Figure Skating's topics - tribe.net

Figure skating in Paris?

Cherry — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 01:52:40 GMT

Hi, I was in freeskate 3 back home in LA when I moved to Paris.

Now I'd really like to get back to taking lessons. It seems like rinks here don't have their own group lessons, but rather have partnerships with skating clubs, and lessons with those clubs seem pretty complicated--membership fees, seasonal class schedule, can't join in the middle of the season, insurance, etc...

Does anyone know of a not-so-complicated place in or around Paris? I live in the southwest suburb near Versailles. Or anyone know of a coach that I could take privates from?

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Skating Movies

lionjill — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:18:30 GMT

Have there been any good skating movies? I just watched the remake of the "was a singles skater, has to be a doubles skater now" movie that wasn't any better in the remake. Competition under lights - and the whole premise was stupid. Her new partner just started figure skating three months ago???? If she can do a triple she can stop doing doubles after nationals and go to the Olympics as a singles skater??? Yuck. Someone please tell me there is a good skating movie out there so I can get the taste of this one out of my mouth!

posted in Figure Skating - 4 replies

Skating with Celebrities

lionjill — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 03:30:19 GMT

what did you all think? I just caught one show - and thought it was great. I was very impressing with the skating.

posted in Figure Skating - 3 replies

Asian Athlete article on Michelle Kwan's withdrawal from Nationals

PollyMoller — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 21:52:08 GMT

Nine-time U.S. national champion Michelle Kwan announced her withdrawal today from next week's nationals. pulled right groin muscle. She will petition the U.S. Figure Skating International Committee to be placed on the Olympic team. Kwan sustained a groin injury on December 17, 2005 and has had limited ice time since then. She will resume her regular training on January 13th. The winners of the events will automatically be placed on the Olympic team. The other two lady competitors will be chosen based on past performances.

In a somewhat tense press conference, both Kwan and the executive director of U.S. Figure Skating fielded probing and repetitive questions from the media. Kwan explained, "After skating in Marshall's, it felt like I was heading on the right track, but after about a week I pulled my groin and haven't been the same since. Doctor's orders is not to jump until the 13th. The good news is that my hip is doing well and I'm capable of being well in time for the Olympics.

Kwan is disappointed that she will not be able to compete at Nationals. She has competed in the senior event every year since 1993, when she finished sixth. Instead, she will stay at home, continue with phsyical thrapy, and work on her footwork and transitions. She said she will watch the national championships on television and cheer on her skating friends who are competing.

"I believe that I will be 100% for the Olympics, and I feel that I have a shot to win. I will show that I'm ready. I want to be 100% at the Olympics," she said confidently.

Kwan is not worried that her injuries might worsen. "My doctor says they're unrelated. I'm very optimistic that my groin injury will improve. I've been skating, doing run-throughs with no jumps," she said. "You have to listen to your body." A reporter asked Kwan if she might try to compete at the Four Continents, an international competition that will take place at the end of January in Colorado Springs. Kwan was not sure, responding that she hadn't even thought of Four Continents until someone brought it up today.

Kwan repeated that she felt back on track after her hip injury healed late last fall. "I saw the doctor on Friday, and it's gotten a lot better since then. I should be ready to be jumping on the 13th."

Kwan was asked if she might feel some guilt about bumping off a younger skater off the Olympic team. She replied that she hoped that the international committee chooses the top best three skaters in America. In 1994, Kwan came in second to Tonya Harding at nationals, but Nancy Kerrigan, who was healing from having her knee whacked, was chosen to go to the Olympics. Kwan went to Lillehamer, Norway as a spectator and alternate.

"It is sort of ironic that the last person bumped off the team was me in '94 ... but I want to petition because I feel that I will be 100% when the Olympics come around." In reminiscing about the 1994 Olympic season, Kwan recalled, "In '94, I was very young, and I skated very well at nationals.... I just knew Nancy [Kerrigan] deserved to go.... It's ironic now that I'm petitioning to get a spot on the team. I hope they will consider me as one of the top three skaters in America."

Kwan noted that most athletes suffer injuries and hers is not too serious. Kwan mentioned, "I've pulled my adductor before, and it was okay after a couple of weeks."

Kwan was asked if retirement has ever crossed her mind. She responded that she has a few times, "but not enough to set me back, because I love competing, and I think I have a shot to win. That is why I'm petitioning."

When asked about other skaters upping the technical difficulty of the sport, Kwan said she thought she was still competitive, because "it's not only one jump or only one spin-- its the whole package."

Kwan has been training in Lake Arrowhead as well as the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, California. She continues to be coached by Rafael Arutunian. She has had international judges give feedback on her programs in person. "I feel like my components are up to par," she said.

"I'm very disappointed that I will not be in St. Louis. A lot of fans sent me [information on] restaurants to go to, spots to go to," Kwan said of Nationals, which has been her favorite event. Of her fans, she said, "I hope they will cheer loud for all the skaters."

Another reporter brought up the retirement issue again. Kwan responded, "It's all back to one answer; I love to compete.... My desire, my love for competition and skating is always pulling me back, and I feel that I can win."

Getting back to the Marshall's competition in early December, Kwan said she had only been jumping and training normally for about two weeks before that competition. "I didn't have time to get everything together with the short program, but I wanted to perform it in front of people.... I was heading in the right direction, my hip was feeling really well, and now this.

"The selection process is not up to me. I have no control in who they select. As for me, I have to do my best. I feel my groin is feeling well, and I can start jumping [soon]."

U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director David Raith spent a long time answering questions about the Olympic team selection process, which is detailed at www.usfigureskating.org/content/olympicprocedures.pdf .

The International Committee meets January 13 and January 14 in St. Louis, at the arena after each event is finished, to choose the Olympic team members. They will have until January 30th to submit the athletes' names. "It'll be a very interesting meeting on the 14th," predicted Raith. The International Committee consists of 36 coaches, athletes, judges, and boardmembers. They each have one vote apiece and the decisions will be made based on a simple majority vote.

"They will not leave the room until they come out with a majority. [The vote will] take place right after the ladies event in the arena. Someone could be replaced between the 16th and the 30th when the USOC has to submit the final official names," Raith explained. "Their charge is to select the best team possible."

The organization will not be flying out anyone to observe Kwan's skating. Rather, a physician will verify that Kwan will be ready to compete by Feb. 21st, which is when the ladies' event begins at the Olympics in Turin, Italy.

One journalist noted that Peter Oppegard, who is Michelle Kwan's brother-in-law, is on the international committee. (Oppegard coaches pairs skaters Rena Inoue and John Baldwin.) Raith responded that Oppegard, the 1988 Olympic pairs bronze medalist with Jill Watson, would have to recuse himself from the committee, as would anyone else with a potential conflict of interest.

When asked to remark on Kwan, Raith said, "She's a tremendous champion.... She's been a great ambassador to the sport."

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Michelle Kwan injured, withdraws from Campbells & Skate America

PollyMoller — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 14:53:07 GMT

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=30981

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

anyone been to a major competition?

lionjill — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 14:40:36 GMT

if so - tell all - what did you think? Is it worth the high ticket price? Did you get to see amazing things?

posted in Figure Skating - 1 reply

Jenny Kirk retires

PollyMoller — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 17:49:20 GMT

2004 U.S. Bronze Medalist Jennifer Kirk Announces Retirement From Competitive Figure Skating

Sept. 7, 2005 - Jennifer Kirk announced today her plans to retire from competitive figure skating, effective immediately. Kirk won the bronze medal at the 2004 State Farm U.S. Championships and was a three-time U.S. World Team member. She plans to move back to her hometown of Boston, Mass., attend television broadcasting school and coach figure skating.

“This has been a very tough decision for me to make, especially considering the magnitude of the upcoming season,” Kirk said. “Although I still love skating very much, my passion and love for the competitive aspect of the sport has dwindled following the death of my mother in 2001 and my nagging hip injuries.”

Kirk burst onto the competitive figure skating scene in 1998, winning the novice bronze medal at the U.S. Championships. Just two years later she won the 2000 World Junior title, and two years after that, the 2002 Four Continents title.

After graduating from high school in the spring of 2002, she moved to Detroit, Mich., to train with Richard Callaghan. Under Callaghan's tutelage Kirk won the bronze medal at the 2004 U.S. Championships and placed 18th at the 2004 World Championships. In June 2004 Kirk moved west again, this time to the Los Angeles area to train under Frank Carroll and Ken Congemi.

“I am so thankful for all of the amazing experiences and opportunities that skating has offered me throughout the years,” Kirk said. “I feel very blessed to have reached such a high level in this tough sport. I feel that I'm leaving the sport on a very positive note. It wasn't one event or one thing that made my decision; it's just something I've wanted for awhile. I think I've finally grown up enough to make this decision and go with it.”

