- Joined
- Mar 16, 2005
At this rate, we will just going to see 2A and 3T and 3S in any competition. The downgrade system just getting out of hand a little bit. It's already bad enough that you see skater with only 2-3 clean triple jumps getting on the podium.
I think this is right on. Except I'd go so far as to say the penalty for downgrades has always been out of hand. I just don't see how any person involved in skating - judges, coaches, skaters, officials, etc. - in his right mind would actually consider a triple jump where the blade reaches the ice 90º "short" of rotation a double. I mean, is there really anyone out there who thinks Mirai Nagasu, in her free skate last weekend, completed one two triples and a boatload of doubles? Surely almost every jump was not landed with ease and that should be reflected in the score, but I think Jenny is right in her assertion that the system is a bit askew. I've also thought from the beginning that this system is no less subjective than the old one. Sure, elements have distinct values now, but what's to stop judges, technical specialists or whoever from grading these elements in an unfair manner?
As far as ignoring downgrades being unfair to other skaters who apparently jump more properly I think this is where this system itself is a bit off. We've all seen Nagasu clearly under rotate some triple jumps, so we know it's a problem, but even when she jumps cleanly, they've always been close. It's been my observation that most female skaters jump this way, including the last 3 Olympic champions. People say, "What about Yu Na Kim or Joannie Rochette who can get great lift and not present questionable landings?" Well, this is what GOE was built into the new system. Yu Na Kim's jumping clearly represents the extraordinary side of things, so she should be strongly rewarded for it, but we can't honestly expect everyone else to jump that way too.
Go back and watch some programs from the late '90s. Pay attention to the landings on jumps. I'm sure everyone can find a favorite skater landing 2 or 3 jumps in a program with questionable rotation. But no one is really going to sit there and think, "Man, too bad about those double jumps." On the other hand, think of Surya Bonaly and most of her attempts at triple-triple combinations, usually half a turn cheated or more. That's the kind of stuff we should be penalizing.