ISU proposed figure skating changes
- Thread starter moonvine
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- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
I have no idea, but it strikes me as 'throw anything we can think of at the wall and see what sticks'. I man, shorten the short???? What are they thinking, 'let them skate out to the middle, maybe a jump or twirl or two, quick bow and skate back????'
And having to cost two frees is gonna mean even more repeat programs out of sheer self defence.
Here are some articles from RIA Novosti about it. They're written by Vlad Zhukov, I think most of what I've been seeing on social media have been taken from them.
ria.ru
ria.ru
Источник: в ISU обсуждают масштабные реформы в одиночном и парном катании
Серьезное реформирование концепции программ в фигурном катании обсудят в Международном союзе конькобежцев (ISU), сообщили РИА Новости несколько источников,... РИА Новости Спорт, 15.01.2026
ria.ru
ISU готовит революционные изменения в фигурном катании
Международный союз конькобежцев (ISU) планирует укоротить программы в фигурном катании, а также обязать спортсменов готовить две разные произвольные на сезон,... РИА Новости Спорт, 14.01.2026
ria.ru
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
I think two long programs is kind of outrageous. It’s all well and good if you’re a large fed skater (I guess) but small Fed skaters often use their programs for years because choreography and costumes are very expensive.
Canceling the warm up? Do they want injuries?
Shortening programs? They’ve done this already and as far as I’m concerned they are too short.
Europeans and 4CCs the same weekend? Guess they want to lose viewers.
How about bringing back the Compulsory Dance and Pattern Dance?
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
Actually, I like this one. I find it unfair that Euros are always earlier, especially in Olympic years... Putting them in the same weekend means that 4CC athletes have the same time frame for Olympics, Worlds and JWC (for the few who can do both).
The two long programs just means that most skaters will keep an old one and bring a new one... I doubt most will be able to invest on two LPs per year. It's agree with you here. And really ??? WHY ? What's the point ?
When I was a kid, I knew my older brother didn't like any of his food types to touch on his plate. So if he ticked me off, I would grab a fork and drag it across his plate and then run off. (I could run faster than he could.) It seems to me the ISU wants to drag a fork across the plate and make a mess of things whether anyone ticks them off or not.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
One year the Grand Prix Final experimented with a format that requiring two different free programs in separate segments. Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskya just did this year's program and last year's program for the two segments.
There were also a couple of seasons when Michelle experimented with more out-of-the-ordinary programs (The Magic Mandarin LP
and the Eric Clampton SP before going back to the tried and true for the big end of season competitions.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
I, too, like the idea of schedualing 4 Continents and Euros together, making them a sort of "semi-finals" leading up to Worlds.
The other proposals, I don't know, I am not outraged by any of them. Maybe shortening the programs is a necessary nod to the diminishing attention span of TV watchers. In fact, the whole thing seems TV driven (who wants to watch a boring warm-up session? Well,I do, but I don't buy any of the products advertised on these broadcasts anyway, so I don't count.)
The other proposals, I don't know, I am not outraged by any of them. Maybe shortening the programs is a necessary nod to the diminishing attention span of TV watchers. In fact, the whole thing seems TV driven (who wants to watch a boring warm-up session? Well,I do, but I don't buy any of the products advertised on these broadcasts anyway, so I don't count.)
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2007
I hate the idea of scheduling them the same weekend. Who in their right mind halves the number of spectators?
The programs are short enough already.
They tried the no warm up thing in gymnastics. Fans quite rightly protested vigorously and it didn’t last long at all. Athlete safety should always come first. Certainly before TV.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
well to be honest, Europe and 4CC are not exactly in the same timezone...
. I cannot watch Euros because of work but most often, I manage to watch 4CC. So I don't know about it having much of an impact on the spectators.
Our commentator, who is also our Olympic judge, just spilled the beans: there will be fewer jumps next season.
So I guess the "shorter programs" clause is about to be true. I'm in for that. I have actually demanded this change in many posts in this forum. I'm glad that ISU finally listened
Anyway, I'm preparing for lots of fun next season. You know, everybody cursing, complaining (including me - it doesn't matter that I wanted it
), predicting a quick end of figure skating as a sport... etc. 
So I guess the "shorter programs" clause is about to be true. I'm in for that. I have actually demanded this change in many posts in this forum. I'm glad that ISU finally listened
Anyway, I'm preparing for lots of fun next season. You know, everybody cursing, complaining (including me - it doesn't matter that I wanted it
), predicting a quick end of figure skating as a sport... etc. - Joined
- Oct 15, 2024
wait so the warm-up will take place before the broadcast but there will still be an interruption in the broadcast? i don't understand the point. also, for long competitions doesn't that create a huge gap between warm-up and program for the last skaters?
i like the six minute because it's a break for me, too! get some water, whatever.
i like the six minute because it's a break for me, too! get some water, whatever.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
For me, this was recently brought home quite forcefully by the women's LP at U.S. Nationals. Program after program, jump after jump after jump after jump. . Not very interesting at all (except for Amber Glenn and Bradie Tennell.)
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
I would imagine that the point is that they can fill the extra minutes with commercials.
As for the rescheduling of 4 Continents, the present timing is very awkward, especially in an Olympic year. This results in many of the top skaters electing to skip it altogether, which prevents the competition from gaining any real foothold as a legitimate and prestigious exercise -- more a consolation prize for people who don't make the team for Worlds.
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2014
I don't like any of the proposed changes at all.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
I love Zamboni time. My husband always knows when its Zamboni time.
- Joined
- May 27, 2021
He also shared these picturesHere are some articles from RIA Novosti about it. They're written by Vlad Zhukov, I think most of what I've been seeing on social media have been taken from them.
Источник: в ISU обсуждают масштабные реформы в одиночном и парном катании
Серьезное реформирование концепции программ в фигурном катании обсудят в Международном союзе конькобежцев (ISU), сообщили РИА Новости несколько источников,... РИА Новости Спорт, 15.01.2026
ISU готовит революционные изменения в фигурном катании
Международный союз конькобежцев (ISU) планирует укоротить программы в фигурном катании, а также обязать спортсменов готовить две разные произвольные на сезон,... РИА Новости Спорт, 14.01.2026
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
What is it exactly? Not an official info, right? Looks like a gossip or maybe brainstorming in progress. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't have much faith in ISU and I'm pretty sure that at this point they are just throwing random ideas left and right without rhyme or reason and with little to no vision of what they actually want to achieve. But I'm far too lazy to get angry at something that might not even be true.
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