The 2004-2005 season marks Kirk's last. She struggled in the beginning of the year, but she came back strong to place fourth at the 2005 U.S. Championships, third at the Four Continents Championships and 17th at the World Championships.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the hard work that everyone at U.S. Figure Skating has done concerning my skating career over the years. I also want to thank my fans for all of their support and everybody who has been involved in my career. I love skating and always will.”

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Injury to Hongbo Zhao

PollyMoller — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 17:35:48 GMT

It's hitting the news that Hongbo Zhao's achilles tendon snapped while he was practicing a triple-triple combination! He is out for the season. It doesn't look good for Shen & Zhao being part of the Chinese Olympic team, either. This is just awful. :(

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Campbell's Classic To Kick Off Olympic Season in the U.S. on Oct. 8

PollyMoller — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 19:49:43 GMT

From the USFSA web site.

(7/25/05) — The 2005 Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic will take place Oct. 8, 2005, in St. Paul, Minn., kicking off the 2005-06 Olympic season in the United States with $200,000 up for grabs among the world's top figure skaters. Confirmed to compete at the event, which will feature an international field of ladies singles and men's singles, are five-time World and nine-time U.S. champion Michelle Kwan, two-time World silver medalist Sasha Cohen, two-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir and 2005 World bronze medalist Evan Lysacek.

The Campbell's Classic returns to St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center after a successful event in 2004, during which Kwan took the $50,000 first-place prize for the ladies and 2002 Olympic bronze medalist Timothy Goebel won it for the men. Sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), the Campbell's Classic is the first major Olympic eligible figure skating competition for the Olympic season in the United States, and it will feature the new ISU judging system.

The one-day competition will be held at the Xcel Center at 7:30 p.m. Each athlete will perform one free skate, many of which will mark the debut of their Olympic season program for the first time. The remaining skaters will be announced as the event nears.

The $200,000 prize money marks an investment by U.S. Figure Skating to increase the level of competition and intensity at the invitational event. The following prize money will be allotted to the top six ladies and the top six men:

First Place: $50,000
Second Place: $25,000
Third Place: $15,000
Fourth Place: $5,000
Fifth Place: $3,000
Sixth Place: $2,000

Tickets for the Campbell's Classic go on sale Monday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m., and are available at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office, at all Ticketmaster locations, through charge by phone at 651.989.5151 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Reserved seats will be priced at $60, $46.75, $31.75 and $21.75. Group discounts are available, call 651.312.3486 for more information. The event will be nationally broadcast by ABC Sports at a later date.

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Alexei Yagudin action figure on eBay!

PollyMoller — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:50:37 GMT

No, I'm not the seller; I just think it's so sweet that there are figure skating action figures you can get from Russia. :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4939&item=7168540457&rd=1

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Johnny Weir's latest Q & A with fans

PollyMoller — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:51:43 GMT

http://www.kataniye.com/johnny_weir/interviews2006-part%201.htm

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Sandra Loosemore's FAQ: Skating People and Events

PollyMoller — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:36:19 GMT

COMPETITIVE FIGURE SKATING FAQ:
===============================

SKATING PEOPLE AND EVENTS
=========================

This article is part of the FAQ list for (amateur) competitive figure
skating. This section covers questions about specific skaters and
events.

This FAQ list is posted monthly to rec.sport.skating.ice.figure. Send
corrections and suggestions to san...@frogsonice.com.

This file is available in both plain-text and HTML/Web versions. You can
get to the HTML version from SkateWeb Figure Skating Page at URL:

http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents

* [1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway?
* [2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]?
* [3] When are upcoming competitions?
* [4] How do I get tickets for these competitions?
* [5] When is [some skating event] going to be shown on TV?
* [6] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America | Skate
Canada | NHK Cup | etc]?
* [7] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to?
* [8] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic | etc] champions?
* [9] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater?
* [10] Is [some skater] on the net? What's their e-mail address?
* [11] How do I get a backstage pass for a show or competition?
* [12] Whatever happened to [some competitor from N years ago]?
* [13] How can I make a donation to help a competitor with their
training expenses?
* [14] How do you pronounce [some skater]'s name?
* [15] Are Robin and Steven Cousins cousins?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway?

Dick Button was the 5-time world champion and 2-time Olympic
champion, from 1948 to 1952. He's widely credited with introducing
the modern athletic style of skating. He was the first person to do
a double axel, and the first to do a triple jump (a triple loop). He
also invented the flying camel spin.

Here are some other people you hear about from time to time:

Gus Lussi
Dick Button's coach. Also coached Dorothy Hamill. His skaters
are known for their superb spinning technique. He died in 1993.
Carlo Fassi
Italian national champion (and European champion) during the
1950's, but better known as a coach. His skaters included Peggy
Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, John Curry, Robin Cousins, Caryn Kadavy,
Jill Trenary, and Nicole Bobek. Fassi died in 1997.
Toller Cranston
Canadian men's champion during the 1970's. Known as a dramatic
stylist, and for being very outspoken on skating matters.
Tamara Moskvina
Russian pair coach (e.g., of Mishkutenok and Dmitriev). Her
husband, Igor Moskvin, is also a coach, and is probably best
known for his association with the Protopopovs.
Sandra Bezic
Canadian pairs champion (with her brother Val) during the 1970's,
now a choreographer (e.g., for Boitano and Yamaguchi), TV
commentator, and co-producer of "Stars On Ice".
Jutta Muller
coached Katarina Witt, Jan Hoffman, and most of the other
well-known East German singles skaters.
Ludmila & Oleg Protopopov
Russian pair skaters who won Olympic gold medals in 1964 and
1968. They're known for their ballet-like style. They also
invented pair moves such as the inside death spiral.
Tracy Wilson
Canadian ice dancer; with her partner, the late Rob McCall, she
won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Now a TV commentator.
F. Ritter Shumway
president of the USFSA at the time of the 1961 plane crash that
killed the entire US world team and coaching staff. He was
instrumental in rebuilding the figure skating program in the US
and setting up the memorial fund which now provides financial
support for nearly all competitive skaters.
John Nicks
former British (and world) pairs champion in the 1950's, now best
known as a pairs coach (e.g., of Babilonia & Gardner and Meno &
Sand).
Cecilia Colledge
a British skater who was the 1937 world champion. She was the
first woman to execute a double jump (a double salchow) and
inventor of the camel and layback spins.
Galina Zmievskaya
coach of Ukrainian skaters Viktor Petrenko and (formerly) Oksana
Baiul.
Uschi Keszler
former choreographer for Canadian skaters Bourne & Kraatz and now
coach of Elvis Stojko; credited with starting the craze for
"hydroblading".
Debbi Wilkes
Canadian pairs skater from the 1960's, and long-time commentator
for Canadian TV.
Irina Rodnina
10-time world and 3-time Olympic pairs skating champion (with two
different partners) from the (ex-)Soviet Union, now coaching in
the US.
Tracey Wainman
Canadian competitor from the early 1980's who is often cited as
the canonical example of a skater who was pushed into the
spotlight as a child and burned out on the sport before reaching
adulthood.
David Dore
Long-time head of the CFSA (now Skate Canada).

[2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]?

Here's a partial listing.

single axel
Axel Paulsen, 1882 (on speed skates!); Sonja Henie, early 1920s
single salchow
Ulrich Salchow, 1909; Theresa Weld, 1920 Olympics (first jump
performed in competition by a woman; she was officially
reprimanded for attempting anything so "unladylike".)
single loop
Werner Rittberger, 1910
single lutz
Alois Lutz, 1913
double loop
Karl Schafer, 1925 (in practice only)
double lutz
Karl Schafer, 1926 (in practice only); Barbara Ann Scott, 1942
double salchow
Gillis Grafstrom, 1926 (in practice only); Cecelia Colledge,
1937(?) (first double jump by a woman)
double axel
Dick Button, 1948 Olympic games; Carol Heiss, 1953
triple loop
Dick Button, 1952 Olympic games (first triple jump); Priscilla
Hill, mid-1970's
triple salchow
Ronnie Robertson, 1955 World championships; Petra Burka, 1962
Canadian championships (first triple jump by a woman)
triple flip
men ?? (prior to mid-1970s, at least); ladies, Manuela Ruben and
Katarina Witt, 1981 World championships
triple lutz
Donald Jackson, 1962 World championships; Denise Biellman, 1978
triple toe loop
Thomas Litz, 1964 World championships
triple axel
Vern Taylor, 1978 World championships; Midori Ito, fall 1988
Eastern Japanese championships
quadruple toe loop
Kurt Browning, 1988 World championships
quadruple salchow
Tim Goebel, 1998 Junior Series Final; Miki Ando, 2002 Junior
Grand Prix Final (first quad jump by a woman)
triple (toe loop)/triple (toe loop) combination
Grzegorz Filipowski, 1980; Midori Ito, 1982(?)
triple loop/triple loop combination
Eric Millot, 1996 Champions Series Final; Tara Lipinski, 1997 US
Nationals

For more jump firsts, check out
http://www.jacksonskates.com/html/jumphist.html.

