Jumping close to the boards

[TeeSaurus]

As a skating fan who doesn’t skate I have often wondered why skaters jump so close to the boards during competitions.

Recently, I have seen more and more skaters continuously jump so close to the boards that they could not extend their free leg properly any more, crash into the boards when they fall, or fall/abort a jump because they are too close, which is scary and I simply cannot understand why one would take the risk of ruining an element unless there is a rule that says "jumps must be carried out within 2m of the boards" (but there is no such rule and such a rule would be ridiculous, right? ).

What’s more, the landings of jumps that are executed in corners are often hidden from cameras, which, from a (TV) viewers perspective, is not great either.

Is this about PCS? (The closer to the boards, the riskier the jump, which means better control and hence better skating skills?)
Or is it simply about tradition/common practice/aesthetics to primarily do jumps in corners?

I am sorry if my questions seem ignorant, but I have not come across the answer yet even after a couple of years browsing through FS forums.


Examples of what I mean:
Park Yeonjeong:
https://youtu.be/mN_5Cc3pqAk?t=47

Kim Yelim:
https://youtu.be/wy7CN4qgf4s?t=24

 

[macy]

it has to do more with common practice and how skaters are taught jumps. usually we are taught to use the rest of the ice surface to gain speed/set up for the jump, but sometimes getting too close to the boards becomes sort of a bad habit/comfort thing.

 

[gotoschool]

As a skating fan who doesn’t skate I have often wondered why skaters jump so close to the boards during competitions.

Recently, I have seen more and more skaters continuously jump so close to the boards that they could not extend their free leg properly any more, crash into the boards when they fall, or fall/abort a jump because they are too close, which is scary and I simply cannot understand why one would take the risk of ruining an element unless there is a rule that says "jumps must be carried out within 2m of the boards" (but there is no such rule and such a rule would be ridiculous, right? ).

What’s more, the landings of jumps that are executed in corners are often hidden from cameras, which, from a (TV) viewers perspective, is not great either.

Is this about PCS? (The closer to the boards, the riskier the jump, which means better control and hence better skating skills?)
Or is it simply about tradition/common practice/aesthetics to primarily do jumps in corners?

I am sorry if my questions seem ignorant, but I have not come across the answer yet even after a couple of years browsing through FS forums.


Examples of what I mean:
Park Yeonjeong:
https://youtu.be/mN_5Cc3pqAk?t=47

Kim Yelim:
https://youtu.be/wy7CN4qgf4s?t=24

My favorite skater is Mao and I saw her skate live twice once in an exhibition on the second row, and I can't express in words how impressive it is to hear and see a triple flip done so close to the edge of the ice. There was a moment of surprise when I thought she might even fall into the audience, but she managed to get within a couple of meters, it seemed to be only one meter, and then gracefully change directions without any mishap. Therefore in my view, the most impressive feature of jumping close to the boards is how much it engages the audience and this along with it's demonstration of great speed control and rink coverage and instinctive space awareness to me should be an indicator of great PCS, but Mao who was exceptional at this was deflated nonetheless in PCS even in her best performances.

 

[Nimyue]

It's pretty important that a program uses the full ice surface. Also, a skater is meant to move quickly, and you need the full space to get up to speed and set up a jump. Elite skaters cover the full surface of the ice very quickly and end up skating from one end to another multiple times per program.

 

[lariko]

During the Olympics, when Jin Boyang actually caught the boards and fell, the commentator on Canadian TV said that the skaters use boards for reference of their position during the jumps/when they come out of them. And, by obvious reasons, that it is a habit he will have to correct. Since then I always get worried when Boyang gets too close to the boards, heh

 

[TeeSaurus]

Thanks everyone for the answers, although they are not as comforting as I might have hoped.

I think my main problem with speed/ice coverage/program layout is that these concepts are hard to grasp and easily underestimated when one only ever watches skating on the telly, because on the screen it doesn’t really matter where a jump is done.

 

[gkelly]

That is true. It would help if commentators would talk about them more. But even so, even if you know how important these qualities are and know how to look for them, they are hard to see on video.

However, it would be helpful to remind video viewers that the judges are seeing (and hearing) things differently than what comes across on video, and that it is the live experience that is being judged.

I also wish commentators would encourage viewers to watch live skating if at all possible. Of course it's great to be able to watch elite stars live and up close, but that's also expensive. However, if you can get to local/regional/sectional (or whatever they're called in your country) or national competitions on occasion, or even if you have a rink with freestyle sessions close by where you can watch kids practicing, seeing the skating live will offer some insights about qualities that don't come across well on video and that make a big difference in what skaters and officials consider "better" skating, irrespective of the difficulty of the elements.

 

[Warwick360]

I read the title and I think Midori Ito. No rink was big enough for the jumping legend.

 

[lovaticcanada]

Another reason why skaters jump closer to the boards might be the difference between international ice rinks and north american ice rinks. The standards are set by the NHL and IIHF, and ice rinks are built according to which standards they follow. Most north american ice rinks are 85 feet/26m wide, while international ice surfaces are 100 feet/30m wide.

According to the ISU rule 342.1, both specifications are allowed, and the preference is the larger ice size but that is not always possible, such as with worlds 2020 being held at the Centre Bell, it will be on smaller ice.

 

[lariko]

Thanks everyone for the answers, although they are not as comforting as I might have hoped.

I think my main problem with speed/ice coverage/program layout is that these concepts are hard to grasp and easily underestimated when one only ever watches skating on the telly, because on the screen it doesn’t really matter where a jump is done.

