Your Guide to Diving

Here’s a guide to the sport of Diving.  No, not Scuba Diving. No, not Swimming. The other kind of Diving, the one with flips, twists, and the constant battle to not belly flop.

(Image credits to Elwyn Hutter

Events

In Diving, athletes perform on two different apparatuses: the Springboard and the Platform. Springboards are bouncy, and the Platform is solid. Springboard events are 1 meter and 3 meters high. For platforms, competitors may use 5-meter, 7.5-meter (commonly referred to as 7-meter), and 10-meter platforms. There are also 1-meter and 3-meter platforms. The 1-meter platforms are not competed on, however, the 3-meter platform can be used individually or in synchro competitions and platform events.

(Image credits to Haley Hall)

Dives and Positions

In diving, there are four positions: A, B, C, and D. A is straight, B is pike, C is tuck, and D is a specialised position that is essentially straight but is used for twisters; it is referred to as the free position. These are added to the end of numbers. 

All dives are numbered based on the direction the diver is flipping, how many flips, and for twisters, how many twists. Fronts always start with 1, backs start with 2, reverses start with 3, inwards start with 4, twisters start with 5, and armstands start with 6. Armstands are only performed on the platform. For 1-4, the dives have three numbers: the direction, a 0, then the flips. Now flips are numbered for every half flip, so 1 is a dive, 2 is a flip, 3 is a 1.5, etc. For example, a 103 is a front 1.5, a 301 is a reverse dive. 

Then, for armstands (handstands), the start number is 6, and the third number is the number of flips, but the middle number is different now. The middle number indicates the direction; 612 is a front armstand flip.

Twisters is where it gets confusing: they have four numbers: 5 is the start, the second number is the direction, the third number is flips, and a fourth number is twists. Twists are the same as flips and go up every half twist. For example, a 5132 is a front 1.5 flips with a full twist; a 5235 is a back 1.5 flips with 2.5 twists. There are also armstand twisters, but they don't start with 5; they start with 6, like the rest of the armstands. The rest is the same as a normal twister. A 6243 is a back armstand with 2 flips and a 1.5 twist. 

Then add the numbers and letters together, so a 105B is a front 2.5 pike, a 5333D is a reverse 1.5 flips with 1.5 twists.

Scoring

At most competitions, there will be five judges, or seven at big international competitions. The judges score from 0 to 10, in half-point increments, with 0 being a failed dive and 10 being perfect. Each dive, the judges give a score; with five judges, the highest and the lowest scores are removed and the remaining three scores are added together and multiplied by the degree of difficulty (DD). For competitions with seven judges, the 2 highest and 2 lowest scores are removed and the same process is repeated with the remaining three. 

The DD varies each dive and each position. For example, if a 101B (front dive pike) from the 1 meter scores 6.5, 7, 7, 7.5, 7.5, one 7.5, and the 6.5 are removed, then the final scores are added: 7+7+7.5 = 21.5. Then the DD (1.3) is applied, so 21.5 × 1.3 = 27.95; this is the total score for that dive. Once a driver completes all their dives, those individual dive scores get added and the sum is their total score.

Now, for synchro events, there will be 11 judges, three judging each individual diver, and five judging the synchronisation. The median score from the individual divers and the middle three synchronisation scores are added and multiplied by the DD.

What drives are scored on

Divers aim for their dives to be as clean as possible, from walking down the board to their takeoff, their position in the air, and their entry. The goal of the entry is to make the smallest splash possible, which is commonly called a “rip” because it sounds like ripping paper. Ripping is very important because it's the last thing the judges see, so even if the dive isn’t as pretty in the air, ripping can help a diver improve their score.

Age Groups

Each age group requires a different number of dives to compete, and boys and girls compete separately. In junior diving categories, the recognised age groups are 11 and under, 12-13, 14-15, and 16-18. 11 and under compete the least and 16-18 do the most. 

In college, there are no age groups; just boys and girls who compete 6 dives.

There is also senior diving, and pretty much anyone with the dives can compete. Senior athletes compete in fewer drives but their dives often have greater difficulties. Senior diving is what you see in the Olympics. 

Then there is masters, who are older divers. Age groups are 21-34, 35-49, 50-64, 65-79, and 80+. This is the opposite of juniors, where as athletes get older, they require fewer dives at their competitions.

Training

Diving isn’t only practised in the water. Lots of stretching, conditioning, and dryland practice go into it. Athletes must build and maintain a level of flexibility in order to get into the positions they need, and they also need the strength to hold themselves in certain positions. During dryland practice, divers use trampolines, springboards that land on a resi-mat or in a foam pit, and mat flips to replicate what they do in the water. 

Conclusion

Diving isn’t just about flipping and making no splash; it’s a sport full of progress, confidence, and dedication, where every step is essential.  

Written by Haley Hall

© Haley Hall 2025