Clearly Golden Skate members have different opinions about what kind of skating they most enjoy watching and what direction they'd like to see the sport develop in.
Imagine you're envisioning what the final/decisive competition phase for singles skaters should look like in 10 years. What any earlier phase(s) should look like could be determined afterward, possibly replacing the current short program with something like one of the other options below, or something else to be defined later.
Below are some possible approaches. Which one would you personally like best? Feel free to post adjustments to how you would change or refine the rules I sketched out here, within the general concept of the type of event you select.
Jump Contest: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music optional. A whistle will blow when your time is up.
The object is to complete as much jump difficulty as possible during the allotted time. No limits on number of jump attempts or number of combinations/sequences or number of jumps within a combination or sequence. Quints are added to the scale of values. Should there be limits on repeats/rewards for variety of takeoffs?
No rules about what skaters may or may not do between jump attempts. Stroke around? Practice footwork? Practice backspins? Flirt with the audience? Retie your skate? Stand at the boards to drink water and blow your nose? It’s all good!
A tech panel will identify jump elements, including calling +COMBO or +SEQ as under 2024 rules for valid sequences and to identify when stepping down between jumps invalidates the rest of the combination/sequence.
AI will determine the height, length, and speed in and out of each jump and bonuses (or negative modifiers?) will be applied to the base values based on these measures.
Judges will award negative GOE only.
No points for non-jump elements, non-listed jumps, or PCS.
Jump Program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
Similar to the above except for an added rule that skaters must keep moving across the ice surface on their blades, except of course while in the air for jumps and except for allowed choreographic stops or slides of no more than 5 seconds each.
Skaters can do whatever they want on the ice between the jumps, but there will be no points for any non-jump elements.
AI will determine the height, length, and speed in and out of each jump and bonuses (or negative modifiers?) will be applied to the base values based on these measures.
Judges will award both positive and negative GOEs, and both Presentation and Skating Skills components.
Jump-heavy “well-balanced” program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
7 or 8 jump passes with 3 combos/sequences permitted. Zayak rule applies. Maximum of 1 quintuple jump.
3 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements, program components for Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills.
AI-based scoring modifiers may be incorporated to all relevant technical elements.
Moderate-jump “well-balanced” program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
5 or 6 jump passes with 2 combos/sequences permitted. No quints.
3 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence, 1 choreographic sequence.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements, program components for Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills.
AI-based scoring modifiers may be incorporated to all relevant technical elements.
“Artistic” program: 3:30 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
3 or 4 jump passes with 1 combo/sequence permitted. No quints; maximum of 2 quads for men, 1 quad and 1 triple axel or 2 triple axels for women.
1 or 2 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence, 2 or 3 choreographic elements to be chosen from Choreo Spin, Choreo Step Sequence, Choreo Field Moves Sequence, Choreo Signature Move (to be defined). It is permissible to include 2 choreo elements from the same category if they are of different types within the category (e.g., a choreo upright spin and a choreo deathdrop; a rink-length Ina Bauer and a backflip). “Different” may be very clearly defined in the rules or left to the determination of the tech panel.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements. Judges award component score for Skating Skills. Specially trained artistic professionals award scores for Composition and Presentation – maybe Interpretation will also be separated out as an independent component again.
Entertainment program: 4:00 minutes ± 60 seconds (i.e., 3:00 to 5:00 all legal). Music required. Props and theatrical costumes permitted.
Skaters earn points for the first 3 jumps, first spin, and first sequence they perform (choreo or leveled?). Otherwise, they can do whatever they want between and after the point-earning elements, including as many additional jumps, spins, or steps/sequences as they like. Or unlisted skills. Or they can just flirt with the audience. It’s all good.
Tech panel and judges award scores for the point-earning elements and Skating Skills.
Audience members in the arena and at home use special devices to award points for Artistic/Entertainment Value, which could be broken down into multiple categories.
Imagine you're envisioning what the final/decisive competition phase for singles skaters should look like in 10 years. What any earlier phase(s) should look like could be determined afterward, possibly replacing the current short program with something like one of the other options below, or something else to be defined later.
Below are some possible approaches. Which one would you personally like best? Feel free to post adjustments to how you would change or refine the rules I sketched out here, within the general concept of the type of event you select.
Jump Contest: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music optional. A whistle will blow when your time is up.
The object is to complete as much jump difficulty as possible during the allotted time. No limits on number of jump attempts or number of combinations/sequences or number of jumps within a combination or sequence. Quints are added to the scale of values. Should there be limits on repeats/rewards for variety of takeoffs?
No rules about what skaters may or may not do between jump attempts. Stroke around? Practice footwork? Practice backspins? Flirt with the audience? Retie your skate? Stand at the boards to drink water and blow your nose? It’s all good!
A tech panel will identify jump elements, including calling +COMBO or +SEQ as under 2024 rules for valid sequences and to identify when stepping down between jumps invalidates the rest of the combination/sequence.
AI will determine the height, length, and speed in and out of each jump and bonuses (or negative modifiers?) will be applied to the base values based on these measures.
Judges will award negative GOE only.
No points for non-jump elements, non-listed jumps, or PCS.
Jump Program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
Similar to the above except for an added rule that skaters must keep moving across the ice surface on their blades, except of course while in the air for jumps and except for allowed choreographic stops or slides of no more than 5 seconds each.
Skaters can do whatever they want on the ice between the jumps, but there will be no points for any non-jump elements.
AI will determine the height, length, and speed in and out of each jump and bonuses (or negative modifiers?) will be applied to the base values based on these measures.
Judges will award both positive and negative GOEs, and both Presentation and Skating Skills components.
Jump-heavy “well-balanced” program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
7 or 8 jump passes with 3 combos/sequences permitted. Zayak rule applies. Maximum of 1 quintuple jump.
3 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements, program components for Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills.
AI-based scoring modifiers may be incorporated to all relevant technical elements.
Moderate-jump “well-balanced” program: 4:00 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
5 or 6 jump passes with 2 combos/sequences permitted. No quints.
3 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence, 1 choreographic sequence.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements, program components for Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills.
AI-based scoring modifiers may be incorporated to all relevant technical elements.
“Artistic” program: 3:30 minutes ± 10 seconds. Music required.
3 or 4 jump passes with 1 combo/sequence permitted. No quints; maximum of 2 quads for men, 1 quad and 1 triple axel or 2 triple axels for women.
1 or 2 leveled spins, 1 leveled step sequence, 2 or 3 choreographic elements to be chosen from Choreo Spin, Choreo Step Sequence, Choreo Field Moves Sequence, Choreo Signature Move (to be defined). It is permissible to include 2 choreo elements from the same category if they are of different types within the category (e.g., a choreo upright spin and a choreo deathdrop; a rink-length Ina Bauer and a backflip). “Different” may be very clearly defined in the rules or left to the determination of the tech panel.
Positive and negative GOEs for all elements. Judges award component score for Skating Skills. Specially trained artistic professionals award scores for Composition and Presentation – maybe Interpretation will also be separated out as an independent component again.
Entertainment program: 4:00 minutes ± 60 seconds (i.e., 3:00 to 5:00 all legal). Music required. Props and theatrical costumes permitted.
Skaters earn points for the first 3 jumps, first spin, and first sequence they perform (choreo or leveled?). Otherwise, they can do whatever they want between and after the point-earning elements, including as many additional jumps, spins, or steps/sequences as they like. Or unlisted skills. Or they can just flirt with the audience. It’s all good.
Tech panel and judges award scores for the point-earning elements and Skating Skills.
Audience members in the arena and at home use special devices to award points for Artistic/Entertainment Value, which could be broken down into multiple categories.
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