- Joined
- May 10, 2010
For the most part, the IJS gets the job done and generally puts skaters in the right placement by the end of a competition. But of course there are many issues with the system as it currently stands. These are just five ways I think the system could improve. What are yours?
1. Restricting 10% Bonus in Back Half
The current system rewards backloading programs with the toughest elements just for the ten per cent bonus. While this isn't so much of a problem with the mens discipline since the top skaters need the stamina to complete the more difficult quads at the top of their program, this effects ladies and pairs too much. Some ladies backload their programs with all their jumps and most pairs now backload their programs with all of the lifts.
One of the points of the bonus is to reward skaters for completing elements that are exhausting or risky in the back half, but that only applies if the skaters actually use their stamina in the front half; that is, not load the beginning with a long footwork sequence and a few spins before launching into jump after jump once the timer for the back half is reached.
Instead, we need some restriction to encourage better balanced programs. I would propose making the first three jumps of the ladies and men, as well as the first two lifts in pairs, ineligible for the bonus. Another interesting solution would be to have a rule where no ladies or mens skater can have three jump elements back to back, forcing them to spread out their jump elements throughout the program.
2. "Hand over the head" syndrome
This impetus for placing the hand above the head during a jump's rotation is getting, well, out of hand. We have free programs where every darn jump has this feature for the sake of extra GOE points their repetition is exhausting and makes the feature in itself less impressive. At a certain point, the hand over the head is simply the skater's chosen rotational position.
I would propose restricting this feature much like the existing rule where the same difficult spin position doesn't count more than once. Perhaps the judges should count the left hand above the head, the right hand above the head, both hands above the head, one hand behind the body, both hands behidn the body – whatever the case, just make it so that the same hand position cannot be counted more than once for the purpose of GOE bonus.
3. Have more technical callers for rotation, difficulty, edge calls, etc.
Under-rotation and downgrading can now make the difference between winning a competition and finishing off the podium. Merely getting a quad under-rotated can be a matter of 5 points and for a triple jump, it can mean around 3 points knocked off given the negative GOEs and the reduction in base value.
In the current system having all of this be decided by one judge (or two judges if they overrule the technical controller) is dangerous. What one person can really determine if the blade lands within the quarter-turn degree leeway or not? Or if a footwork sequence is really a Level 3 and not a Level 4 Besides, one of the points behind the IJS system in the first place is to lessen the impact that any one judge can have in tilting the results.
So instead, I think we need more judges that determine difficulty, edge calls, and under-rotation and have their assessments counted by some measure. I would suggest five judges that assess elements, perhaps dropping the best and worst out and averaging the rest.
4. Introduce a Choreographic Spin/Layback Spin
Spins have become quite repetitive under the IJS. It seems that every layback is just a sidetwist, eight rotations in a basic position, and then a Bielmann spin. And every flying sit spin is just a butterfly into a a cannonball/pancake, and then another eight positions in a tucked position. And every camel spin is just eight rotations in a basic position and then maybe a twist upward with a change of edge. Unless you're Yulia Lipniskaya or someone, it's boring watching the same old spins just to achieve the Level 4.
Instead, the IJS should replace one of the required spins into a choreographic spin (ChSp1)/choreographic layback(ChLSp1) similar to the choreographic step sequence, where the point is just to be impressive. For a standard spin, make it blur, be incredibly centered, have original positions, surprise us. And for the layback spin, make it actually about, you know, the “layback” part with a beautiful back bend and a great leg line perhaps in that classical attitude position. Layback spins shouldn't be about how well you can do a Bielmann.
5. Boost Triple Loop Base Value in Jump Combo
We rarely see the triple loop performed as the second or third jump in a jump combo, and for good reason as it's extremely difficult to get the height and rotation for it. I would propose increasing the value of the 3Lo, if performed as the second or third jump in a jump combo (and preceded by a 2A or higher), by about 10-20 per cent. That's an extra .5 to 1 point in base value.
1. Restricting 10% Bonus in Back Half
The current system rewards backloading programs with the toughest elements just for the ten per cent bonus. While this isn't so much of a problem with the mens discipline since the top skaters need the stamina to complete the more difficult quads at the top of their program, this effects ladies and pairs too much. Some ladies backload their programs with all their jumps and most pairs now backload their programs with all of the lifts.
One of the points of the bonus is to reward skaters for completing elements that are exhausting or risky in the back half, but that only applies if the skaters actually use their stamina in the front half; that is, not load the beginning with a long footwork sequence and a few spins before launching into jump after jump once the timer for the back half is reached.
Instead, we need some restriction to encourage better balanced programs. I would propose making the first three jumps of the ladies and men, as well as the first two lifts in pairs, ineligible for the bonus. Another interesting solution would be to have a rule where no ladies or mens skater can have three jump elements back to back, forcing them to spread out their jump elements throughout the program.
2. "Hand over the head" syndrome
This impetus for placing the hand above the head during a jump's rotation is getting, well, out of hand. We have free programs where every darn jump has this feature for the sake of extra GOE points their repetition is exhausting and makes the feature in itself less impressive. At a certain point, the hand over the head is simply the skater's chosen rotational position.
I would propose restricting this feature much like the existing rule where the same difficult spin position doesn't count more than once. Perhaps the judges should count the left hand above the head, the right hand above the head, both hands above the head, one hand behind the body, both hands behidn the body – whatever the case, just make it so that the same hand position cannot be counted more than once for the purpose of GOE bonus.
3. Have more technical callers for rotation, difficulty, edge calls, etc.
Under-rotation and downgrading can now make the difference between winning a competition and finishing off the podium. Merely getting a quad under-rotated can be a matter of 5 points and for a triple jump, it can mean around 3 points knocked off given the negative GOEs and the reduction in base value.
In the current system having all of this be decided by one judge (or two judges if they overrule the technical controller) is dangerous. What one person can really determine if the blade lands within the quarter-turn degree leeway or not? Or if a footwork sequence is really a Level 3 and not a Level 4 Besides, one of the points behind the IJS system in the first place is to lessen the impact that any one judge can have in tilting the results.
So instead, I think we need more judges that determine difficulty, edge calls, and under-rotation and have their assessments counted by some measure. I would suggest five judges that assess elements, perhaps dropping the best and worst out and averaging the rest.
4. Introduce a Choreographic Spin/Layback Spin
Spins have become quite repetitive under the IJS. It seems that every layback is just a sidetwist, eight rotations in a basic position, and then a Bielmann spin. And every flying sit spin is just a butterfly into a a cannonball/pancake, and then another eight positions in a tucked position. And every camel spin is just eight rotations in a basic position and then maybe a twist upward with a change of edge. Unless you're Yulia Lipniskaya or someone, it's boring watching the same old spins just to achieve the Level 4.
Instead, the IJS should replace one of the required spins into a choreographic spin (ChSp1)/choreographic layback(ChLSp1) similar to the choreographic step sequence, where the point is just to be impressive. For a standard spin, make it blur, be incredibly centered, have original positions, surprise us. And for the layback spin, make it actually about, you know, the “layback” part with a beautiful back bend and a great leg line perhaps in that classical attitude position. Layback spins shouldn't be about how well you can do a Bielmann.
5. Boost Triple Loop Base Value in Jump Combo
We rarely see the triple loop performed as the second or third jump in a jump combo, and for good reason as it's extremely difficult to get the height and rotation for it. I would propose increasing the value of the 3Lo, if performed as the second or third jump in a jump combo (and preceded by a 2A or higher), by about 10-20 per cent. That's an extra .5 to 1 point in base value.