I always end up frustrated in these discussions because I cannot shake the feeling that something is amiss with the sport, but when someone asks, how would you change it, I come up short.
I think the real problem is this. The more I learn about skating the less enjoyable it is for me to watch it, especially the ladies discipline. I used to say, Wow, that was great (or at least, Aw, that was pretty). Now I am more likely to be thinking, "you call that an outside edge?" and ""hmm, I'll have to see the replay on that landing!"
On the other hand, I am starting to like ice dance more and more. Probably because I know the least about it (ignorance is bliss).
I like all of your (gkelly's) suggestions about possible changes to the ladies LP, especially about allowing more non-jump ways to earn points. It would be cool if they could find a way to bring back stuff like Mazurka jumps. Lengthening the time to four and a half minutes and removing the 80% PCSs factoring are worth considering, although I would prefer both men and women to do four minutes and cut down on the list of expected elements.
(Aside: In men's skating if there were fewer jumping passes then skaters would be better rewarded for triple-triples without the need for changing the base values, and skaters would not find themselves stymied by Zayak problems.)
The idea of combining Lutz and flip jumps into one category for Zayak purposes should be explored for ladies, IMHO. This might take the pressure off the technical specialists in making e calls. Outside edge = Lutz, inside edge = flip. Either one fills the slot for that type of jump and gets base value, plus GOE for a really distinct edge. No need for any such thing as a flutz. For a borderline edge that is neither fish nor fowl, same base value but the judges could take off negative GOE if they thought the take-off was weak.
I agree with most of your points. Maybe if the Russian baby ballerinas mature into unassailable champs and come to own the discipline, so that we see winner after winner after winner, we'll feel more comfortable with the new judging system. (Unless, of course, they grow to be adult size and can't skate to the specifications of the CoP.) But right now something about skating seems less enjoyable, especially with ladies' singles. A huge number of their countries' champions look just plain inept out on the ice. That's painful to watch. When someone as amazing as Mao Asada isn't able to flourish under this system, then the sport loses its luster to me. (I get that her jumps are in a bit of a dip. But her skills all around are incredible, and her jumps are pretty far up there in terms of quality, even now.) Math's idea of bringing back things like Mazurka jumps is intriguing as a way of fleshing out ladies' skating and providing more areas for judges' evaluation.
So, all right, the new system will require not just the body of a ten-year-old, it will also demand an early training so rigorous that girls won't be able to do anything else in life except train, and that's best done by a country with an organized, centralized program. But even with Russian training excellence, are we going to end up with a fleet of diminutive skaters chosen by doctors and coaches for their body type, because no one else can skate to those rules? I'd hate to see that. Skating will lose a lot of people who might have contributed legendary programs remembered for generations to come. We'll have perfect jumps, though, and can post and memorize the points scores.
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