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diving platforms at a diving competition

What do you call a flexible diving platform? I just realized this, but in international competition the diving platform isn't always elastic and flexible, but I doubt they are called a diving platform since they protrude out of the platform. You can see four of them in the lower platforms. What are they called?

3 Answers 3

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They are called springboards (although they are often just called diving boards):

springboard noun [ C ]

a board that can bend, helping people to jump higher when jumping or diving into a swimming pool or when doing gymnastics

Cambridge Dictionary

19

In American English, these "flexible diving platforms" are "diving boards".

A Bing image search shows that diving boards look like what the original poster had in mind.

If it is very clear from context that the object is used to dive into an artificial pool of water, the term can be shortened to "board".

The International Olympic Committee's website refers to these objects as "springboards".

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    Surely the rigid ones are diving platforms whilst the flexible ones are springboards. They are all classified as diving boards Jul 28, 2019 at 20:00
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    @PeterJennings -- My understanding of a "diving board" is consistent with Collins' "American English" definition: "a springboard projecting over a swimming pool, lake, etc., for use as a takeoff in diving". A "rigid platform" does not resemble a "board". A long-enough, thin-enough "board" of lumber is flexible. If your understanding is consistent with Collins' "British English" definition, please feel free to post an answer.
    – Jasper
    Jul 28, 2019 at 21:14
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    @alephzero -- My interpretation of the Collins dictionary entry is that the meaning of "diving board" is different in British English than in American English. I am not surprised that, as an American, my understanding of "diving board" matches the American English definition: A springboard. Whereas Peter Jennings' understanding of "diving board" matches the British English definition: either a springboard or a rigid diving platform. You, Peter Jennings, or another British English speaker might want to post an answer.
    – Jasper
    Jul 29, 2019 at 1:07
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    In the US, for recreational swimmers (not professionals), I can confirm this is just a "diving board". Diving platforms don't exist outside of specialized professional pools, so since these are the only ones people normally see, there's no need to get detailed with "spring board". It's just a diving board. Tall diving boards springboards or platforms) can be referred to as "high dives".
    – JPhi1618
    Jul 29, 2019 at 18:43
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    @JPhi1618 Agreed. I'd wager most Americans are not familiar with, or at least wouldn't use, the term springboard for this. It's definitely a diving board in everyday speech, and diving platforms are definitely not diving boards.
    – user91988
    Jul 29, 2019 at 20:37
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Springboard is the term. When I used to swim and dive regularly, (in UK), the 'boards' were the solid platforms that had steps up to them - often at three different levels. Hence the 'top board'.

The springboard was a flexible board, often longer than the others, (its inboard end was further from the water), and sometimes adjustable in the free length over the water, to enable a variable amount of 'spring'.

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  • Actually, what do you call the fixed ones, Tim ?!
    – Fattie
    Jul 30, 2019 at 15:46
  • @Fattie - boards, simply boards...
    – Tim
    Jul 30, 2019 at 17:49
  • it's always great to see "actual experience" answers on these sites.
    – Fattie
    Jul 30, 2019 at 20:16

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