Mat Cowen was delighted after his big improvement at the second event of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which saw him finish ninth in Denmark.

More than 25,000 spectators were treated to a high-diving masterclass as the world’s best jumped down from a 28-metre platform on the roof of the Copenhagen Opera House.

Cowen, who is the brother of two-time British Gas Championship silver medalist Jenny, came in with a score of 273.30 points.

That was great progress on what the 25-year-old managed in La Rochelle, France, where he finished last after admitting to being caught up in the occasion.

And the Cross Roads diver was overjoyed with his performance and his steady progress at another picturesque venue.

Cowen said: “It was an incredible event and you could never imagine jumping off such an iconic building in such an iconic city.

“The crowd was absolutely amazing and they created a great vibe for me and the other divers.

“It was a massive improvement for me. At the minute I’m not competing for places though. I’m just competing for myself and trying to get the best possible dive.

“It’s all about gaining that experience and I’m really happy with the progression that I have made since La Rochelle.”

Cowen finished last in the first round of dives, which saw him paired against eventual winner Artem Silchenko in the second round, the Russian pipping Britain’s Gary Hunt for the second time this season with a record-breaking 522.40.

The Yorkshireman believes that going up against such a strong competitor helped inspire him, with his progress seeing him leapfrog into the top ten of the overall standings ahead of the third meeting of the season at the Vila Franca do Campo islet in Portugal this weekend.

Cowen said: “I was up against Gary (Hunt) in France, who finished second, and then Artem, so I’ve had two really tough draws.

“I think that going up against him really pushed me because I knew I had to perform going against the best. But hopefully this time I can get an easier draw and have a chance of winning this time.

“We’ve only had a few days to relax since but we’ve got such a good physio to help us recover for this now.

“Conditions won’t be ideal with this being off a natural cliff. It’s a bit daunting for all the divers, especially if the wind is up. It can be very dangerous.

“I just want to start pushing myself a little further and hopefully I can get myself in the top eight by the end of the year and getting into the finals.”