- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
sunny0760 you are absolutely right that training a reliable, UR-free 3/3 would be more realistic for Miki than a 3a, while still boosting her score considerably. If Miki can consistently do a 3lutz/3loop in the SP, that's +3.3 points to her current SP base marks. And throwing her 4sal back in would be more doable than training a 3axel that she's never landed in competition. Even with a <, a 4sal is worth 7.4. Substitute that for her solo 3toe, and even with the -GOE she should still come out ahead. Any of these changes would require lots of training, stamina, reconfigured programs. So it won't be easy. But it's more doable than a 3a.
I have no problem with the point difference between 2axels and 3axels. A triple axel is so much more difficult than a double. The 5.2 point difference between them may not even do the 3axel justice. The 3axel is many orders of magnitude more difficult than the 2axel. Sure, it's just one rotation. But achieving that extra rotation has hampered countless gifted athletes and even more wannabes. That difficulty has to be rewarded.
I also don't have a problem with the value of the 2axel being lowered (although other jumps had their values adjusted, too). Just based on my observations the 2axel is so easy it's an afterthought for almost all figure skaters competing on the international level from juniors up. It struck me as being a little overvalued before.
And I also agree with the limits on 2axels in the FS. Skaters were regularly throwing 3 of them in a program, which is just a bit much.
And while I'm in an agreeable mood, I am heartily in favor of the new < rules. I've always railed against the downgrades where a 3axel downgraded to a 2axel would cost a skater more points than if she fell on a 2axel. In fact, even the current < rules are a bit harsh. I don't like the double penalty aspect of it, where both the base value scores are reduced and judges are supposed to take off -goe. In my opinion it should be done like edge calls, where the base values remain unchanged, and it's up to judges to deduct.
The < rule affects Yuna in that in the past, her consistency in not getting jumps downgraded gave her a safety cushion of points over her competitors who do get downgraded now and then. She has less of that cushion now, but it's still there!
Now all these rule changes affect Yuna negatively in some way. I agree with them and find them fair, but, here's a rule change I think is just as necessary and fair that would benefit Yuna:
Jump combos should have their base value multiplied by a factor so that it's worth more than doing the jumps separately. This is a no-brainer as doing jumps separately is a lot easier than doing them in combo, and the COP point system is supposed to reward and grade difficulty. Prior to the limit on 2axels, attaching triple jumps on the end of combos still benefited skaters like Yuna because they can free up jumping passes to do the 2axel and score some extra points. But with that option taken away, it's necessary to reward skaters capable of doing triple jumps after another jump in some other way.
I have no problem with the point difference between 2axels and 3axels. A triple axel is so much more difficult than a double. The 5.2 point difference between them may not even do the 3axel justice. The 3axel is many orders of magnitude more difficult than the 2axel. Sure, it's just one rotation. But achieving that extra rotation has hampered countless gifted athletes and even more wannabes. That difficulty has to be rewarded.
I also don't have a problem with the value of the 2axel being lowered (although other jumps had their values adjusted, too). Just based on my observations the 2axel is so easy it's an afterthought for almost all figure skaters competing on the international level from juniors up. It struck me as being a little overvalued before.
And I also agree with the limits on 2axels in the FS. Skaters were regularly throwing 3 of them in a program, which is just a bit much.
And while I'm in an agreeable mood, I am heartily in favor of the new < rules. I've always railed against the downgrades where a 3axel downgraded to a 2axel would cost a skater more points than if she fell on a 2axel. In fact, even the current < rules are a bit harsh. I don't like the double penalty aspect of it, where both the base value scores are reduced and judges are supposed to take off -goe. In my opinion it should be done like edge calls, where the base values remain unchanged, and it's up to judges to deduct.
The < rule affects Yuna in that in the past, her consistency in not getting jumps downgraded gave her a safety cushion of points over her competitors who do get downgraded now and then. She has less of that cushion now, but it's still there!
Now all these rule changes affect Yuna negatively in some way. I agree with them and find them fair, but, here's a rule change I think is just as necessary and fair that would benefit Yuna:
Jump combos should have their base value multiplied by a factor so that it's worth more than doing the jumps separately. This is a no-brainer as doing jumps separately is a lot easier than doing them in combo, and the COP point system is supposed to reward and grade difficulty. Prior to the limit on 2axels, attaching triple jumps on the end of combos still benefited skaters like Yuna because they can free up jumping passes to do the 2axel and score some extra points. But with that option taken away, it's necessary to reward skaters capable of doing triple jumps after another jump in some other way.