[3] When are upcoming competitions?

Here are the major national and international events I know about.
These are all eligible ("amateur") competitions.

2005 Skate America Oct 20-23, 2005 Atlantic City, NJ
2005 Skate Canada Oct 27-30, 2005 St. John's, NF
2005 Cup of China Nov 3-6, 2005 Beijing, China
2005 Trophee Eric Bompard Nov 17-20, 2005 Paris, France
2005 Cup of Russia Nov 24-27, 2005 St. Petersburg, Russia
2005 NHK Trophy Dec 1-4, 2005 Osaka, Japan
2005 Grand Prix Final Dec 16-18, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
2006 US Nationals Jan 7-15, 2006 St. Louis, MO
2006 Canadian Nationals Jan 9-15, 2006 Ottawa, ON
2006 Europeans Jan 16-22, 2006 Lyon, France
2006 Four Continents Jan 23-29, 2006 Colorado Springs, CO
2006 Olympic Games Feb 10-26, 2006 Torino, Italy
2006 World Juniors Mar 6-12, 2006 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2006 Worlds Mar 20-26,2006 Calgary, AB
2006 Synchro Worlds Mar 30-Apr 2, 2006 Prague, Czech Republic
2007 US Nationals Jan 21-28, 2007 Spokane, WA
2007 Europeans Jan 22-28, 2007 Warsaw, Poland
2007 Four Continents Feb 5-11, 2007 TBD
2007 World Juniors Feb 26-Mar 4, 2007 Oberstdorf, Germany
2007 Worlds Mar 19-25, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
2007 Synchro Worlds Mar 30-31, 2007 London, ON
2010 Olympic Games Feb 12-28, 2010 Vancouver, BC

For a more complete listing of international events, check out the
ISU's web page at http://www.isu.org/.

[4] How do I get tickets for these competitions?

All-event tickets for US Nationals typically cost around $200-$600 a
set (depending on the quality of the seats) and go on sale two or
more years in advance.

For 2006 US Nationals, the web site is at
http://www.stlouis2006.com/; and for 2007, go to
http://www.spokane2007.com/. For information about other US Figure
Skating-sponsored events, look at the US Figure Skating web page at
http://www.usfigureskating.org/.

Tickets for events in Canada typically go on sale about a year in
advance. For information about Canadian Nationals and other Skate
Canada events, visit their web site at http://www.skatecanada.ca/.

Competitions in Europe other than the European or World Championships
are usually sparsely attended and many people simply buy tickets at
the box office when they arrive instead of ordering them in advance.

There are a number of travel agencies that specialize in travel
packages (including hotel and transportation as well as event
tickets) for skating competitions, including those in Europe and
Asia. Check out advertisements in skating magazines or on the web,
or ask around for specific recommendations.

Note: Many of the best seats at competitions and ice shows are held
for event sponsors and/or group sales. You may have better luck
getting a good seat by going with a tour or a group from your local
skating club instead of ordering your ticket directly. For touring
ice shows, you can usually order tickets by mail from the tour
promoter before they go on sale through the arena box office; or you
can check back with the box office a few days before the event to see
if any leftover tickets for the better seats have been released.

[5] When is [some skating event] going to be shown on TV?

Heather Winfield maintains a long-term schedule of skating events
that are planned for broadcast on US television at

http://heatherw.com/mk/sch.htm

Most of the online TV listing web sites will also let you search
current listings for your area using specific keywords (e.g.,
"skating").

[6] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America | Skate
Canada | NHK Trophy | etc]?

These fall international competitions are part of the "Grand Prix".
The ISU seeds the top-ranked skaters from the previous season's world
championships among the various fall competitions, so that each of
them attends a different two or three events. Other skaters are
selected for these events by the countries hosting the competitions.
The end result is that not all of the big-name skaters will be at
every event, and unseeded skaters may wind up doing only one fall
competition, or not getting a competition assignment at all.
Sometimes skaters also pull out of these events due to injury,
illness, accidents, etc.

[7] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to?

For current-season music information, check out the skater
biographies on the ISU web site: http://www.isufs.org/bios/index.htm

There are some databases of music used by skaters going back several
seasons available on the web. The URLs are:

http://www.skatemusiclist.com/

http://homepage3.nifty.com/skatemusic/

[8] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic | etc] champions?

Here are the winners since 1980. They're listed for each year in
this order: US; Canadian; European; World Junior; World; Olympic.

Men:
2005: Johnny Weir; Jeffrey Buttle; Evgeni Plushenko;
Nobunari Oda; Stephane Lambiel
2004: Johnny Weir; Emanuel Sandhu; Brian Joubert;
Andrei Griazev; Evgeni Plushenko
2003: Michael Weiss; Emanuel Sandhu; Evgeni Plushenko;
Alexander Shubin; Evgeni Plushenko
2002: Todd Eldredge; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Yagudin;
Daisuke Takahashi; Alexei Yagudin; Alexei Yagudin
2001: Timothy Goebel; Emanuel Sandhu; Evgeni Plushenko;
Johnny Weir; Evgeni Plushenko
2000: Michael Weiss; Elvis Stojko; Evgeni Plushenko;
Stefan Lindemann; Alexei Yagudin
1999: Michael Weiss; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Yagudin;
Ilia Klimkin; Alexei Yagudin
1998: Todd Eldredge; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Yagudin;
Derrick Delmore; Alexei Yagudin; Ilia Kulik
1997: Todd Eldredge; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Urmanov;
Evgeny Pluschenko; Elvis Stojko
1996: Rudy Galindo; Elvis Stojko; Vyacheslav Zagorodniuk;
Alexei Yagudin; Todd Eldredge
1995: Todd Eldredge; Sebastien Britten; Ilya Kulik;
Ilya Kulik; Elvis Stojko
1994: Scott Davis; Elvis Stojko; Viktor Petrenko;
Michael Weiss; Elvis Stojko; Alexei Urmanov
1993: Scott Davis; Kurt Browning; Dmitri Dmitrenko;
Evgeny Pliuta; Kurt Browning
1992: Christopher Bowman; Michael Slipchuk; Petr Barna;
Dmitri Dmitrenko; Viktor Petrenko; Viktor Petrenko
1991: Todd Eldredge; Kurt Browning; Viktor Petrenko;
Vasili Eremenko; Kurt Browning
1990: Todd Eldredge; Kurt Browning; Viktor Petrenko;
Igor Pashkevich; Kurt Browning
1989: Christopher Bowman; Kurt Browning; Alexandr Fadeev;
Vyacheslav Zagorodniuk; Kurt Browning
1988: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev;
Todd Eldredge; Brian Boitano; Brian Boitano
1987: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev;
Rudy Galindo; Brian Orser
1986: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Jozef Sabovcik;
Vladimir Petrenko; Brian Boitano
1985: Brian Boitano; Brian Orser; Jozef Sabovcik;
Erik Larson; Alexandr Fadeev
1984: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Alexandr Fadeev;
Viktor Petrenko; Scott Hamilton; Scott Hamilton
1983: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Norbert Schramm;
Christopher Bowman; Scott Hamilton
1982: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Norbert Schramm;
Scott Williams; Scott Hamilton
1981: Scott Hamilton; Brian Orser; Igor Bobrin;
Paul Wylie; Scott Hamilton
1980: Charles Tickner; Brian Pockar; Robin Cousins;
Alexandr Fadeev; Jan Hoffmann; Robin Cousins

