OK, let's start with jumps in the free program. I agree with most of your observations/suggestions.
-First of all limiting jumps passes is not a good thing in my opinion. They should limit triples, quand and double axels, but not jumps in general. The Zayak rule and the no more than 3 double axels per program rules are enough. In this way skaters could include double jumps, if the music dictates it. Or a split flip, a delayed axel, or a tuck axel. If the music allows a skaters can do a jump in a spiral sequence or in a step sequence.
We're only talking about senior (and junior?) level here, right?
The restrictions would need to be different at lower levels, where triple jumps are rare or not allowed at all. But the federations make those rules -- the ISU only cares about junior and senior.
The problem with allowing unlimited single and double jumps in addition to the current allotment of triples and quads is that very often intended triples and quads turn into singles and doubles by mistake. I'm sure that the current restrictions on total number of jump passes are in place to discourage skaters from trying again and again every time they pop a jump until they finally manage to pull off a triple. But in the process the restrictions also limit other options.
Let's figure out how to encourage them instead.
First of all, I'd allow 8 instead of 7 jump passes for senior ladies. Some of them would just use the extra jump pass for a seventh triple that they can't fit in with the current restrictions, going back to the kind of jump layout that was common in the 1990s. But others (especially the best jumpers who can do triple-triples and the weaker ones who don't have five different kinds of triples) would use the extra slot for doubles and/or specialty singles.
The senior ladies' program could also be allowed to be a bit longer than 4:10. They could use the extra seconds for posing or resting sections if necessary.
Second, I'd add a new kind of element called "small-jump sequence" that would reward skaters for doing varied jumps of less than 2 revolutions. Here are my suggested rules and base marks for this kind of element:
A sequence of jumps of no more than 1.5 revolutions connected by no more than two steps or turns between each jump, covering at least half the length of the rink or at least half of a rink-width circle. 1.5 jumps may be axel-type jumps landed on back inside or back outside edge, or any backward-takeoff jumps landed facing forward with a toe assist and push to a forward edge.
Features
-split, stag, or double stag jump (flip, lutz, or loop/falling leaf takeoff, half revolution) with both legs at least parallel to the ice at the top of the jump
-split, stag, and/or double stag jumps (flip, lutz, or loop/falling leaf takeoff, half revolution) performed in both directions
-ring jump (flip or lutz takeoff, half or no rotation) in which one or both legs is bent up behind the body to foot above waist height and the head is arched backward
-full- or 1.5-revolution jump (any takeoff) with legs split at least 90 degrees at the top of the jump
-tuck/stag axel with one leg extended parallel to the ice at the top of the jump
-1- and/or 1.5-revolution jumps rotating in both directions
-at least three edge jumps (salchow, 1-foot salchow, loop, half-loop, walley, half-walley, toeless lutz, one-foot axel, inside axel) performed in immediate succession with no steps or turns in between
-forward-takeoff jump with one revolution landed on the same edge as the takeoff with no toe assist and a controlled forward-edge exit
Base values for Small Jump Sequence:
Level 1 1.6
Level 2 2.8
Level 3 3.4
Level 4 4.0
So if you just do enough single or half jumps to cover enough ice, with no extra difficulty, you earn approximately the base value for three single jumps. If you add enough features, you'd earn a base mark comparable to another double axel or triple toe. And there are lots of different options for how to earn those features.
As far as I understand, skaters are allowed to do jumps in the middle of step sequences or spiral sequences, earn jump points for them, and use up a jumping pass in the process. But most skaters probably don't realize that it's allowed or don't believe that they can perform jumps inside a sequence that will be worth as many points (because of difficulty and/or quality) as ones performed on their own.
So how could this option be encouraged?
First of all, put it in writing where the skaters can see it how such combined elements are to be scored, so skaters know the option exists in the first place. And make it worth their while to put a double lutz, for example, in the middle of a sequence instead of a double axel on its own or a telegraphed triple lutz that will probably be downgraded and/or earn an edge call.
Write up guidelines to judges to reward successful inclusion of multirevolution jumps within spiral and step sequences, or on the entrances or exits of spins, with higher GOE for both elements as well as in the Transitions component. And/or include a specific bonus, perhaps 1.0, for doing so successfully. Or define the combination of a double jump with another element as a level feature for that other element.
It's still a risk, though, that if the skater falls or stumbles badly on the jump that could also lead to low negative GOE on the sequence as well as on the jump, or possibly to the sequence not being completed enough to count at all. At least there would be only one fall deduction per fall.
Skaters also already have the option of putting something like a split-flip or delayed axel at the end of their programs, after they've already filled all their allowed jump passes. No points after the jump slots are all filled, but also no penalty as far as I know and the potential for rewards in the program components.
Or if they can pull off those jumps with triple toe on the landing, they could already leagally use that as one of their jump combos, with not much lower base mark and if successful likely with higher GOE than they could earn for a triple toe-double toe or double toe-triple toe combo. But I'm sure it's very difficult to get from one of those delayed-rotation single jumps into a good triple toe, and the skaters who would be capable of it are also capable of using their jump combo allotment for elements with much higher base marks such as triple-triples.
-Second they should drop the 0.8 penality in jump sequences, or limiting jump combos to two (instead of three) and the third one should be a jump sequence.
Jump sequences are more varied than jump combos, so we could see interesting things such as 3A, half loop, 3F or easier sequences made of a triple and then double jumps that follow the music.
-Give points to skaters that can jump in both directions (Rohene Ward).
-More credit to 2-3 combos in contrast to 3-2 combos
Agreed. I'd do something like multiply the base value of the second or third jump in a combination by 1.2 and the second or third in a jump sequence by 1.1. None of this 0.8 penalty for sequences. Specifically allow the skater to use the three-jump combo option in a jump sequence instead of a true combo.
The bonus for the second jump in a true combination would also encourage skaters to use combos like one-foot axel - triple salchow, since it would be worth more than triple salchow-double toe.
How to reward jumps in both directions?
It would be tricky to reward a skater just for doing one or more isolated jumps in the opposite direction from the rest of his or her jumps -- it would be too easy for the callers to fail to notice that the skater did that jump in the other direction. That's why every time I've seen a skater attempt jumps opposite direction jumps in a program in the old system they always put it in close proximity to a normal-direction jump to make sure the judges noticed.
Also, some skaters might just prefer to different kinds of jumps in different directions; e.g., Sonja Henie did her single lutz clockwise in the air but her other jumps and spins counterclockwise, from what I've seen. If she could only do all her jumps one direction each but the lutz just happened to be opposite from the others, there's no real reason to reward her for that quirk.
So there would have to be some rules to make sure that whoever is responsible for rewarding the opposite-direction jumps would be sure to notice and to make sure that skaters are rewarded for true ambidextrousness in jumping.
For example:
Give a bonus to the base mark (1.0? 1.0 for each full revolution of the opposite-direction jump?) for a jump combination or sequence that includes jumps in both directions
Give a (lower?) bonus to the base mark of any jump if the immediately preceding element was a jump of the same name, but not necessarily the same number of revolutions
Of course all these additional bonuses would need to be written into the software. And some of the skills these new rules anticipate might not actually show up in competition for years afterward. But if skaters know that they will be rewarded for them, and how much, some will start trying them in practice and a few will be successful enough to add them to their programs.