Have you seen skating maps? There is fan made ones here
https://twitter.com/SkatingMaps/status/1212105570053840896?s=20

And during Japanese Nationals they drew those maps showing coverage for everyone, showing the progression of the skate (in Uno’s Video it starts about 8 minutes in)

https://youtu.be/xTI7bbuTDLY

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

As a skating fan who doesn’t skate I have often wondered why skaters jump so close to the boards during competitions.

Recently, I have seen more and more skaters continuously jump so close to the boards that they could not extend their free leg properly any more, crash into the boards when they fall, or fall/abort a jump because they are too close, which is scary and I simply cannot understand why one would take the risk of ruining an element unless there is a rule that says "jumps must be carried out within 2m of the boards" (but there is no such rule and such a rule would be ridiculous, right? ).

What’s more, the landings of jumps that are executed in corners are often hidden from cameras, which, from a (TV) viewers perspective, is not great either.

Is this about PCS? (The closer to the boards, the riskier the jump, which means better control and hence better skating skills?)
Or is it simply about tradition/common practice/aesthetics to primarily do jumps in corners?

I am sorry if my questions seem ignorant, but I have not come across the answer yet even after a couple of years browsing through FS forums.


Examples of what I mean:
Park Yeonjeong:
https://youtu.be/mN_5Cc3pqAk?t=47

Kim Yelim:
https://youtu.be/wy7CN4qgf4s?t=24

it has to do more with common practice and how skaters are taught jumps. usually we are taught to use the rest of the ice surface to gain speed/set up for the jump, but sometimes getting too close to the boards becomes sort of a bad habit/comfort thing.

It's pretty important that a program uses the full ice surface. Also, a skater is meant to move quickly, and you need the full space to get up to speed and set up a jump. Elite skaters cover the full surface of the ice very quickly and end up skating from one end to another multiple times per program.

That is true. It would help if commentators would talk about them more. But even so, even if you know how important these qualities are and know how to look for them, they are hard to see on video.

However, it would be helpful to remind video viewers that the judges are seeing (and hearing) things differently than what comes across on video, and that it is the live experience that is being judged.

I also wish commentators would encourage viewers to watch live skating if at all possible. Of course it's great to be able to watch elite stars live and up close, but that's also expensive. However, if you can get to local/regional/sectional (or whatever they're called in your country) or national competitions on occasion, or even if you have a rink with freestyle sessions close by where you can watch kids practicing, seeing the skating live will offer some insights about qualities that don't come across well on video and that make a big difference in what skaters and officials consider "better" skating, irrespective of the difficulty of the elements.

Another reason why skaters jump closer to the boards might be the difference between international ice rinks and north american ice rinks. The standards are set by the NHL and IIHF, and ice rinks are built according to which standards they follow. Most north american ice rinks are 85 feet/26m wide, while international ice surfaces are 100 feet/30m wide.

According to the ISU rule 342.1, both specifications are allowed, and the preference is the larger ice size but that is not always possible, such as with worlds 2020 being held at the Centre Bell, it will be on smaller ice.

All of these plus, OP have you ever heard the term "lutz corner?" Because there are two diagonal from one another each end of rink at 10:00 and 4:00, unless a skater jumps clockwise. And if a skater is going to the corner to jump a lutz, they are going in blind.

 

[TeeSaurus]

All of these plus, OP have you ever heard the term "lutz corner?" Because there are two diagonal from one another each end of rink at 10:00 and 4:00, unless a skater jumps clockwise. And if a skater is going to the corner to jump a lutz, they are going in blind.

I thought I already knew so much skating lingo and yet you managed to uncover a serious gap in my knowledge.
I have been looking at the forum category “Lutz corner” for years but I never made the connection.

 

[RobinA]

I have noticed this year particularly they seem to be burying jumps in the corners more and deeper than usual. Maybe they should give a bonus for doing jumps out in the open, much like they do for jumps at the end of the program. On the whole it doesn't add to the program to have the jumps taking place in corners.

On the other hand, I agree with the poster who commented on how amazing it is to sit in somebody's jump corner. Many years ago I had seats for a Skate America and I was in Todd Eldredge's Axel corner. The power and force cannot be believed until you've seen it up close and in person. Including at practice!

 

[Manitou]

It's one of those things "don't do it if you are not well trained". Ski jumpers, alpine skiers - they do things that would literally kill everybody who is not super trained. So I trust the elite skaters they know what they are doing.

 

[pohatta]

There's obviously a connection between skating speed and ending up close to the boards (re: Midori Ito). Slow skaters don't seem to have that problem. Tuktamysheva doesn't. Neither did Kevin van der Perren, whose lack of speed almost shocked me when I saw him live in 2009.

 

[labgoat]

I read the title and I think Midori Ito. No rink was big enough for the jumping legend.

Poor Midori, she had such a rough event at 1991 Worlds.

Warmup & SP
NBC version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc0qxdfKGGw
CBC version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFeo-jMJSlg

FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtCNoWPehxk

One of the more famous accidents in skating. I loved both her programs that year, it was sad to see her problems that championship.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I remember Scott Hamilton talking about how the ice in the corners allowed the skaters to jump bigger, I don't remember why but it might have to do with it being harder, thicker, and/or drier than the ice in the center of the rink

 

[ICeleste]

There's obviously a connection between skating speed and ending up close to the boards (re: Midori Ito). Slow skaters don't seem to have that problem. Tuktamysheva doesn't. Neither did Kevin van der Perren, whose lack of speed almost shocked me when I saw him live in 2009.

I don't see the connection
Hanyu is the fastest skater in the field, he has pretty good ice coverage yet he never jumps dangerously close to the boards. Boyang is significantly slower than him and he's always had this problem of ending up too close to the boards