ISU Congress Updates

[Blades of Passion]

The step sequence updates are the opposite of what the sport needed. Meh.

 

[100yen]

Single & Pair Skating - Changes in Special Regulations and Technical Rules accepted by the 54th ISU Congress

I don't understand the change in levels...so now there will be a 5th level for moves?

 

[gkelly]

Yes. It had been the case that no features or one feature both qualified as Level 1, so there was no reward for doing one feature.

Now if there are no features (i.e., meets the definition of the element but nothing extra) it's Basic Level with a lower base mark, and if there's one feature it's Level 1 and earns more in the base mark.

 

[blue dog]

I don't understand the change in levels...so now there will be a 5th level for moves?

Remember, around 2006, when there was no such thing as a level 4?

I can't quite find the thread, but around 2008 or so, when they added the extra features for level 4 in the footwork, some of us were complaining that the skaters would look like they were suffering from seizures in order to obtain those levels.

I can't wait to see what level 5 will bring. I hope a lot of creativity will arise. I also hope that they pay attention to the music. I still personally dislike it when skaters do fast footwork when the music is slow.

 

[gkelly]

They're not adding a level higher than Level 4. They're splitting the current Level 1 into two separate categories: no features (Basic Level) and one feature (Level 1).

 

[Serious Business]

Interesting that it's only singles who get the distribution bonus in the SP. Pairs, which has the bonus in the FS, did not get it. I wonder why? Is it because a wider variety of elements are eligible for the highlight distribution bonus in pairs? And front-loading them isn't as noticeable? But that should apply to the FS, too...

Anyway, I predict for male single skaters at the top level, most of them will attempt a quad first thing, as per usual, and then do their second and third jumping passes in the second half of the SP. The women, on the other hand, I can see some of the top ones doing all 3 jumping passes in the second half.

With the choreographic sequence now allowing for extended spirals in men's, I hope some skaters take advantage of it. I'd like to male skaters do a massive cross-the-rink spiral, not just as a brief transition.

 

[ice coverage]

"Decisions of the ISU Council," ISU Communication No. 1742

The ISU posted Communication No. 1742 today. The link to the eleven-page PDF can be found at this page: http://www2.isu.org/vsite/vnavsite/...3,4844-205151-222374-nav-list,00.html?id=1090
[Some of the content has been reported previously.]

Decisions of the ISU Council

The ISU Council met on June 10, 16 and 17, 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The following were among the decisions taken by the Council during the meetings:

1. Full Membership Serbia and Singapore

2. 55th Ordinary ISU Congress 2014 – Dublin/Ireland

3. Appointment Medical Advisor to the ISU Medical Commission

4. Definite Allotment of 2013 ISU Championships**

5. Provisional Allotments 2014 ISU Championships

6. New Provisional Allotments 2015 Championships

7. Congress Decision concerning the Figure Skating Championships, Removal of Preliminary Rounds (Rule 378, paragraph 1)

8. Judges Draw – ISU Figure Skating Championships 2013

9. Congress decision concerning Short Track Speed Skating – ISU Congress 2012 - Proposal 137, Rule 285, paragraph 2.b)

10. Recognition of new World Records Speed Skating

11. Recognition of new World Records Short Track Speed Skating

12. Summary of Figure Skating Officials Evaluation 2011/2012

13. ISU Council meeting​

---------

** The Definite Allotment still includes London, Ontario, for 2013 Worlds -- see p. 2. Excerpt below is from pp. 5-6:

"Even with these Minimum Total Technical Scores which limit the entries to the necessary reasonable level as described above, the abolishment of the Preliminary Rounds will most likely result in higher expenses for the organizers. The ISU will evaluate these financial aspects on a case by case basis with each organizing Member in order to find a reasonable and satisfactory solution fair to all parties and respecting as much as possible the 2012-2014 ISU Budget."​

 

[Dragonlady]

I'm at a loss to understand how a loss of the Preliminary Rounds increases expenses for the organizers. They will require the rental of the facilities for fewer days, shorter hotel stays and fewer meals for the judges, officials and staff. It's not like the ticket sales for the PR's were outstanding. Only the real die-hard fans, plus families and friends attend.

 

[let`s talk]

the abolishment of the Preliminary Rounds will most likely result in higher expenses for the organizers.

That is what I don't get too. Does anybody knows? Or they mean that when skaters didn't pass preliminaries, they had to leave the event, but now they can stay to the end-banquet even if they didn't pass SP?

