Salgado said, the focus is mainly on preserving Acapulco’s identity. “This isn’t just sport,” Salgado said. “It’s a story of overcoming, of a people who rise again.”
Two cliff divers at La Quebrada — which means “the gulch” or “the ravine” — had already entered the Guinness record book in previous years.
One of them is Raúl Arturo García Bravo, a high-dive pioneer and big promoter of La Quebrada diving in the 1930s who, legend as it, was the stunt man for Elvis’ big dive in “Fun in Acapulco.” He also jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and appeared in at least 10 other Hollywood films; his record of more than 35,000 high dives included his last from La Quebrada at age 71 in 1998.
The other is Iris Selene Álvarez Alonso, who was 14 when she achieved a Guinness record in 2007 by jumping into the ocean below from a cliff 18 meters (59 feet) high, making her the youngest female to accomplish such a feat. A shoulder injury forced her to terminate her diving career.
With reports from La Jornada, Aristegui Noticias and EFE
