- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
There is more to those jumps than a wrong edge take off. There is an easier position to do 3 air turns with a comfortable landing than if the skater were to execute a proper lutz or flip.
I think that is an excellent and often overlooked point.
Especially on a Lutz attempt, I think we can regard switching over to the inside edge in the same category as pre-rotating. If you hold your outside edge all the way to lift off, you are curving slightly the "wrong way."
I agree that this makes it quite a feat to get in three complete revolutions "the right way" and a smooth landing. A true Lutz has almost a delayed feeling to it when you launch from the correct edge. (Again, that's why the jump looks so spectacular when it is done right.)
On the other hand if you flutz, you have released the counterrotation pre-maturely. Like a pre-rotation you are essentially getting started on your three rotations on the ice instead of in the air.
(I am not so sure how it works for a flip. Maybe for lippers -- especially men -- they get a better "pole vault" out of their pick when threy slip over to the outside edge.)