I'll start by saying that I'm not here to complain about unjust judging and the like, but I have become curious about Hanyu's GPF free skate QLz.
The jump looks near perfect, if not perfect to me. I even reviewed footage from a different angle to check axis. I didn't have a problem and was expecting the jump to earn +5, possible +4. Judges score him +4 and +3.
Again, I'm not looking to complain (I'm actually Chen-biased if anything) but I know a lot of you are more knowledge than me about this, and I'd like a statistical mathematical scientific breakdown, if possible. I'm curious ok?
Here's a clip of the jump & protocol for reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5BFnQrgWBQ#t=6m43s
http://www.isuresults.com/results/s...------FNL-000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf
Here's the GOE criteria:
1) very good height and very good length (of all jumps in a combo or sequence)
2) good take-off and landing
3) effortless throughout (including rhythm in Jump combination)
4) steps before the jump, unexpected or creative entry
5) very good body position from take-off to landing
6) element matches the music
Based on these, I'd have given him 1, 2 for sure... and probably 3 and 5 - but a pickier judge might not award either of these.
- On his landing, he was slightly forward on his toe (causing the snow to spray up), which killed some of the flow on the landing and might have made a judge not deem it to be effortless
throughout. It was still what I'd call a "good landing" and fulfills bullet 2; the takeoff of course is great, with pretty much no pre-rotation and a clear outside edge.
- There was a bit of a lean in the air too (looks to be about 28 degrees) and for a moment he was slightly forward on his landing... during the part that he's forward on his toe pick -- IMO, not egregiously leaning/forward to deduct, but perhaps not upright enough for some judges to (subjectively) award the "
very good body position from takeoff to landing" GOE bullet
- There weren't any preceding steps before, so no bullet for that (and even if he had transitions on the exit, it doesn't increase GOE)
- in my opinion, the jump did not "match the music" as it wasn't executed on any distinguishable highlight in the music (this is of course subjective -- some people think that their fave skater's jumps match the music regardless of where they're placed in a program)
I'd have given it at least a +3, if not a +4. It wasn't the best quad lutz he can do, and some preceding steps and putting it on the music would have augmented the GOE. Chen's 4Z wasn't as impressive in terms of magnitude (although it still had sufficient height/distance to deserve a GOE bullet), however, he did have steps preceding and the element matched up with the music more obviously, so I get the slightly higher GOE on his 4Z.
Judge #3 was extremely strict on jump GOE (giving Hanyu +1; and also only gave Chen's 4Z a +2), but according to the rules, it could still be justified. They might have only awarded bullet 1, and then not awarded any of bullets 2/3/5 due to minor things like the slight lean, initially forward/scratchy landing before transferring onto the blade, and not awarding 4/6 for lack of preceding transitions or the element not matching the music. Or some combination like they awarded bullets 1 and 2, but but then deducting -1 for the lean/scratchy landing. I don't agree with only +1/+2 GOE for Hanyu/Chen's 4Z attempt as both jumps were magnificent in general, but little details could have compromised the GOE if a judge (like #3) was being picky and they'd still be within the rules. Again, it's all subjective - some judges are way more strict than others -- and especially stricter than fans.
Looking at the protocol, I'd say most judges got it right, with a +3/+4 for both attempts, and slightly more +4s for Chen's 4Z given the additional GOE features.
