The USA's David Colturi is in the lead after the first day of dives at Texas' Possum Kingdom Lake on Friday.
The men's Seeding Round - the first of four rounds in total - took place on a sweltering Friday afternoon in the Deep South, as the world's best high divers went all the way up to 28 metres and a platform positioned on 'Hell's Gate'.
The gathered spectators witnessed a slice of diving heaven, however, as Chicago-based Colturi hit a perfect inward double half that saw head judge Claudio De Miro reaching for a 10 and the 25-year-old accumulating a total of 106.40 points. Colturi will now face off against the winner of the World Series' stop in Cuba, Blake Aldridge, in Rounds 1 and 2 of the head-to-head for a place in Saturday's final.
It was a great day for the US women as well, with Cesilie Carlton heading a trio of American athletes after the first two rounds of the first Women's World Series event.
Carlton, one of seven female athletes competing from 20 metres, had a programme which included one required dive, a double half, with a fixed Degree of Difficulty of 2.6, and one optional dive, a double one and a half, with five international judges, including legendary Olympian Greg Louganis, awarding the scores.
The women's event concludes on Saturday with a third and final round, and a trio of Americans, Carlton, Rachelle Simpson and wildcard Tara Hyer-Tira, are all in contention for top spot.
Men's scores after Seeding Round & head-to-head pairings
1. David Colturi (USA) - 106.40pts v 12. Blake Aldridge (UK) - 64.60pts
2. Michal Navratil (CZE) - 104.50 v 11. Mat Cowen (UK) - 79.80
3. Orlando Duque (COL) - 102.60 v Steven LoBue (USA) - 85.50
4. Artem Silchenko (RUS) - 98.80 v Kent De Mond (USA) - 89.30
5. Gary Hunt (UK) - 98.80 v Andy Jones (USA) - 91.20
6. Anatoliy Shabotenko (UKR) - 98.80 v Jonathan Paredes (MEX) - 96.90
*Kris Kolanus and Kyle Mitrione did not start
Women's scores after Rounds 1 and 2
1. Cesilie Carlton (USA) - 145.85pts
2. Rachelle Simpson (USA) - 142.30
3. Tara Hyer-Tira (USA) - 134.20
4. Anna Bader (GER) - 131.30
5. Adriana Jimenez (MEX) - 128.60
6. Ginger Huber (USA) - 113.20
7. Jacqueline Valente (BRA) - 65.20