Ladies:
2005: Michelle Kwan; Joannie Rochette; Irina Slutskaya;
Mao Asada; Irina Slutskaya
2004: Michelle Kwan; Cynthia Phaneuf; Julia Sebestyen;
Miki Ando; Shizuka Arakawa
2003: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Irina Slutskaya;
Yukina Ota; Michelle Kwan
2002: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Maria Butyrskaya;
Ann Patrice McDonough; Irina Slutskaya; Sarah Hughes
2001: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Irina Slutskaya;
Kristina Oblasova; Michelle Kwan
2000: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Irina Slutskaya;
Jennifer Kirk; Michelle Kwan
1999: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Maria Butyrskaya;
Daria Timoshenko; Maria Butyrskaya
1998: Michelle Kwan; Angela Derochie; Maria Butyrskaya;
Julia Soldatova; Michelle Kwan; Tara Lipinski
1997: Tara Lipinski; Susan Humphreys; Irina Slutskaya;
Sydne Vogel; Tara Lipinski
1996: Michelle Kwan; Jennifer Robinson; Irina Slutskaya;
Elena Ivanova; Michelle Kwan
1995: Nicole Bobek; Netty Kim; Surya Bonaly;
Irina Slutskaya; Chen Lu
1994: (title vacant); Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly;
Michelle Kwan; Yuka Sato; Oksana Baiul
1993: Nancy Kerrigan; Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly;
Kumiko Koiwai; Oksana Baiul
1992: Kristi Yamaguchi; Karen Preston; Surya Bonaly;
Laetitia Hubert; Kristi Yamaguchi; Kristi Yamaguchi
1991: Tonya Harding; Josee Chouinard; Surya Bonaly;
Surya Bonaly; Kristi Yamaguchi
1990: Jill Trenary; Lisa Sargeant; Evelyn Grossmann;
Yuka Sato; Jill Trenary
1989: Jill Trenary; Karen Preston; Claudia Leistner;
Jessica Mills; Midori Ito
1988: Debi Thomas; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt;
Kristi Yamaguchi; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt
1987: Jill Trenary; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt;
Cindy Bortz; Katarina Witt
1986: Debi Thomas; Tracey Wainman; Katarina Witt;
Natalia Gorbenko; Debi Thomas
1985: Tiffany Chin; Elizabeth Manley; Katarina Witt;
Tatiana Andreeva; Katarina Witt
1984: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Katarina Witt;
Karin Hendschke; Katarina Witt; Katarina Witt
1983: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Katarina Witt;
Simone Koch; Rosalynn Sumners
1982: Rosalynn Sumners; Kay Thomson; Claudia Kristofics-Binder;
Janina Wirth; Elaine Zayak
1981: Elaine Zayak; Tracey Wainman; Denise Biellman;
Tiffany Chin; Denise Biellman
1980: Linda Fratianne; Heather Kemkaran; Annett Poetzsch;
Rosalynn Sumners; Anett Poetzsch; Anett Poetzsch

Pairs:
2005: Orscher & Lucash; Marcoux & Buntin; Totmianina & Marinin;
Mukhortova & Trankov; Totmianina & Marinin
2004: Inoue & Baldwin; Marcoux & Buntin; Totmianina & Marinin;
Shestakova & Lebedev; Totmianina & Marinin
2003: Scott & Dulebohn; Lariviere & Faustino; Totmianina & Marinin;
Zhang & Zhang; Shen & Zhao
2002: Ina & Zimmerman; Sale & Pelletier; Totmianina & Marinin;
Riabchuk & Zakharov; Shen & Zhao;
Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze and Sale & Pelletier
2001: Ina & Zimmerman; Sale & Pelletier; Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze;
Zhang & Zhang; Sale & Pelletier
2000: Ina & Zimmerman; Sale & Pelletier; Petrova & Tikhonov;
Savchenko & Morozov; Petrova & Tikhonov
1999: Hartsell & Hartsell; Sargeant & Wirtz; Petrova & Tikhonov;
Obertas & Palamarchuk; Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze
1998: Ina & Dungjen; Sargeant & Wirtz; Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze;
Obertas & Palamarchuk; Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze; Kazakova & Dmitriev
1997: Ina & Dungjen; Savard-Gagnon & Bradet; Eltsova & Bushkov;
Hartsell & Hartsell; Woetzel & Steuer
1996: Meno & Sand; Menzies & Bombardier; Kazakova & Dmitriev;
Maksuta & Zhovnirsky; Eltsova & Bushkov
1995: Meno & Sand; Menzies & Bombardier; Woetzel & Steuer;
Petrova & Sikharulidze; Kovarikova & Novotny
1994: Meno & Sand; Brasseur & Eisler; Gordeeva & Grinkov;
Petrova & Sikharulidze; Shishkova & Naumov; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1993: Urbanski & Marval; Brasseur & Eisler; Eltsova & Bushkov;
Korshunova & Saveliev; Brasseur & Eisler
1992: Urbanski & Marval; Brasseur & Eisler; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev;
Krestianinova & Torchinski; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev
1991: Kuchiki & Sand; Brasseur & Eisler; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev;
Krestianinova & Torchinski; Mishkutenok & Dmitriev
1990: Yamaguchi & Galindo; Landry & Johnston; Gordeeva & Grinkov;
Krestianinova & Torchinski; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1989: Yamaguchi & Galindo; Brasseur & Eisler; Selezneva & Makarov;
Chernishova & Sukhanov; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1988: Watson & Oppegard; Hough & Ladret; Gordeeva & Grinkov;
Yamaguchi & Galindo; Valova & Vasiliev; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1987: Watson & Oppegard; Coull & Rowsom; Selezneva & Makarov;
Leonova & Krasnitski; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1986: Wachsman & Waggoner; Coull & Rowsom; Valova & Vasiliev;
Leonova & Krasnitski; Gordeeva & Grinkov
1985: Watson & Oppegard; Coull & Rowsom; Valova & Vasiliev;
Gordeeva & Grinkov; Valova & Vasiliev
1984: Carruthers & Carruthers; Matousek & Eisler; Valova & Vasiliev;
Landgraf & Steuer; Underhill & Martini; Valova & Vasiliev
1983: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Baess & Thierbach;
Avstriskaia & Kvashnin; Valova & Vasiliev
1982: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Baess & Thierbach;
Avstriskaia & Kvashnin; Baess & Thierbach
1981: Carruthers & Carruthers; Underhill & Martini; Vorobieva & Lisovsky;
Selezneva & Makarov; Vorobieva & Lisovsky
1980: Babilonia & Gardner; Underhill & Martini; Rodnina & Zaitsev;
Selezneva & Makarov; Cherkasova & Shakhrai; Rodnina & Zaitsev

Dance:
2005: Belbin & Agosto; Dubreuil & Lauzon; Navka & Kostomarov;
Matthews & Zavozin; Navka & Kostomarov
2004: Belbin & Agosto; Dubreuil & Lauzon; Navka & Kostomarov;
Romanovskaya & Grachev; Navka & Kostomarov
2003: Lang & Tchernyshev; Bourne & Kraatz; Lovacheva & Averbukh;
Domnina & Shabalin; Bourne & Kraatz
2002: Lang & Tchernyshev; Bourne & Kraatz; Anissina & Peizerat;
Belbin & Agosto; Lobacheva & Averbukh; Anissina & Peizerat
2001: Lang & Tchernyshev; Bourne & Kraatz; Fusar-Poli & Margaglio;
Romaniuta & Barantsev; Fusar-Poli & Margaglio
2000: Lang & Tchernyshev; Dubreuil & Lauzon; Anissina & Peizerat;
Romaniuta & Barantsev; Anissina & Peizerat
1999: Lang & Tchernyshev; Bourne & Kraatz; Krylova & Ovsiannikov;
Silverstein & Pekarek; Krylova & Ovsiannikov
1998: Punsalan & Swallow; Bourne & Kraatz; Grishuk & Platov;
Joseph & Butler; Krylova & Ovsiannikov; Grishuk & Platov
1997: Punsalan & Swallow; Bourne & Kraatz; Grishuk & Platov;
Oulanova & Stifounin; Grishuk & Platov
1996: Punsalan & Swallow; Bourne & Kraatz; Grishuk & Platov;
Davydova & Kostomarov; Grishuk & Platov
1995: Roca & Sur; Bourne & Kraatz; Rahkomo & Kokko;
Sharutenko & Naumkin; Grishuk & Platov
1994: Punsalan & Swallow; Bourne & Kraatz; Torvill & Dean;
Nowak & Kolasinski; Grishuk & Platov; Grishuk & Platov
1993: Roca & Sur; Bourne & Kraatz; Usova & Zhulin;
Svirina & Sakhnovsky; Usova & Zhulin
1992: Sargent-Thomas & Witherby; Petr & Janoschak; Klimova & Ponomarenko;
Anissina & Averbukh; Klimova & Ponomarenko; Klimova & Ponomarenko
1991: Punsalan & Swallow; McDonald & Smith; Klimova & Ponomarenko;
Stergiadu & Razguliaiev; Duchesnay & Duchesnay
1990: Wynne & Druar; Borlase & Smith; Klimova & Ponomarenko;
Anissina & Averbukh; Klimova & Ponomarenko
1989: Wynne & Druar; Garossino & Garossino; Klimova & Ponomarenko;
Kirkhmaier & Lagutin; Klimova & Ponomarenko
1988: Semanick & Gregory; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin;
Grishuk & Chickov; Bestemianova & Bukin; Bestemianova & Bukin
1987: Semanick & Gregory; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin;
Melnichenko & Kaskov; Bestemianova & Bukin
1986: Roca & Adair; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin;
Krikanova & Platov; Bestemianova & Bukin
1985: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin;
Krikanova & Platov; Bestemianova & Bukin
1984: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Torvill & Dean;
Krikanova & Platov; Torvill & Dean; Torvill & Dean
1983: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Bestemianova & Bukin;
Gladkova & Shpilband; Torvill & Dean
1982: Blumberg & Seibert; Wilson & McCall; Torvill & Dean;
Annenko & Karkachev; Torvill & Dean
1981: Blumberg & Seibert; McNeil & McCall; Torvill & Dean;
Batanova & Soloviev; Torvill & Dean
1980: Smith & Summers; Wighton & Dowding; Linichuk & Karponosov;
Batanova & Soloviev; Regoeczy & Sallay; Linichuk & Karponosov

For a more comprehensive event results database, check out the
Skatabase web site at http://www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/.