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Will the federation still have to cover the expenses of the ice for those days? Will they have to alter the ticket prices that included the preliminaries? The former would affect expenses, the latter potential income.

 

[blue dog]

Article on the ISU's decision to give Cinquanta two more years and "inflation."

http://www.examiner.com/article/international-skating-union-now-officially-a-dictatorship

 

[Macassar88]

Article on the ISU's decision to give Cinquanta two more years and "inflation."

http://www.examiner.com/article/international-skating-union-now-officially-a-dictatorship

This woman is stupid and has no knowledge of figure skating whatsoever.

 

[Mathman]

I agree with Ms. Friedlander that extending Mr. Cinquanta's term in violation of the clear intent of the ISU constitution seems to have little justification. I cannot imagine what sort of argument Cinquanta's supporters put forward. The only reason I ever heard was that if Cinquanta left office at the expiration of his term, the only possible person left to run the ISU was Didier Gailhaguet.

As for the results of 2012 Worlds, I for one am not up in arms. And i say this as a fan of "Merlyn Davis."

 

[KKonas]

This woman is stupid and has no knowledge of figure skating whatsoever.

While I do not agree with Monica's article in total, I have known her for nearly 30 years. She is not stupid and has covered the sport for 30 years. She certainly knows more about figure skating than many on this forum.

 

[Dragonlady]

While I do not agree with Monica's article in total, I have known her for nearly 30 years. She is not stupid and has covered the sport for 30 years. She certainly knows more about figure skating than many on this forum.

It's a very American point of view and the writer was certainly ill informed. The ISU did give a clear reason for extended Speedy's term - they need his experience in negotiating TV rights for the next quadrennial. Current contracts expire after the Socchi. A monkey could have done a better job of negotiating than Speedy but I digress. And as much as I loathe Speedy, the installation of Didier as President would be the last nail in the sport's coffin.

But where the writer reveals her ignorance is in parroting the US fan line about CoP. The writer is very ill-informed on all scores.

 

[blue dog]

It's a very American point of view and the writer was certainly ill informed. The ISU did give a clear reason for extended Speedy's term - they need his experience in negotiating TV rights for the next quadrennial. Current contracts expire after the Socchi. A monkey could have done a better job of negotiating than Speedy but I digress. And as much as I loathe Speedy, the installation of Didier as President would be the last nail in the sport's coffin.

But where the writer reveals her ignorance is in parroting the US fan line about CoP. The writer is very ill-informed on all scores.

People often consider articles misinformed or stupid, S
as macassar88 opined when they disagree. Of course, there are better, more constructive ways of doing so.

Happy Canada Day!

 

[Dragonlady]

Misinformed: she had no idea on what basis the ISU was extending Speedy's tenure when the reasons were clearly stated. Then there was her comment that the judging was still corrupt because "every man, woman and child sitting inside Nice’s Acropolis Arena thought the Americans [Merlyn Davis and Charlie White] won". I certainly didn't think so and others here have said the same thing.

Regarding CoP she called it "an impossibly convoluted point system that no one in the audience can understand". Really? I understand it. My friends who attend competitions understand it. We're in the audience. Lots of posters here understand it.

She also said "In 2002, with skating still in the world spotlight, all it took was one judging scandal to rock the sport and change it forever". It was more than one judging scandal. There was the judging scandal at the 1998 Olympics. After two judging scandals in back to back Olympics, the IOC told Speedy to do something or figure skating would be tossed from the Olympics. No mention of those.

Does that help you understand why I consider the writer ill-informed?

 

[Mathman]

Well, personally, I don't think figure skating will ever be popular as a spectator sport with the current scoring system.

On the other hand, many posters on this forum, especially gkelly, have convinced me that the CoP provides an excellent structure for the participants. So there you are.

 

[Dragonlady]

When we go to competitions, we make a game of guessing the scores while we wait for the numbers to come up. The person coming closest gets bragging rights until the next skater. We're usually right in the ballpark and the winner is usually within a point or two of the judges' score. And we don't find it hard to do at all.

This idea that the judging system is incomprehensible is a uniquely American idea which has been reinforced by numerous American commentators who steadfastly refuse to learn the system. It is not, but viewers need more from their TV's than "It's very complicated".

 

[Blades of Passion]

Regarding CoP she called it "an impossibly convoluted point system that no one in the audience can understand". Really? I understand it. My friends who attend competitions understand it. We're in the audience. Lots of posters here understand it.

We're the 1%. Get a freaking clue, Dragonlady.