What's the skating skill? | Golden Skate

What's the skating skill?

ayayukiituka

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
You know skating is one of the most basic part of figure skating.
I know that, but honestly I can't see what's the point of "great skating technicho".
What's that?
I guess one of them is the times he or she strokes. Is it right?

As English is not my nitive,hope you can understand my broken one...
 

silver.blades

Medalist
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Country
Canada
The skating skills refers to to flow of the blade across the ice. This includes the depth, sureness and use of edges as well as speed across the ice, control of the blade and the ability to maintain speed while executing difficult turns and changes of direction. Patrick Chan and Taka Kozuka are both great examples of fabulous skating skills.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Direct from the rules:

Skating Skills
Definition: Overall skating quality: edge control and flow over the ice surface demonstrated by a command of the skating vocabulary (edges, steps, turns, etc.), the clarity of technique and use of effortless power to accelerate and vary speed.

Criteria:

Balance, rhythmic knee action and precision of foot placement
Flow and effortless glide
Cleanness and sureness of deep edges, steps, turns
Power/energy and acceleration
Mastery of multi-directional skating (CW/CCW + FWD/BKWD)
Mastery of one-foot skating (LESS CROSS OVERS TO ACHIEVE SPEED/ACCELERATION/FLOW = GOOD)
Equal mastery of technique by both partners shown in unison (pairs and ice dancing)
Balance in skating ability of individual skaters (synchronized)
 

ayayukiituka

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
So the skater giving high SS marks is great at this point??

If so,I want to watch all skaters recieved more than 7.0 points and learn what is skating^^

And is there the way that a skater with lower skating skill raise upper level?
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
So the skater giving high SS marks is great at this point??

If so,I want to watch all skaters recieved more than 7.0 points and learn what is skating

Pretty much, yes. Most of the medal-worthy elite skaters earn more than 7.0 for Skating Skills. If you want to distinguish the ones who truly excel in that area, look for the ones who earn more than 8.0.

Of course, some of them might earn high scores primarily because of their power and others earn similar scores with less power but more precision or deeper edges or more multidirectional steps, etc.

And is there the way that a skater with lower skating skill raise upper level?

Practice. :)
And good instruction so they know what skills to work on.

Ice dancers tend to have stronger skating skills than freestylers.

Freestyle skaters who have studied ice dance and/or school figures are more likely to be strong in that area.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
And is there the way that a skater with lower skating skill raise upper level?

Practice and a strong technical coach who demands precision in turns and stroking. In the US, you can tell a singles skater, even at the lower levels, who has taken and passed dances at the (US) Pre-Silver level and higher and can typically gauge what dances they have passed/worked on from the strength of their power and edging (Pre0silver, Silver, Pre-gold, Gold, Junior Internationals, Senior Internationals) and which skaters have passed much higher levels of (American) Moves in the Field (through Senior) than they are currently competing singles (Juvenile/Intermediate level kids with American Junior and Senior Moves in the Field tests). While Moves in the Field in no way replace figures, when the skater doesn't just "pencil whip" their way through the test to be done and actually concentrates on the focus, especially of some of the edge moves like the counters, rockers, and brackets in the field and soon, the (figure) loop patterns and twizzles.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
I always read lots of people say speed is the primary factor. Like if someone goes into a jump or spin or anythign very slowly that is lower SS score but if someone is fast into a jump or spin or anything that is good SS score. People with lower skating skills scores include such people as Kevin Van Der Perrin I believe from looking at his PCS a lot of the time - he does a lot of big jumps sometimes but is slow.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Senior skaters have deeper edges than juvenile, intermediates, and novices. Juniors who also skate Seniors have deep edges.

How Deep, you ask? by using the eyes, and if you can tell the difference between 1 centermeter with a 2 centermeter and remembering that as you go through some 24 skaters, you have a job as a Tech Panelist.

Why should they be the deepest is the better question.

The best skating that day or night is quite visible without most of those bullets of descriptions in the PC scores which are optional, btw, for the judges. The judges are not looking for 45 degree angle bent from the waist with head going NW while the blade is leaning SW. A fan can not really take the PC serious which are 100% opinions except if it is to your personal liking.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Actually, I've seen Novices with better command of edge than some Seniors. Of course, those Novices make the podium at Nationals and those Seniors don't make it out of Regionals in the US. I've also see some Adults with better command of edge than some Seniors. One that I have in mind skated synchro on a team that went to Worlds/International competitions several times and has passed 2 International dances.

Depth of edge is best seen by a neophite as control and ice coverage and is best understood in person to get a flavor for it rather than TV if you are unsure. You can see how the skate bites into the ice or stays on top, how much lean the skate is on, how controlled the upper body is... You can also see if there's some loss of control on turns/steps as transition elements.