[9] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater?

Your best bet is send it to them in care of the agent that represents
them professionally, the rink or skating club where they train, or
their national skating federation. If there is a web page about your
favorite skater, it will probably include a contact address.

A good source of this kind of directory information is the "Skater's
Edge Sourcebook". The cost is $39.95 plus $5 shipping; order from:

Skater's Edge Sourcebook
Box 500, Dept SM, Kensington MD 20895
(301)-946-1971

The US Figure Skating web page at http://www.usfigureskating.org/
includes a club directory which may be helpful. Many clubs and rinks
also have their own web pages, which are listed on SkateWeb at
http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/clubs.shtml.

Here are a few other helpful addresses:

US Figure Skating:
20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
voice (719)-635-5200, fax (719)-635-9548
http://www.usfigureskating.org/
usfigureskat...@usfigureskating.org

Skate Canada:
865 Shefford Road, Gloucester, ON K1J 1H9
voice (613)-748-5635, fax (613)-748-5718
http://www.skatecanada.ca/

PSA:
PO Box 5904, Rochester, MN 55903
voice (507)-281-5122
http://www.skatepsa.com/

ISU:
Ch. de Primerose 2
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland
http://www.isu.org/
i...@isu.ch

[10] Is [some skater] on the net? What's their e-mail address?

Nowadays almost everyone is on the net. But only a handful of elite
or professional skaters have chosen to publicize their personal
e-mail addresses or set up an e-mailbox especially for fan mail.
Check web pages about the skater in question to see if the skater has
a public e-mail address listed. Otherwise, you'll have to stick with
snail mail. Please be respectful of skaters' privacy; the accepted
way to contact skaters is through their business address, NOT through
their home or personal address.

Incidentally, a few elite-level skaters do "lurk" at least
occasionally in this newsgroup, plus a number of other skaters have
family, friends, or other members of their entourage who follow this
newsgroup and/or other skating discussion forums on the net. You may
want to keep in mind that your comments about skaters may very well
find their way back to them, and exercise some discretion in what you
post in public.

[11] How do I get a backstage pass for a show or competition?

In general, you CAN'T get backstage passes unless you are a member of
the press or have some other valid reason for being there. Having
lots of random people wandering around backstage during the event
could be very distracting to the skaters, as well as presenting
legitimate security and liability problems. You will get a better
view of the show from your seat in the arena, anyway.

If you want to collect autographs or offer congratulations to
skaters, you may have better luck waiting for them after the show
outside the skaters' entrance to the arena or at their hotel.
However, DO exercise some discretion. You may only want a few
minutes of the skaters' time, but if you multiply that by their many
hundreds or thousands of fans, you can see how impossible it is for
the skaters to spend time chatting with everyone. It can also be
quite intimidating or overwhelming for skaters to be mobbed by fans
wherever they go. Don't harass or hound skaters, don't be rude or
intrusive, and don't be disappointed if your favorite skater doesn't
feel inclined to stop to chat with you.

Some specific situations where you SHOULDN'T pester skaters for
autographs are:

* When they are warming up, preparing to skate, or actually on the
ice (even in practices).

* When they are eating in a restaurant, or deep in conversation
with their coach, family, or friends.

* When they are sitting in the stands at a skating event watching
other skaters perform. (This is not only rude to the skater
you're trying to get an autograph from, but rude to all the
people sitting around them, and to the skater on the ice as
well.)

* When they are already surrounded by a mob of people.

* When they are standing outside in the cold or rain trying to get
into a car, taxi, or bus that is waiting for them.

* When *you* are a volunteer, caterer, etc working an event where
the skater appears.

[12] Whatever happened to [some competitor from N years ago]?

Debi Thomas retired from professional skating in 1992 in order to
attend medical school. She received her degree from Northwestern
University in 1997. Paul Wylie retired from full-time touring in
1998 in order to pursue an MBA at Harvard; he is now working in the
business field as well as doing some coaching and TV commentary work.

Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini have now retired from skating and
are working as TV commentators. Kitty Carruthers is coaching while
Peter Carruthers is a TV commentator. Midori Ito does commentary for
Japanese TV. Maria Butyrskaya is now working as a sports reporter
for Russian television.

Janet Lynn retired from skating many years ago and is married with a
number of children.

After getting in trouble with the law more times than anyone can
count, Tonya Harding has now taken up professional boxing.

Jill Trenary retired from amateur competition in late 1991. She is
now married to Christopher Dean and is no longer skating
professionally due to health problems. Torvill & Dean have retired
from performing but are still active as choreographers.

Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay retired from skating because of Paul's
serious back problems, and are now coaching in the US. Isabelle has
done commentary for French TV.

Robin Cousins has retired from skating as a performer although he is
still active as a skating choreographer and producer of ice shows.
He has also worked as a stage actor, appearing in musical productions
in Britain.

Toller Cranston now spends most of his time concentrating on his
career as an artist.

Christopher Bowman, Linda Fratianne, Holly Cook, Tiffany Chin, Peter
Oppegard, Jill Watson, Irina Rodnina, Suzanne Semanick, Scott
Gregory, Karen Courtland, Petr Barna, Dianne De Leeuw, Aren Nielsen,
Mark Mitchell, and Lisa Ervin are all working as coaches in the US.
Christine Hough and Doug Ladret have also embarked on coaching
careers. Michael Seibert is a choreographer, and Judy Blumberg still
skates occasionally as well as doing TV commentary and working with
the Ice Theatre of New York. Jojo Starbuck is a coach, and Ken
Shelley has been a judge and held a management position with an ice
show company. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner still skate together,
but Randy has also become known as a choreographer while Tai designs
jewelry and skating clothing.

Scott Davis now a college student, after touring with "Grease on Ice"
and other ice shows. Michael Chack has been touring Europe for
several years with "Holiday on Ice". Natasha Kuchiki skates with one
of the Disney ice shows.

Brian Boitano, Brian Orser, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan, Kristi
Yamaguchi, Rosalynn Sumners, Dorothy Hamill, and Oksana Baiul have
all cut back on their touring schedules in recent years, but are
still skating in various shows and made-for-TV events.

Sarah Hughes is touring professionally after taking time out from
skating to attend Yale University. Tara Lipinski and Naomi Nari Nam
have both had serious hip injuries and are not currently skating.
Deanna Stellato and Erin Pearl have also retired from skating due to
injuries.

Gary Beacom has been deported from the US after serving a prison term
for income tax evasion, but is still skating professionally in
Canada.

John Curry died of AIDS in 1994. 1972 Olympic champion Ondrej
Nepela, Canadian skaters Brian Pockar and Rob McCall, and US
competitor Robert Wagenhoffer have also died of AIDS.

[13] How can I make a donation to help a competitor with their training
expenses?

Figure skating is a very expensive sport. It generally costs at
least $30,000 to $50,000 a year to compete at the national or
international level. While eligible skaters are now able to earn
good money from competing and touring, in practice only a handful of
the top competitors are being offered such opportunities. For most
other skaters, it's still a real struggle to make ends meet.

For more information about providing financial assistance to skaters,
visit the Skater Support web page at http://www.skatersupport.org/.

In the US, you basically have three options:

* You can make a donation to a charitable fund. The largest of
these is the Memorial Fund, established by the USFSA in memory of
the 1961 world team members who were killed in a plane crash.
You can restrict your donation to go to skaters from a particular
club, if you want, but you cannot funnel your contributions to a
specific skater through the Memorial Fund. Most (all?) skaters
who compete at the national level are apparently eligible for at
least a token subsidy from the Memorial Fund. Donations to the
Memorial Fund are tax-deductable. Checks should be sent to:

US Figure Skating Memorial Fund
20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

More information is available at
http://www.usfigureskating.org/About.asp?id=7.

