Thursday, July 03, 2008

Help for Asada and Dick Button gets his way!

So the ISU has published all the changes they have made to the figure skating rule book. I'm usually very good at deciphering these but there are a couple I find quite confusing.

If you care to see the whole list, do so by clicking here.

Dick Button has finally gotten his way on sit spins. A sit spin will only be counted as a completed spin if the buttock is not above the knee and the upper part of the leg is parallel to the ice (as demonstrated by The Grinch)!

Also, the wrong edge deduction for skaters has been scaled back a bit. Skaters will only receive the nasty "e" on the jump if it was one of those clearly flutzed things with a long, drawn out entrance. If the flutz is shorter or not as prominent, than skaters only get an "!" and the judges can decide what to take off, if anything. Meaning, flutzes no longer mean mandatory point loss.

This is the part I don't get, maybe someone can explain:

Have one element less in a Well Balanced Free Program of all the categories with the following
result:
a) Senior both Men and Ladies: maximum of three (3) spins, one of which must be a spin
combination, one a flying spin and one a spin with only one position;
b) Junior Men: maximum of one (1) step sequence;
c) Junior Ladies: maximum of one (1) step sequence and no any Spiral Sequence;
d) Senior and Junior Pairs:
maximum of 1 Step Sequence and no Spiral Sequence (seasons 2008-2009, 2010-2011);
maximum of 1 Sequence of Spirals and no Step Sequence (season 2009-2010).

Junior skaters can now do a Triple Axel in their short programs...that's fun! And Pairs Teams will now get more points for lifts after the halfway point in their programs in addition to the jumps.

Also...no more dramatic waiting and pacing around the ice after they call your name...now you get 60 seconds!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Flutz is a flutz is a flutz. It should be marked as a flutz and deductions need to be taken off. period. It's like telling people oh you can steal money as long as you only steal 10 cents versus 500 dollars. At the end of the day, it's stealing. If Asada flutz, then she should be mark down period. no ifs and or buts.

Sit spins is call sit spins because when one does one, it looks like someone is sitting. Hence good call on ISU.

Also it's good to make the skaters to skate within 60 second after their names are called. It's like tennis; there is a time limit between serves. The bottom line is fans are the one who makes this sports what it is. It is rude to let the people who pay you wait.

rachel e said...

Two things:
1) I think what that "Have one less" thing is trying to do is limit skaters from putting five million elements in their programs and so stop them from jacking up their base value. At least, that's how I see it, I could be totally wrong.

2) I actually think this edge change rule is appropriate. It's actually 99% impossible to do a lutz off a completely outside edge. What's important is that you are balanced on the outside edge going into the jump, and if your edge changes AT THE VERY LAST SECOND, that's just the nature of the jump. Hello, the jump goes the the opposite way of the outside edge!

Of course you should be penalized for having a real inside edge going into the jump, but that's totally different from being on an outside edge which changes over very briefly as you take off.

Laura said...

I like the edge change rule as well (although I am sure there will still be some issues to work out as to whether an "e" or "!" gets doled out).

I am also looking forward to seeing if that one element decrease results in any visible difference in program flow/quality.

Aaron said...

On the whole flutz thing...I like the new rule. However, I think those skaters achieving a true outside edge should be given bonus credit (i.e. the jump gets a higher point value). Several skaters went back to the drawing board on the lutz in particular and they should be given credit for working hard at that.

Anonymous said...

If skaters achieving true outside edge are given bonus points, then that kinda defeat the purpose of not down grading flutz. Therefore, there is no point of the change. If Asada keeps on flutzing, then she should get zero credit for the triple. If Kim takes off on the correct edge, then she should be given the credit. If Asada is not punished for taking off with the wrong edge then there is really no point for Kim to take off with the correct edge. Essentially Asada gets a free ride and Kim gets punished for taking off on the correct edge unless she gets bonus for taking off with the correct edge. The difference between Asada and Kim is that one is a phenomenal jumper with a great style and the other is a technical jumper with a great style. By not punishing Asada for incorrect take off, Kim essentially lost her edge (so to speak).