Speed is also a factor in skating skills but it's more HOW that speed was generated. Did it take you 22000 crossovers to reach that speed or 2 and some difficult turns and methods of gaining speed? That's the POWER/ACCELERATION bullet along with FLOW/EFFORTLESS GLIDE
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I don't even have to look at these because we just recently reviewed these in a facebook discussion we were having on a friend's wall. Midori.

And the reasons why?
This was not meant to be a trick question or to start a negative discussion but to learn more about "skating skills."

I see Midori is faster.
What about balance and blade control when changing positions? Neither skater was known to be exceptional at compulsary figures.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I had always understood the term "deep edges" in the sense that gmyers gives -- the "depth" of the edge referring to to angle that the blade makes with the ice, rather than how "deep" the blade sinks into the surface or anything like that (?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trina_Pratt_&_Todd_Gilles_Lift_-_2006_Skate_Canada.jpg

The ISU documents about GOEs and PCSs also use the word "clarity" a lot. I assume that means in particular, that if you are supposed to be on a particular edge then this ought to be clear -- as evidenced by the "depth," which ideally should be obvious to the naked eye.
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I had always understood the term "deep edges" in the sense that gmyers gives -- the "depth" of the edge referring to to angle that the blade makes with the ice, rather than how "deep" the blade sinks into the surface or anything like that (?)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Trina_Pratt_%2

The ISU documents about GOEs and PCSs also use the word "clarity" a lot. I assume that means in particular, that if you are supposed to be on a particular edge then this ought to be clear -- as evidenced by the "depth," which ideally should be obvious to the naked eye.


So speed, and how it is achieved, depth/clarity of the edge as it relates to the position, and control of upper body when changing positions.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Mainly, skating skills is not about pretty positions. It is about power, acceleration, lean, depth of edge. Kristi had pretty positions, but no speed and shallow depth of edge (particularly noticeable in her spirals, and not much glide because no speed to start with. Kristi (in a world without skating politicking) does not get the 9.0 skating skills. And 1992 Olympics is perhaps Kristi's best ever SP. BTW, the 1992 Olympic short program is not the best place to look at Midori's skills. It was one of her worst ever SPs-she had starved down to look thinner and so lacked a bit of her usual power, and was visibly nervous. But even in this SP, Midori demonstrates the ability to turn both ways while Kristi stays mainly in one direction.

Some of the issues with Kristi's skating (and problems with figures) might be due to a relative lack of flexibility in her ankles, probably due to the fact that she was born with club feet, and had them repaired. Club foot involves an ankle with limited mobility as part of the syndrome.

http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com/clubfoot-repair-dictionary.htm

Here's a better Midori SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNUZ0iJIqzs
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Mainly, skating skills is not about pretty positions. It is about power, acceleration, lean, depth of edge. Kristi had pretty positions, but no speed and shallow depth of edge (particularly noticeable in her spirals, and not much glide because no speed to start with. Kristi (in a world without skating politicking) does not get the 9.0 skating skills. And 1992 Olympics is perhaps Kristi's best ever SP. BTW, the 1992 Olympic short program is not the best place to look at Midori's skills. It was perhaps her worst ever SP-she had starved down to look thinner and so lacked a bit of her usual power, and was visibly nervous. But even in this SP, Midori demonstrates the ability to turn both ways while Kristi stays mainly in one direction.

Here's a better Midori SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNUZ0iJIqzs

Thanks, I haven't seen that SP years. Wonderful skating!

You make me wonder though - who would score higher in SS - Irina or Michelle?
By your definition it feels like Irina would always score higher.
But there is fast skating and and slower moments in a program too. I always thought not just the edge and speed but also the way a skater balanced themselves when changing positions counted.
That was important in figures as it took good balance and upper body control to trace tight figures.

Maybe it's not quite the same thing. Jill Trenary was very good at figures and usually beat Midori and Kristi by a comfortable margin.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I think people would argue over Irina & Michelle for a long time. Irina was faster, but sloppier, but Michelle was faster than she looked on TV. I always wondered if Irina did her one foot step sequence because she did not have quite same control on the other foot. Michelle had spiffy edges, which is why her COE spiral was wonderful. She was able to get up to what speed she had without a lot of stroking. I find it easy to give Midori the win, and I'm suspecting a politically split judging panel on Michelle and Irina...
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I think people would argue over Irina & Michelle for a long time. Irina was faster, but sloppier, but Michelle was faster than she looked on TV. I always wondered if Irina did her one foot step sequence because she did not have quite same control on the other foot. Michelle had spiffy edges, which is why her COE spiral was wonderful. She was able to get up to what speed she had without a lot of stroking. I find it easy to give Midori the win, and I'm suspecting a politically split judging panel on Michelle and Irina...

Here is Jill's SP from '89.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pCN0OR_Xas

Pretty good edges and control on her spirals and a better skater than she is given credit for. She had some of the problems Alissa has - and nerves at competitions kept her from better results.
 
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