The New England Amateur Skating Foundation also distributes
financial support for skaters (including many outside the New
England region). Donations are tax-deductable; you can suggest
that your money go to specific skaters, but the final decisions
are made by committee. Checks should be sent to:

New England Amateur Skating Foundation
PO Box 6881, Providence RI 02940
401-861-9266, Fax 401-861-3628

In Canada, Skate Canada has an Athlete Trust Fund that accepts
donations to support Canadian skaters. More information can be
found at http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/athletes/support/how/.

Skate Canada Athlete Trust
865 Shefford Road, Gloucester, ON K1J 1H9

Some training centers and clubs have also established their own
charitable foundations to benefit their skaters. For more
information, check out the Skater Support web site at
http://www.skatersupport.org/.

* If you want to help a specific skater, the best way to do it is
just to send them a check directly as a personal gift. (Most
skaters would be intensely grateful for even a small contribution
because it's a sign that people appreciate them and have
confidence in them, as much as concrete financial assistance.)
Donations you make this way are not tax-deductable for you.

* If you want to set up a sponsorship arrangement where the skater
promotes your business or performs other services in exchange for
financial support, you have to negotiate a contract through their
national federation (US Figure Skating for US skaters) rather
than with the skater directly. This is necessary to protect the
skater's eligible status.

[14] How do you pronounce [some skater]'s name?

Here are some approximate hints, for English-speakers:

* Sjoukje Dijkstra: SHOW-kyeh DAY-kstra
* (Anton) Sikharulidze: seek-har-oo-LEED-zay
* (Tanja) Szewczenko: shev-CHEN-ko
* (Alexei) Yagudin: ya-GOO-din
* (Ilia) Kulik: koo-LEEK

[15] Are Robin and Steven Cousins cousins?

No, they're not related. But Robin's nephew Tristan Cousins is a
skater.

posted in Figure Skating - 0 replies

Sandra Loosemore's FAQ: Technical Elements

PollyMoller — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 18:34:55 GMT

COMPETITIVE FIGURE SKATING FAQ:
===============================

TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
==================

This article is part of the FAQ list for (amateur) competitive figure
skating. This section covers technical elements of figure skating, such
as jumps and spins.

This FAQ list is posted monthly to rec.sport.skating.ice.figure. Send
corrections and suggestions to san...@frogsonice.com.

This file is available in both plain-text and HTML/Web versions. You can
get to the HTML version from SkateWeb Figure Skating Page at URL:

http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents

* [1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names?
* [2] What about spins and other moves?
* [3] What are the required elements for the short program?
* [4] Are there any required elements in the long program?
* [5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating?
* [6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me. What
are judges really looking for in ice dancing?
* [7] I've heard the TV commentators talking about the skaters' speed.
What is this all about?
* [8]Why do men so rarely do layback spins?
* [9][Some TV commentator] is always complaining about poor free leg
positions in layback spins. So what's a good position?
* [10]What are compulsory figures?
* [11]Can you explain the different lifts for pair skaters?
* [12]Is a triple toe/half loop/triple salchow a jump combination or a
jump series?
* [13]Why do people make such a big fuss over flutzing? Don't all
skaters flutz?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names?

The thing that distinguishes the different jumps is the takeoff.
Most right-handed skaters jump in a counterclockwise direction and
land all the jumps on a right back outside edge. I'll describe all
the jumps in this sense to minimize confusion.

These are the jumps you see in competition most often, in approximate
order from least to most difficult:

toe loop
the approach is on a right back outside edge. The skater then
reaches back with the left foot and jabs the toe pick into the
ice to provide assistance for the jump at takeoff. Often done as
the second jump of a combination, or as a solo jump after an
inside three turn. If the jump is approached from an outside
three turn and step instead, it's sometimes called a "toe
walley"; technically the toe walley is supposed to be done from
an inside edge, but otherwise the two jumps are considered
equivalent. (The toe loop is the same jump that roller skaters
call the "mapes", and that is called a "cherry flip" in some
parts of the world.)
salchow
the takeoff is from a left back inside edge; the typical approach
is from a three turn. The right leg swings to the front with a
scooping motion just prior to takeoff. (But, watch out --some
skaters incorrectly scull the right leg on the ice to assist the
takeoff.) The jump is named after Ulrich Salchow, who dominated
skating in the early 1900's.
loop
this is also an edge jump, with takeoff from a right back outside
edge. Usually skaters approach this jump by skating backwards on
two feet, with the left foot crossed in front of the right.
Often they look like they are sitting in an invisible chair.
Unlike the salchow, there's no swinging of the free leg into the
jump; the skater simply springs upward in a cross-legged
position. (In Europe, this is also known as a Rittberger jump,
after its inventor Werner Rittberger.)
flip
this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back inside edge and
right toe pick. Like the salchow, the usual entrance is a three
turn, but usually from a straight-line approach instead of a
curved one. (This jump is sometimes called a "toe salchow" in
Europe.)

The flip and toe loop look much alike and even experienced
observers sometimes have trouble distinguishing them. Here are
some things that may help:

* For the flip, the skater picks with the same foot they land
on, while with the toe loop they pick with the opposite foot.
* For the flip, the skater picks inside the curve of the jump,
while with the toe loop they pick outside the curve.
* For the flip, the skater turns away from the picking foot as
they jump, while with the toe loop the skater jumps towards
the picking foot.

lutz
this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back OUTSIDE edge and
right toe pick; this means that the approach curve has the
opposite "direction" than the landing curve. The most typical
approach for this jump is a long, shallow edge diagonally across
the rink. Named after Alois Lutz.
axel
this is the only common jump with a forward takeoff, from a left
front outside edge. Because of this, a single jump is actually
1.5 rotations. Named after Axel Paulsen, who invented it. (The
half-rotation jump with the same takeoff and landing edges is
called a "waltz jump".)

You also sometimes see these jumps, usually only as single jumps:

walley
takeoff from a right back inside edge. You sometimes see a
skater do two or three of them in a row, shifting from the right
back outside landing edge to an inside edge to begin the next
jump.
half loop
this is a jump with a takeoff like the loop jump, but that is
landed on a left back inside edge. This is a full-revolution
jump in spite of the name. It's mainly used as a linking element
with a salchow in jump combinations, or in footwork sequences.
(This jump is also known as an "Euler".)
one-foot axel
this is a jump with a takeoff like an axel, but that is landed on
a left back inside edge like the half loop. (Roller skaters
sometimes call this jump a "Colledge", after 1937 world champion
Cecilia Colledge.)
inside axel
another forward-takeoff jump, this time from a right front inside
edge to a normal landing on the right back outside edge. It's
usually approached from a backwards-to-forwards three turn on the
right foot, and you might mistake this jump for a double loop if
you don't watch carefully. (Roller skaters call this one a
"Boeckl", after 1925-28 world champion Willy Boeckl.)
split jump
the takeoff is the same as a flip, and the jump is landed facing
forwards on the left toe pick and right inside edge. If the
skater does a full rotation and lands backwards in the usual way,
the jump is called a "split flip". You can also do a split jump
from a lutz takeoff. A split jump done from a loop takeoff is
called a "split falling leaf". Another variation is the "stag
jump", with the left leg tucked up instead of extended.

And, sometimes these terms are used to refer to jumps with problems:

waxel
a failed axel attempt, when the skater slips off the forward
takeoff edge. A "wowcow" is a similarly botched salchow.
toe axel
a jump that is supposed to be a double toe loop, but where the
skater incorrectly does an axel-like forward takeoff from the toe
pick instead of the correct backwards toe-assisted takeoff.
flutz
a jump that is supposed to be a lutz, but where the skater
incorrectly changes to an inside edge just before the toe pick
(the same edge as for a flip). A flutz is scored as a bad lutz,
not as a flip. The inverse term, for a supposed flip that is
actually a lutz, is generally agreed to be "lip". Lips are not
as common as flutzes.
"cheat"
used to describe jumps where the skater doesn't perform the full
rotation of the jump in the air, and does a half-turn on the ice
or a skidded or badly hooked edge instead. It's possible to
"cheat" both the takeoff and landing of jumps.
Midori
refers to a skater jumping into or over the boards around the
edge of the rink, the canonical example being Midori Ito's jump
into the camera pit at 1991 Worlds.
Wanda Beazel
refers to the skater falling on the entrance edge to a jump, the
canonical example being from an exhibition program Debi Thomas
used to perform where she portrayed a beginning skater named
"Wanda Beazel".

Finally, here is a list of all possible jumps by takeoff edge. Note
that "natural" rotation refers to a jump that rotates in the same
direction (e.g., counterclockwise) as the entrance edge, while
"counter" rotation refers to the entrance edge being in the opposite
sense to the jump rotation.

