Random Figure Skating Questions

I was just watching an Olympics practice session and was wondering - what is the standard etiquette when a specific skater's music is playing? How far away should the other skaters be from the skater doing the runthrough? Do they have to refrain from making any specific moves? Or just anything else in particular?

Do the skaters ever get to practice with just one person on the ice at a time?

How do pairs train side-by-side jumps? I'm not a skater, so to me just landing a jump seems tough enough. The idea of doing it perfectly in sync with another person completely boggles my brain.

tulosai said:

I don't think it is impossible (in fact, sometimes JuLip IS centered, believe it or not) but I do think it is CONSIDERABLY harder than when skaters spun in simpler positions.

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Agreed. Every change of position is another opportunity to lose centering.

but I also think some of these positions are a LOT cooler than they used to be too (and then, some are ugly as hell).

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Often it depends on the skater's body proportions, even if they do the spin well. And if they get more points for achieving a position that doesn't look good on their body, or that they don't always execute well, we have to watch unattractive positions.

But there were some pretty ugly basic positions in the old days too, from skaters for whom spins and/or body line were at the bottom of the priority list.

And variations that were cool when few skaters were doing them may be less exciting the 100th time we see them now.

Some variations are still rare because they're so difficult, and cool IMO when skaters take up the challenge of pushing the envelope to earn features in new ways. Forward outside edge layback comes to mind as an example.

composer said:

I was just watching an Olympics practice session and was wondering - what is the standard etiquette when a specific skater's music is playing? How far away should the other skaters be from the skater doing the runthrough? Do they have to refrain from making any specific moves? Or just anything else in particular?

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The skater whose music is playing has the right of way, so everyone else should remain aware of who's skating the program and try to stay out of their way, if necessary aborting a move if they see the program skater coming.

If they train together often, they'll know where the skater will be going next. If they're not familiar with the other skater's program (having watched a few times from the stands or on video doesn't really count for being able to predict traffic patterns), they'll probably anticipate incorrectly and be in the wrong place sometimes, especially if they're focused on whatever they're working on themselves.

One advantage, on practice sessions, of telegraphing elements and putting them in the typical places on the ice, is that other skaters will be able to predict where the skater in program will be going next. A more original program with less predictable traffic patterns, surprise entries into elements, etc., will be harder to predict, harder to avoid.

Do the skaters ever get to practice with just one person on the ice at a time?

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At elite competitions? Maybe if they arrive at the venue on the first day before the rest of the skaters in their practice group get there.

At home? If they train at an unpopular time of day, or if they pay extra for private ice time, or in the case of star skaters if the rink offers them private ice time in exchange for some benefit to the rink from having them there.

Finally a place for my stupid question

Is a 3sal 3loop jump still considered to be difficult? I remember Kurt did it in 1991 but I haven't been following skating as much and I don't see anyone doing this combination.

Is Baiul in Sochi?

CocoChanel, almost no skaters do a 3loop as a second jump any more. The mechanics of the jump are such that you almost always see the 3loop called as underrotated. Consequently, skaters either do a 3toe as the second jump in a combination or opt for one of those 3 / 1/2 loop / 3 combinations

The one skater doing a 3loop 3loop jump this year was Samantha Cesario of the US. She had some pretty good attempts, but even the ones that looked good were called underrotated. By 4 Continents, she had given up on it.

dorispulaski said:

CocoChanel, almost no skaters do a 3loop as a second jump any more. The mechanics of the jump are such that you almost always see the 3loop called as underrotated. Consequently, skaters either do a 3toe as the second jump in a combination or opt for one of those 3 / 1/2 loop / 3 combinations

The one skater doing a 3loop 3loop jump this year was Samantha Cesario of the US. She had some pretty good attempts, but even the ones that looked good were called underrotated. By 4 Continents, she had given up on it.

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Thanks. Even when Kurt did it I wondered how he stayed on his feet LOL.

Back in Kurt's day, the combination for the short program alternated. One year the second jump had to be a loop, and the next year a toe loop. That's another reason that you used to see more loop combinations-all the skaters had to have one at least with a 2loop.

The mistress of the 2loop and 3loop was without doubt Midori Ito

how many calories does a skater burn in a free skate? i've always wondered.

I just wanted to get opinions on the way the medal ceremonies are being carried out. Why do they not get their medals in the normal way? I think it is kind of weird.

KwanIsALegand said:

I just wanted to get opinions on the way the medal ceremonies are being carried out. Why do they not get their medals in the normal way? I think it is kind of weird.

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The short answer is that the combination of flower ceremony and medal ceremony IS standard operating procedure for the Olympics. Medalists in other sports are receiving their Sochi medals in exactly the same way as the skaters.
This question has been previously discussed on GS, and for a previous post, I had looked up a link to an explanatory page on the Sochi2014.com site. Will let you find it for yourself if you are interested.

composer said:

I was just watching an Olympics practice session and was wondering - what is the standard etiquette when a specific skater's music is playing? How far away should the other skaters be from the skater doing the runthrough? Do they have to refrain from making any specific moves? Or just anything else in particular?

Do the skaters ever get to practice with just one person on the ice at a time?

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At my rink we put a bright vest or tie a neon ribbon like a belt to whoever is up and practicing a full program. We always give them the right away but being figure skating that doesnt always happen. Ive seen girls and coaches having it out on many occasions! We also have specified jump and or spin corners that nobody should loaf around in. Stay out of goalie creases too...lol. These girls (Olympians and ISU GP competitors)are much better and being limited to 5 or 6 skaters of such caliber it must be much easier knowing who is doing a program. I've heard of intimidation happening and accidental/on purpose interruptions on all levels. It is a highly competitive sport after all.

Thank you gkelly!

Thank you Sam--Skwantch!

I don't know if this suits stupid questions thread, but is there a dress rehearsal today? If there is, what time does it start?

Stupid QUESTION!!!
I have accidentally tapped quotes on the ladies SP thread and every post now has 3 quoted posted from earlier, each irrelavent to what im posting. It only happens when I hit reply with quote. It's über annoying and I don't want to hunt thru 150 pages of this thread searching to de-select the quotes. Pretty stupid right? Is there a way to erase them without reading that whole thread. Please advise.

Side note I'm using an iPhone

Sam-Skwantch said:

Stupid QUESTION!!!
I have accidentally tapped quotes on the ladies SP thread and every post now has 3 quoted posted from earlier, each irrelavent to what im posting. It only happens when I hit reply with quote. It's über annoying and I don't want to hunt thru 150 pages of this thread searching to de-select the quotes. Pretty stupid right? Is there a way to erase them without reading that whole thread. Please advise.

Side note I'm using an iPhone

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I should delete my post but Ill stand by it and prove how stupid that question was. All I did was log out, which apparently an iPhone never does, and they were gone. Ill leave this here in case anyone else overlooks this simple solution.

THANK YOU. I was just about to type, No there is no way to do that except search through 150 pages and unclick everything. I guess that's because I am never logged out.

Just wondering, and actually posted this question in another thread but nobody answered me,
How Russian skaters were inflated in Sochi by not having any Russian judges on the board (ladies SP and LP)?

cinnamon said:

Just wondering, and actually posted this question in another thread but nobody answered me,
How Russian skaters were inflated in Sochi by not having any Russian judges on the board (ladies SP and LP)?

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There was a Russian judge in the FS, she's the one who is married to the head of the Russian Skatin fed.
A member of the technical panel was also Russian. Alexander LAKERNIK.