In just two weeks’ time the country’s best divers will take to the boards for the first time in 2019, as the British National Diving Cup returns to Plymouth for the third time.
Taking place at the Plymouth Life Centre from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 February, a venue that has also hosted the National Championships on numerous occasions, the National Cup will see Britain’s best stake their first claim for spots on the team for the World Aquatics Championships in South Korea this summer.
Taking top billing is a certain Tom Daley, the two time world champion making his return to competition having taken a year off in 2018 following the birth of his son, Robbie. 2019 will be key for Tom, as he targets success at the FINA Diving World Series finale in London, which returns to the capital in May after a four year hiatus, and the aforementioned World Championships.
Contesting the Men’s Platform and the Men’s Platform Synchro in Plymouth, Tom will kick start his new partnership with Matty Lee, who is a world and European medallist in his own right, and made the move to London at the back end of last year to work with Daley on a full-time basis. After a successful training camp in Rio, the duo head to the Plymouth Life Centre full of confidence.
Also on that camp out in the Brazilian capital was Jack Laugher, the city holding special memories for both he and British Diving, as in 2016 he won the countries first ever Olympic diving gold in the Men’s 3m Synchro alongside Chris Mears, also adding a silver medal in the individual event just days later.
With Chris Mears taking a break from the sport, Laugher will be contesting the synchro event alongside new partner Dan Goodfellow, and the pair will be hoping to get off to a winning start on the south coast next month.
Following a year to remember in 2018 where she won Commonwealth and European titles, Grace Reid will be another one to watch in Plymouth, the Scottish star scheduled to contest three events: the Women’s 1m, Women’s 3m and Women’s 3m Synchro, the latter alongside Kat Torrance.
Also in action from the 1-3 February will be young synchro pairing Eden Cheng and Lois Toulson, the platform divers having wowed the crowds in Glasgow last summer as they took home the European Women’s Platform Synchro title aged just 15 and 18 respectively.
Tickets for the British National Diving Cup are still available and all the information can be found by clicking here.