Diving Information
So what is a VOLUNTARY and what is an OPTIONAL dive?
At an 11 dive meet, all divers will perform the first 5 dives. Then the judges will take a break. There will be a cut to 20 divers for Semi-Finals. Twenty divers will perform dives 6-8. Then a break after dive 8. Finals are cut to 16 divers for dives 9-11.
- Any dive can be a voluntary and any dive can be an optional. However, voluntary dives are limited by DD (degree of difficulty). In 11 dive meets, all voluntary dives can have a DD that sums no great than 9 total points.
- Just add up the DD of the 5 dives that your diver wants to use as voluntary dives, and it cannot be greater than 9. If it is, dives must be changed.
- There are 5 total voluntary dives in an 11 dive meet. 2 are in the preliminary round (dives 1-5), 2 are in the semi-final round (dives 6-8) and 1 is in the final round (dives 9-11)
- The remaining six dives are considered optional dives. They are typically the higher DD, more difficult dives.
- The 5 voluntary dives must come from each dive category (front dive – dives that start with 1; back dive – dives that start with 2; reverse dive – dives that start with 3; inward dive – dives that start with 4; and twisting dives – dives that start with 5)
- The 6 remaining dives are considered optional dives. You must have one optional from each category (front, back, reverse, inward, twisting) in the remaining six dives and you cannot perform optional dives in the same category in the first 8 dives. You may have two front dives in the first 8 dives but one must be a voluntary and one must be an optional. No dive can be repeated.
At an 11 dive meet, all divers will perform the first 5 dives. Then the judges will take a break. There will be a cut to 20 divers for Semi-Finals. Twenty divers will perform dives 6-8. Then a break after dive 8. Finals are cut to 16 divers for dives 9-11.