I wrote few notes of mine from JGP in Ostrava - Junior Men's Free Skate.
I realised that one note belongs into this topic, so I am reposting it here...
----------------------------------
www.goldenskate.com
What is alarming for me is new blade feature.
Communication No. 2623 - "Difficult blade feature: using the blade in a way that has a significant impact on the balance, control and execution of the spin. The feature must be executed in camel, sit or Layback position and can be achieved for example by spinning on the heel or toe of the blade."
Most of skaters chose blade feature in camel position - toe pick or heel. Spinning on those parts of the blade create smaller (toe pick) or bigger and deeper (heel) hole on the ice. Also spinning on toe pick is one of begginer's mistake in spins, so it i surprising for me that it became a feature.
But holes on the ice ARE real issue. Thanks to different (not ideal) technique, there are already holes from flip and lutz, partially axel on the ice, newly from backflip.
If skater skates into a hole, it leads to stumble or fall. Ice resurfacing is done after two warm-up groups. For Grand Prix, European / World Championships and Olympics, ice resurfacing is done before last 2 best groups. We already have reverse skating order in Free Programs. It means that Bronze, Silver and Gold medalists after Short Program will be 10st - 12th skater to use the ice after resurfacing. While range of junior men's weight can be from let's say 40 to 65 kilograms (88 to 143 pounds), range of senior's weight can be let's say from 52 to 78 kilograms (114 to 171 pounds). Logically senior men will create bigger holes on the ice.
Loena Hendrickx didn't have the best Free Skate at 2023 European Championships, after the program she digged into the ice 3 times (she is thin and it was not done with maximal power). Some people from Figure Skating world criticised it, because it could cause troubles to Anastasiia Gubanova who was skating next. I don't belive it was intentional, I think Loena was frustrated and didn't realise the danger for Anastasiia.
This season Bronze medalist after the Short Program will enter the ice having additional 9 holes from blade feature anywhere across the ice, much deeper than Loena did. And it will be even worse for Silver and Gold medalists. We will expect top 3 senior men to execute from two to four quad jumps and two 3axels during Free Skate, each of these will need quite high entering speed. They will execute these difficult elements on the ice being damaged not only by holes from jumps, but newly from holes from blade features.
I would like to kindly ask ISU and Federation's members to remember the moment when they themselves as skaters skated into hole in full speed. It is no way positive experience. Do we really need to increase the possibility of top skaters skating into hole in full speed with this new blade feature? I personally don't think so. I would be very glad to see this blade feature to be deleted soon.
I realised that one note belongs into this topic, so I am reposting it here...
----------------------------------
2024 JGP Czech Skate Men's FS
@TallyT if you understand Gogitidze's costume, please enlighten the rest of us! My first thought was it is meant to evoke an Arabian tent... which is very unkind though, because the costume is weird but no way is it the "OMG what the hell were they thinking" weird that some senior skaters have...
What is alarming for me is new blade feature.
Communication No. 2623 - "Difficult blade feature: using the blade in a way that has a significant impact on the balance, control and execution of the spin. The feature must be executed in camel, sit or Layback position and can be achieved for example by spinning on the heel or toe of the blade."
Most of skaters chose blade feature in camel position - toe pick or heel. Spinning on those parts of the blade create smaller (toe pick) or bigger and deeper (heel) hole on the ice. Also spinning on toe pick is one of begginer's mistake in spins, so it i surprising for me that it became a feature.
But holes on the ice ARE real issue. Thanks to different (not ideal) technique, there are already holes from flip and lutz, partially axel on the ice, newly from backflip.
If skater skates into a hole, it leads to stumble or fall. Ice resurfacing is done after two warm-up groups. For Grand Prix, European / World Championships and Olympics, ice resurfacing is done before last 2 best groups. We already have reverse skating order in Free Programs. It means that Bronze, Silver and Gold medalists after Short Program will be 10st - 12th skater to use the ice after resurfacing. While range of junior men's weight can be from let's say 40 to 65 kilograms (88 to 143 pounds), range of senior's weight can be let's say from 52 to 78 kilograms (114 to 171 pounds). Logically senior men will create bigger holes on the ice.
Loena Hendrickx didn't have the best Free Skate at 2023 European Championships, after the program she digged into the ice 3 times (she is thin and it was not done with maximal power). Some people from Figure Skating world criticised it, because it could cause troubles to Anastasiia Gubanova who was skating next. I don't belive it was intentional, I think Loena was frustrated and didn't realise the danger for Anastasiia.
This season Bronze medalist after the Short Program will enter the ice having additional 9 holes from blade feature anywhere across the ice, much deeper than Loena did. And it will be even worse for Silver and Gold medalists. We will expect top 3 senior men to execute from two to four quad jumps and two 3axels during Free Skate, each of these will need quite high entering speed. They will execute these difficult elements on the ice being damaged not only by holes from jumps, but newly from holes from blade features.
I would like to kindly ask ISU and Federation's members to remember the moment when they themselves as skaters skated into hole in full speed. It is no way positive experience. Do we really need to increase the possibility of top skaters skating into hole in full speed with this new blade feature? I personally don't think so. I would be very glad to see this blade feature to be deleted soon.
