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Rick Charls

Short answer: In 1983, ABC's Wide World of Sports staged its last World Record High Dive at SeaWorld San Diego. To count, a dive had to include at least one somersault, and the diver had to leave the water without help.

Five divers succeeded from 172 ft (52.4 m): Rick Charls, Rick Winters, Dana Kunze, Bruce Boccia and Mike Foley, and all five share credit for the record. Charls, from Cincinnati, was a collegiate All-American at Ohio University and the 1980 world tandem high-diving champion.

VideoWrite-up3 sources

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What should you know about Rick Charls?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Five divers share credit for the 172 ft world record from 1983.

    DD-742-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (The event)

  2. Valid dives needed a somersault and an unassisted exit from the water.

    DD-742-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (The rules)

Video transcript: Rick Charls: A 172-Foot Dive at SeaWorld San Diego in 1983

DID YOU KNOW? In 1983, high diver Rick Charls stepped onto a platform 172 ft, or 52.4 m above the water at Seaworld San Diego for ABC's Wide World of Sports World Record High Dive Challenge. Charls launched into the air, completed a dive, and hit the water at roughly 70 mph, before resurfacing under his own power. He was one of five divers who successfully completed the 172 ft-dive during the event, and Charls is still credited with the record under the competition's criteria. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 31.2s Reel ·

Video coming soonRick Charls · Instagram Reel
Rick Charls: A 172-Foot Dive at SeaWorld San Diego in 1983 Instagram Reel · · 31.2s

The write-up

A 172-foot dive at SeaWorld San Diego in 1983. Charls was one of five divers credited with the 172 ft dive.

  1. Exhibit A

    The event

    ABC's Wide World of Sports produced world-record high dives for more than a decade. Its last was staged in 1983 at SeaWorld San Diego, in front of thousands of spectators at the park and a TV audience of millions.

  2. Exhibit B

    The rules

    To count, a diver had to dive or perform at least one somersault, then exit the water without help.

  3. Exhibit C

    Five record holders

    Rick Charls, Rick Winters, Dana Kunze, Bruce Boccia and Mike Foley all completed dives from 172 ft (52.4 m), and all five are credited with the record.

  4. Exhibit D

    Later attempts

    In 1985 Randy Dickison dove from 172 ft in Hong Kong but broke his femur and couldn't leave the water unaided. In 1987 Olivier Favre broke his back attempting 177 ft. Laso Schaller's 2015 leap from a 193 ft cliff is considered a jump, not a dive.

  5. Exhibit E

    Who he is

    Charls, a Cincinnati native, was a high school and collegiate All-American and a two-time Mid-American Conference champion at Ohio University. He was the 1980 world tandem high-diving champion.

Questions people ask about Rick Charls

How many divers share credit for the 172 ft record?

Charls, Winters, Kunze, Boccia and Foley.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Five record holders) · Wikipedia: Rick Charls (diver); TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983

What did a valid dive require?

At least one somersault and leaving the water without help.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The rules) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983; Crewe Swim: High Diving, World Record High Dives

Where was the 1983 event held?

SeaWorld San Diego, for ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The event) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983; Crewe Swim: High Diving, World Record High Dives

Why didn't Randy Dickison's 1985 dive count?

He couldn't exit the water unaided.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Later attempts) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983

Which university did Charls dive for?

He was a two-time Mid-American Conference champion there.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Who he is) · Wikipedia: Rick Charls (diver)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How many divers share credit for the 172 ft record?

    1. One
    2. Three
    3. Five
    4. Ten
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Five Charls, Winters, Kunze, Boccia and Foley. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Five record holders) · Wikipedia: Rick Charls (diver); TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983

  2. What did a valid dive require?

    1. A somersault and an unassisted exit
    2. A belly flop
    3. A wetsuit
    4. Two divers
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A somersault and an unassisted exit At least one somersault and leaving the water without help. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The rules) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983; Crewe Swim: High Diving, World Record High Dives

  3. Where was the 1983 event held?

    1. Acapulco
    2. SeaWorld San Diego
    3. Hawaii
    4. Hong Kong
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. SeaWorld San Diego SeaWorld San Diego, for ABC's Wide World of Sports. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (The event) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983; Crewe Swim: High Diving, World Record High Dives

  4. Why didn't Randy Dickison's 1985 dive count?

    1. He broke his femur and needed help leaving the water
    2. The platform was too low
    3. It rained
    4. He jumped feet-first
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. He broke his femur and needed help leaving the water He couldn't exit the water unaided. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Later attempts) · TV is Cool!: The official world record high dive of 172ft (52.4m), set back in 1983

  5. Which university did Charls dive for?

    1. Ohio University
    2. Stanford
    3. UCLA
    4. Harvard
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Ohio University He was a two-time Mid-American Conference champion there. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Who he is) · Wikipedia: Rick Charls (diver)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Rick Charls." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-742, last updated Sep 19, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/rick-charls/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/rick-charls/ · Last updated

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Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-742-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/rick-charls/#DD-742-F01

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