* BO edge, natural rotation, no toe: loop, half loop, falling leaf
* BO edge, counter rotation, no toe: toeless lutz (rare)
* BI edge, natural rotation, no toe: salchow
* BI edge, counter rotation, no toe: walley
* BO edge, natural rotation, toe: toe loop, ballet jump
* BO edge, counter rotation, toe: lutz
* BI edge, natural rotation, toe: flip, split, stag
* BI edge, counter rotation, toe: toe walley
* FO edge, natural rotation, no toe: waltz, axel, one-foot axel
* FO edge, counter rotation, no toe: ? (nobody does this)
* FI edge, natural rotation, no toe: inside axel
* FI edge, counter rotation, no toe: ? (nobody does this)

Except for the "bunny hop", a toe assist is never used on jumps with
a forward takeoff.

[2] What about spins and other moves?

back spin
performed in the same rotation sense as a forward spin, but on
the opposite foot. Most right-handed skaters spin
counterclockwise, doing a forward spin on the left foot and a
back spin on the right foot. Somewhat confusingly, a forward
spin is usually done on a shallow backward inside edge and a back
spin on a shallow forward outside edge. Occasionally you will
see skaters flipping a forward spin onto a strong forward outside
edge or a back spin onto a strong backward inside edge, which is
considered to add difficulty to the spin.
scratch spin
a fast upright spin. So called because it is done on the forward
part of the blade, so that the toe pick scratches the ice
slightly.
layback spin
a spin with a backward or sideways lean of the torso.
camel
a spin in the "airplane" position, e.g. the torso and free leg in
a horizontal position. A flying camel is a back spin in the
camel position entered by means of a jump with a forward takeoff,
similar to an axel.
grafstrom spin
a low camel spin, skated with a bent knee. Named after Gillis
Grafstrom.
hamill camel
this is a transition from a back camel spin to a back sit spin by
first bending the knee of the skating leg and then turning out
the free hip to "flip over" into the sitting position. Named
after Dorothy Hamill.
biellmann spin
this is the spin where the skater arches her back and pulls her
free leg high over her head. Named after Denise Biellmann.
illusion (or windmill)
this is similar to a camel spin, but the skater bobs her torso
and free leg up and down in phase with the spin. It looks kind
of like a windmill.
harding spin
this is a spin that looks kind of a like a cross between a camel
and a layback. It's usually entered from a camel spin; the
skater twists into a face-up position and bends the free leg so
that the foot is held near the knee of the skating leg. Named
after Tonya Harding, but more often associated with Josee
Chouinard.
death drop
a flying spin with an axel-like takeoff where the skater achieves
a horizontal position in the air before dropping into a back
sitspin. Officially, this element is known as an "open axel
sitspin".
butterfly
similar to a death drop, but the jump is from a backward edge and
toe tap. As well as being done as a spin entrance, butterflies
can be done by themselves just as a kind of leap or acrobatic
move, often in a series of two or three in a row.
spiral
an edge skated with the free leg extended and held higher than
hip level. A relatively easy move, but effective when done with
good stretch and speed.
spread eagle
a figure skated on two feet with the toes pointing in opposite
directions. It can be done either on outside or inside edges.
Again, this is a fairly easy move -- at least for skaters with
open hip joints -- and its effectiveness depends on being done
with speed and a good body position (namely, without the skater's
bottom jutting out awkwardly).
ina bauer
a spread eagle variant where one knee is deeply bent and the
other leg stretched behind the body. Typically done with an
arched back.
besti squat
a spread eagle skated in a squatting position, with bent knees;
named from its use by Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin in
their 1988 free dance.
shoot-the-duck
a move in which the skater glides on one foot in a squatting
position, with the free leg extended in front, similar to a sit
spin position. In some parts of the world this is known as a
"teapot" or "pistol".
mohawk, choctaw
these are two-foot front-to-back or back-to-front turns. A
mohawk is done on from inside-to-inside or outside-to-outside
edges, while a choctaw involves a change of edge. Mohawks are
commonly used in free skating as a simple turn or in step
sequences, but choctaws are more typically used only in ice
dancing.
three turn
the common one-foot turn, done on a circle with the cusp of the
turn pointing inward. (The tracing is like a numeral 3.) Other
one-foot turns are brackets, rockers, and counters, and are
mostly only used in step sequences and ice dancing.

[3] What are the required elements for the short program?

For men:
(a) double or triple axel
(b) a triple or quadruple jump preceded by connecting steps
(c) a combination of a double jump and a triple jump, two triple
jumps, or a quadruple jump and a double or triple jump; the jumps
from elements (a) or (b) may not be repeated here, and skaters
may only do one quadruple jump in the program
(d) a flying spin; the flying position must be achieved in the
air, and the skater must do at least 8 rotations in the spinning
position
(e) a camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot; at least 6
rotations on each foot
(f) a spin combination with a change of foot and at least two
changes of position; the spin must include camel, sit, and
upright positions, and there must be at least 6 rotations on each
foot
(g), (h) two different step sequences

For ladies:
(a) double axel
(b) a triple jump preceded by connecting steps
(c) a combination of a double jump and a triple jump or two
triple jumps, without intervening steps or turns
(d) a flying spin; the flying position must be achieved in the
air, and the skater must do at least 8 rotations in the spinning
position
(e) a layback spin; at least 8 rotations in layback position
(f) a spin combination with a change of foot and at least two
changes of position; the spin must include camel, sit, and
upright positions, and there must be at least 6 rotations on each
foot
(g) a spiral step sequence including at least 3 spiral positions
with at least one change of foot
(h) another step sequence

For pairs:
(a) overhead lift (with a specific takeoff that changes each
year)
(b) double twist lift
(c) side-by-side double or triple jumps
(d) side-by-side spin combinations, with a change of foot, at
least one change of position, and at least 5 rotations on each
foot
(e) pair spin combination with a change of foot and at least one
change in position and at least 8 rotations in all
(f) death spiral (on a specific edge that changes each year)
(g) a step sequence or a spiral step sequence (the specific
requirement changes each year)
(h) a double or triple throw jump

[4] Are there any required elements in the long program?

Yes. Under the Code of Points, the former guidelines for a
"well-balanced" program have been replaced with de facto
requirements. What were formerly given as minimum requirements have
been replaced with MAXIMUMS; while there are no deductions for doing
fewer elements, skaters have to include the maximum number of each
element type in order to achieve the highest possible score.

Senior men:
(a) A maximum of 8 jump elements (each solo jump, combination, or
sequence counts as an "element"), one of which must be an Axel
type jump, and including a maximum of 3 jump combinations or
sequences
(b) A maximum of 4 spins, including one spin combination, one
flying spin, and one spin with only one position
(c) A maximum of two step sequences.

Senior ladies:
(a) A maximum of 7 jump elements, one of which must be an Axel
type jump, and including a maximum of 3 jump combinations or
sequences
(b) A maximum of 4 spins, including one spin combination, one
flying spin, and one spin with only one position
(c) A maximum of two step sequences, one of which must be a
spiral step sequence.

Senior pairs:
(a) A maximum of 3 lifts
(b) A maximum of 1 twist lift
(c) A maximum of 2 different throw jumps
(d) A maximum of 1 solo jump
(e) A maximum of 1 jump combination or sequence
(f) A maximum of 1 solo spin combination
(g) A maximum of 1 pair spin combination
(h) A maximum of 1 death spiral
(i) A maximum of 1 step sequence
(j) A maximum of 1 sequence of "moves in the field"
(k) A maximum of 1 additional optional element which can either
be a a second death spiral, solo spin, or pair spin.

Senior dance:
(a) A maximum of 5 different lifts
(b) A maximum of 2 different dance spins
(c) 2 different types of step sequences
(d) 2 different sets of synchronized twizzles

[5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating?

Ice dancing is derived from ballroom or folk dancing, adapted to ice.
In practice, the difference is that ice dancers are prohibited from
doing the athletic free-skating moves that pair skaters do (jumps,
spins, lifts, etc) and concentrate on fancy choreography instead.
Also, ice dancers can only separate briefly while changing positions
or holds.

While the compulsory dances and original dance are based on
traditional ballroom dance rhythms, the rules for the free dance have
been changed so that dancers are no longer restricted to using music
suitable for ballroom or folk dancing. However, it is still required
that they use music that has a definite rhythm, and that they
actually dance to the beat of the music. This is another distinction
between pairs and dance: a pair team may interpret the melody or
phrasing of the music, but dancers must interpret its rhythm.

[6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me. What are
judges really looking for in ice dancing?

It's often harder for a casual spectator to evaluate ice dancing
performances than free skating because ice dancers rarely make major
mistakes such as falling. However, ice dancing is probably the most
technical of all the skating disciplines; the steps and turns dancers
perform are not only very difficult, but they also have to be
executed with extreme attention to neatness and precision and timing.

