Ice Skating

C

Safety

Skates that fit properly and have sharp blades are essential in avoiding injury. Stretches and warm-up exercises are also important. When skating in a public facility, use common sense: Skaters should look where they are going, move in the direction of the rest of the skaters, and learn to fall without injury and get up quickly. People should never skate alone outdoors because of the risk of falling through thin ice.

III

Competitive Ice Skating

Numerous international competitions, governed by the International Skating Union (ISU), are available to figure skaters and speed skaters. The World Championships, held annually, are among the most prestigious international competitions. The Winter Olympic Games, which began in 1924, are held every four years in a city with a cold climate. Competitors for these events are chosen from the best skaters in each participating country, usually through preliminary national competitions. Speed skaters also compete on a World Cup circuit, which pits the world’s best skaters against one another during the year.

A

Figure Skating

The major types of competitive figure skating are individual men’s and women’s competitions, pairs skating, ice dancing, and precision skating. In individual competitions a single skater performs required elements and is judged on how cleanly and artistically the motions are executed. Pairs skating consists of two skaters performing together. In ice dancing partners carry out the artistic motions of dance on skates. Precision skating, which is a highly structured activity, consists of a team of skaters who perform choreographed maneuvers.

The costumes worn in competition allow skaters to express a certain mood or theme, often reflected in the choice of music. Competitors must comply with costuming rules set by the ISU. For example, bare midriffs are not allowed; excessive use of sequins, beads, or other decoration is forbidden; and men may not wear tights or sleeveless shirts. Safety factors also come under consideration in precision skating: To prevent accidental snagging on other skaters’ costumes, team members may not wear beaded or sequined costumes.

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A

1

Individual Skating

Men’s and women’s individual competitions require skaters to perform a short program, formerly called the technical program, and a long program, also known as the free skate. In the short program, which counts for one-third of the total score, skaters must perform eight technical elements—including prescribed jumps and spins and a footwork sequence—within 2 minutes 40 seconds. The long program, which lasts 4 minutes for women and 4 minutes 30 seconds for men, incorporates both technical and artistic elements and accounts for the remaining two-thirds of the final score. There are few formal requirements in the long program.

In the past, competitions included what were known as school figures or compulsory figures, based on the figure eight and its variations. Skaters traced identical patterns on the ice three times and were judged on their ability to replicate the exact figures in the same place. School figures were phased out of competition after the 1989-1990 season.

Judges take many factors into consideration when scoring an individual’s performance. The music should be appropriate for the choreography. In the choreography, the elements should be balanced and placed creatively within the program, the chosen movements should be complex, and the timing should be precise. Jumps and spins are judged on their speed, height, position, and level of difficulty. The marks used in scoring range from 0.0 (not skated) to 6.0 (perfect). Deductions are taken for omissions of required elements, for falls, and for a touch of a hand to the ice. Because there are no required elements in the long program, judges give the skater credit only for moves that are completed.

A

2

Pairs Skating

Pairs skating involves elements similar to those in individual skating—jumps, spins, and footwork—but also incorporates overhead lifts and throw jumps. In addition, all elements should be performed in perfect unison. The death spiral, which is unique to pairs skating, is executed with the man in a pivot position with one toe anchored in the ice. From this position he swings the woman around him so that her body is extended in a horizontal position, with her head almost touching the ice. Required moves in competitions include the death spiral, overhead lifts, side-by-side jumps, spin combinations, and a footwork sequence. Pairs are judged on the basis of technical difficulty, artistic merit, and timing.

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