Some of the criteria that the judges use are how close the man and
woman skate together, whether they change positions and holds
frequently, whether they skate different steps or in a face-to-face
position instead of doing a lot of side-by-side shadow skating,
whether they do lots of edges and turns instead of plain stroking and
two-foot skating, whether the man's steps are as difficult as the
woman's, how much speed they have as they move across the ice, and
whether they skate in exact unison and in time with the music. In
general, what the dancers are doing with their feet is much more
important than their upper-body motions or facial expressions, but
the judges do look at the posture of the skaters, and the extension,
turnout, and toe point of the free leg.

Some spectators think that, since falls are so rare in ice dancing,
they ought to be heavily penalized in the judging, but this is not
the case. Actually, falls are not considered major errors in ice
dancing unless it really takes the skaters a long time to get up
again. In singles skating, a fall on an element like a jump can be
costly because the skaters are attempting relatively few jumps in the
program and that is where the difficulty is concentrated. But ice
dance programs consist entirely of footwork, and a few seconds missed
because of a fall amounts to a very small part of a 4-minute free
dance.

Some spectators think that the rules for ice dancing are supposed to
penalize theatrical-style dancing as compared to ballroom-style
dancing. Again, this is not the case. During the 1980's and into
the early 1990's, the emphasis in ice dancing was becoming so
excessively theatrical and dancers were incorporating so many
non-skating elements into their programs that dance events were
becoming very hard to judge by any objective technical standards, so
the ISU added more restrictions, including requiring dancers to use
music suitable "for the dance floor". More recently, apparently in
reaction to criticisms that the sport was becoming too boring, they
have loosened up the music rules again. The current rules for the
free dance allow skaters to use any music that has a definite beat.
However, at the same time the restrictions against non-skating
elements have been tightened up, and now dancers are required to do
specific technical elements -- lifts, spins, and footwork sequences
-- in their free dances.

[7] I've heard the TV commentators talking about the skaters' speed.
What is this all about?

The commentators are referring to how fast the skaters are moving
across the ice, not to whether they are performing fast footwork or
rushing through their elements (which is called "quickness" instead).
When you see skating live and in person, speed is a quality that's
immediately obvious even to an untrained eye, but it's usually much
less obvious when you watch the same skating on TV.

The judges look not only for strong, powerful stroking, but also
expect skaters to carry the speed through elements like jumps,
footwork, and lifts, and to flow out of them cleanly. It's
especially impressive when the skaters can build and maintain speed
without obvious pushing, through footwork and turns instead of plain
stroking or crossovers.

[8] Why do men so rarely do layback spins?

It's said that men generally have less flexibility in their backs
than most women do. On the other hand, even women skaters who are
not naturally flexible still have to learn how to do a decent layback
spin because it's a required element in the short program for them.
Men don't have this requirement so they don't have the same
motivation to learn this spin. Some men are probably also
hypersensitive about doing something that has a reputation as a
"girl's move". For those men who DO take the trouble to learn a
layback spin, it's a beautiful element that adds variety to their
programs.

[9][Some TV commentator] is always complaining about poor free leg
positions in layback spins. So what's a good position?

The general rule is that the free leg is supposed to be turned out at
the hip and carried with the toe pointed, but there are a lot of
possible variations in position -- e.g., held high in attitude
position with a bent knee, extended out to the side with the knee
straight, held closer to the skating leg with the knee straight, etc.
In a good position, the free leg will continue the curve of the
arched back through the hip and thigh, and it will look like the leg
is being HELD with some tension, rather than simply dangling there.
A very common fault is for the free leg to be lifted at the knee
rather than the hip, which is the ugly position the TV commentators
are most inclined to complain about.

Incidentally, judges tend to be more concerned with the back position
than the free leg position. A skater who doesn't actually "lay back"
in the spin won't get full credit for it, no matter how pretty the
free leg position is.

[10]What are compulsory figures?

Compulsory figures are variations on the figure 8, where the skater
attempts to skate a perfectly round circle on a perfectly clean edge,
and then do the same on the other foot. When you start to learn
figures, there are four of them to learn: forward and backward edges
on both inside and outside edges. The next step is to learn to put a
turn at the top of each circle, which again has to be perfectly
placed and executed on perfectly clean edges. There are also figures
that involve tracing a serpentine pattern on a three-lobed figure.
Figures are skated on circles 12 to 15 feet in diameter except for
the group of figures called loops which are skated on much smaller
circles. The hardest kinds of figures include things like paragraph
double threes, where you skate two large circles with four turns all
on one foot with one push, then take another push and retrace the
figure on the other foot. When you're done, the judges come out on
the ice and peer closely at the tracing you leave behind to make sure
that your circles are perfectly round and your turns are perfectly
placed, and that you didn't scrape or wobble anywhere on the figure
or commit other horrible faults like doing the turns on the wrong
edges or making their shape too deep or too shallow or too crooked.

Figures take an incredible amount of body control and patience to
master. In the "old days", skaters used to spend hours every day
working on them. Figure practice is called "patch" because each
skater was assigned their own patch of ice on the rink to skate on.

Compulsory figures used to be worth 60% of the score in figure
skating, but after 1968 they were progressively devalued and finally
eliminated completely from international competition after the 1990
season. In the US, figures competitions were held as separate events
between 1991 and 1999, but those, too, have now been phased out as
few skaters take the time to learn figures any more and it is hard to
find rinks that offer patch sessions.

[11]Can you explain the different lifts for pair skaters?

The ISU classifies overhead lifts by the way the man supports his
partner on the way up, not by the position she assumes in the air.
In order of increasing difficulty:

Hand to waist
E.g., forward platter. The man lifts the woman with both hands
at her waist.

Hand to hand
Forward or back press lift, loop lift

Hand to hip
Star lift

Hand to hand lasso
Distinguished by the woman doing a half turn on the way up, so
that she faces in the same direction as the man with her legs
behind his shoulders. (In a back press lift, the woman also
faces in the same direction as the man, but her legs remain in
front of his shoulders.)

Pairs add difficulty to lifts by doing them one-handed (especially
impressive on the mount), by changing grips and positions in the
lift, and by doing a twisting or flipping dismount.

Rules for ISU-eligible competition now permit one lift in the free
skate to be a "carry" lift without rotation, and another lift to
include a "carry" in the dismount. In all other lifts, the man must
turn continuously, doing a maximum of 3.5 rotations. The rules also
require that the partners only support each other by hand-to-hand,
hand-to-arm, or hand-to-body grips, and not by grips on the legs,
neck, or head of their partner.

[12]Is a triple toe/half loop/triple salchow a jump combination or a jump
series?

The half loop is considered a true jump, so this is a jump
combination consisting of three jumps. It is not, however, a
triple/triple combination (which would be two triple jumps
back-to-back). The thing that distinguishes a jump combination from
a jump series is that in a combination, there are no intervening
steps or turns between the jumps; the landing edge for each jump
forms the take-off edge for the next.

[13]Why do people make such a big fuss over flutzing? Don't all skaters
flutz?

A skater who flutzes (switches to the inside edge on a lutz takeoff)
does not show an ability to control the edge and to do the jump
correctly, and should be penalized in the marking compared to skaters
who DO demonstrate proper control and technique. A flutz is a form
of a "cheat" that makes it easier for skaters to do a jump that looks
approximately like a lutz. It has become commonplace now for skaters
to try to get a lutz as early as possible in their skating careers
because it's perceived as an important competitive advantage, and as
a result we see a lot of flutzes coming from skaters who aren't yet
skilled enough to do a proper lutz. Unfortunately, this bad jump
technique can be very hard for the skaters to un-learn and fix later
on in their careers.

Some skaters truly ARE able to do a lutz from a completely pure
outside edge. Others tend to roll over onto the flat or to a slight
inside edge after they have planted the pick, a blade length or so
before they actually leave the ice, but this is considered to be
acceptable technique. The completely egregious categories of flutzes
which the judges are supposed to penalize are those in which the
skater switches from an outside edge to a deep inside edge several
feet before planting the pick, making a big S-shaped tracing; and
those in which the skater is never able to demonstrate a controlled
outside edge at all on the entrance. Judges have a range of
deductions which they can apply, depending on how close to the pick
the skater can maintain the correct edge.

A flutz is judged as a bad lutz, not as a flip. In the short
program, if a skater does a flutzed triple lutz in combination, and a
triple flip as the solo jump out of footwork, they are penalized for
doing a bad lutz, not for repeating the flip. Similarly, in the free
skate, if a skater does both a flutzed triple lutz and a triple flip,
they are not penalized for repeating a jump.

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